Understanding Wine Technology has become the most favoured book of many students. This book is aimed at the person with no formal scientific training, yet who is interested in the science behind wine and wants to know the mechanism behind the complex transformations that take place. Scientific terminology has been kept to a minimum and an attempt has been made to use everyday words and phrases. Indeed, there are places where the scientist might raise the eyebrows, places where perhaps science has had to give way to an easy understanding of a complex principle. In this fourth edition Nicolas Quille, a well-qualified and widely-experienced French winemaker working in Oregon USA has brought the information up-to-date so that this book remains the mainstay for those who are studying for the Diploma of the WSET or for membership of the Institute of Masters of Wine. The text has also been expanded to include more information on the making of the major styles of the wines of the world, which should be of interest to those who are not engaged in study, but who have an enquiring mind and therefore want to know the mechanisms behind their production.
Hugh Johnson writes in the Foreword: I'm not sure whether to call this book a primer, a memory-jogger or a lifesaver. Which it is depends on the reader. For WSET students it is essentially the first, then the second. For people like me it is the third- than rather belatedly the first. What we all need is a crisp exposition of how wine is made and why, easy to refer to when a funny smell appears, to cover the physics, natural history, legislation and finally the appreciation of wine.
David's first edition has been my stand-by for years. I have my Peynaud, my Amerine & Joslyn, my Michael Schuster for going deeper in certain areas where necessary, but I wouldn't be without Bird in the hand. This fourth edition adds freshly-focused insight into the production of the principal styles of the wines of the world, making it equally interesting for those who are simply lovers of wine and for those who are serious students of the Master of Wine examination. New concepts such as Orange, organic, biodynamic and 'natural' wines have been added to the public's vocabulary - leaving many baffled and curious. Modern food legislation adds another obstacle course for the winemaker to negotiate. The detailed explanation of the mysteries of Hazard Analysis make this book particularly useful for wineries that are faced with the new problems of food safety legislation. Essentially, though, this is the classic Bird, much updated from the third edition and available once more to ease the pangs of students young and old.
Author Biography:
DAVID BIRD trained as an analytical chemist and entered the food
manufacturing business as an analyst working with baby foods, mustard and
fruit squashes. He moved into the wine trade in 1973 almost by chance, but in
reality because a passion for wine was already developing. 1981 was his
vintage year, becoming a Master of Wine, a Chartered Chemist and father to
his first son. He specialises in quality assurance techniques, such as ISO 9000
and HACCP, and has been involved with wine activities and education in
France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Hungary, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Norway,
the Netherlands, Ukraine, Moldova, Russia, Algeria, Australia, Scotland,
Ireland and England.
NICOLAS QUILLÉ has more than 30 years of experience in the wine industry with an emphasis on winemaking, quality control, and winery management. He was born in Lyon, France, into a family that has worked in the wine business for three generations. He has made wine in Burgundy, Provence, the Rhone Valley, Champagne, the Douro Valley, Oregon,
Washington and California. He holds a Master's Degree in Enology from the
University of Dijon, a Post Graduate Degree in sparkling winery management
from the University of Reims, and a Master of Business Administration from
the University of Washington. In 2018, Nicolas became a Master of Wine.
Besides his day job running wineries, he is a judge for several wine
competitions, a wine educator, and speaker at wine conferences.
