Now completely revised and updated, this new edition of the essential consumer guide to wine features all the most current information for today's wine landscape. The authors, long-time wine educators at The Culinary Institute of America, have added all the latest and most relevant information to their award-winning book, including new picks for the best regional producers, off-the-beaten-path finds, and bargain bottles. With a practical, anti-snob attitude, the emphasis is always on enjoying wine to the fullest in real-world scenarios and getting the best value for your dollar, whether splurging on a special-occasion bottle or deciding on your own "house" wine. All the basics are covered, including the major wine grapes, flavor profiles, and decoding labels, plus up-to-date information on established and up-and-coming regions, advice on pairing wine with everything from Korean short ribs to all-American burgers, opinions on wine gadgets (yea or nay?), and more. Cheers! AUTHORS: Steven Kolpan is a professor in wine studies at The Culinary Institute of America. He is the author of several books, including Exploring Wine and WineWise, winner of the James Beard Foundation Award for Best Beverage Book of 2009. In 2007, he was chosen as Wine Educator of the Year by the European Wine Council. Mr. Kolpan is the wine columnist for Salon.com and The Valley Table and has written more than 100 wine articles for many magazines, newspapers, and websites. Michael A. Weiss has been professor of wine at The Culinary Institute of America for more than two decades. He is the co-author of the classic 'Exploring Wine: The Culinary Institute of America's Complete Guide to Wines of the World'. In 2007, he was honored as Wine Educator of the Year by the European Wine Council. Weiss was awarded the Diploma of Honor from the Corporation des Vignerons de Champagne and inducted into the Confraria, or Brotherhood of Porto. The late Brian H. Smith was professor of wine at The Culinary Institute of America for more than two decades. Along with Steven Kolpan and Michael A. Weiss, he is the author of the classic 'Exploring Wine: The Culinary Institute of America's Complete Guide to Wines of the World'. Smith is also the author of 'The Sommelier's Guide to Wine'. Colour illustrations