Books, Movies, & Other Resources
As far as formal education can take you, at the end of the day you’re meeting the learning requirements set forth by each institution. Sometimes you want to learn for the sake of learning, or focus on a specific interest that hasn’t been covered in your classes. Or, for the more rigorous exams, supplement your education through well-vetted study materials. This page includes all of my favorite books, movies, and other websites where I source my review material in preparing for exams.
Books
Wine Folly: Magnum Edition: The Master Guide by Madeline Puckette and Justin Hammack
2019 James Beard Foundation Award Winner. My favorite of all the books because of how it displays individual grape variety information in a uniform, easy to digest layout. Different from past editions, Wine Folly Magnum Edition includes: more than 100 grapes and wines color-coded by style; a wine region explorer with detailed maps of the top wine regions; wine labeling and classification 101 for old world countries like France, Italy, Spain, Germany and Austria; a food and wine pairing section; and a guide on how to taste wine like a professional. It’s one of the books that helped me gain confidence as I was starting out in this intimidating field and remains a staple of my wine library as a quick reference for understanding grape varieties.
One of the most respected and widely celebrated sommeliers in the world, Aldo Sohm takes his experiences working at three-Michelin-starred Le Bernardin with Chef Eric Ripert and condenses it into one of the best essential wine guides. This book is full of beautifully designed infographics, illustrations, an unbeatable depth of knowledge, and strong opinions on wine so you can learn to form your own. Reading this is like sitting at the Aldo Sohm Wine Bar in New York, listening to the somm himself educate you with his insatiable passion and eagerness. This book is easy to absorb, starting with the fundamentals of how to taste, when to save and splurge, how to set up a tasting at home before taking your knowledge to the next level like how to identify faults and saber a bottle of champagne. Dive fearlessly with this user-friendly guide to the world of wine.
The Wine Bible 3rd Edition by Karen MacNeil
Where Wine Folly and Wine Simple are great for getting into wine, The Wine Bible is the compendium answering every question you have about wine. In its now third edition, this book is deeply informative, comprehensive, entertaining and beautifully written by industry expert Karen MacNeil. Starting with the fundamentals of varieties, climate, terroir and peppered with delightful quips, tips, and anecdotes, this is the textbook educating everyone from newcomers to industry insiders like sommeliers and restauranteurs with definitions, maps, labels, illustrations and a list of recommended bottles and producers to try by country and region. This beautiful bible is my go-to for supplementing my own education, especially as I prepare for the Court of Master Sommeliers Certified exam this year.
Vino: The Essential Guide to Real Italian Wine by Joe Campanale and Joshua David Stein
Italian wine can be a bit of a bear to study. With over 500 grape varieties produced in 20 regions in another language, gaining an understanding of Italian wine culture is not a task for the faint of heart, at least without the help of Vino that is. Written by acclaimed Italian wine expert, sommelier, winemaker, and restauranteur Joe Campanale, this comprehensive guide dives into the dynamics of modern Italian winemaking, where a new generation of winemakers throws aside modern trends to return to tradition, sustainability, and indigenous grape varieties. Taking you through all 20 of Italy’s wine regions, Campanale highlights the diversity of real Italian wine and the men and women in every area. This is not a standard educational text that is meant to supplement your exam study, but is a thoughtful and provocative exploration of the DOCG system and how upending it is better for consumers to start enjoying Italian wine again.
The World Atlas of Wine 8th Edition by Hugh Johnson and Jancis Robinson
2020 James Beard Foundation Award Winner. Widely recognized since its’ first edition published in 1971, The World Atlas of Wine is the essential and most authoritative wine reference available. Bringing readers old and new up to date with the world of wine, Hugh Johnson and Jancis Robinson, the world’s most respected wine-writing duo have created this classic work no wine lover can afford to be without. If you are looking for only one wine book to buy off of my list, let this be that one.
The Sommelier’s Atlas of Taste by Rajat Parr and Jordan Mackay
Written by former pastry chef, Master Sommelier, and award-winning winemaker Rajat Parr and wine writer Jordan Mackay, this is the first definitive reference book to describe, region-by-region how the great wines of Europe should taste. For aspiring sommeliers like myself, wine enthusiasts seeking to develop their deductive tasting skills and industry newcomers trying to understand how to describe wine, this book is the most in-depth study of the world’s greatest wine regions ever published. By describing the intricacies of the way wines from various subregions, soil types, and appellations should taste, you can learn the differences between the 7 grand crus and 40 premier crus of Chablis, for example. Taking a modern approach to understanding wine, this is a fantastic supplement for any wine education.
The New Sotheby’s Wine Encyclopedia by Tom Stevenson
Long used as the go-to textbook for the Master Sommelier examination, The New Sotheby’s Wine Encyclopedia reflects the most recent trends in the dynamic world of wine and features authoritative information on the history, culture, geography, and taste of vintages as written by experts from around the globe. This encyclopedia is arranged geographically to highlight the regions and climates that produce the best vintages. Other features of this book include: top wines organized by producer and year; a troubleshooter’s guide to wine faults; up-and-coming producers; unusual wines and food pairings. This is the most up-to-date and comprehensive wine reference in the world, a must-have for anyone looking to become an expert in wine.
Movies
SOMM (2012) directed by Jason Wise
In short: this is movie that changed my life. If I had never watched it, I wouldn’t have changed my career, I wouldn’t have continued my education, and I certainly wouldn’t be where I am today. SOMM follows four candidates preparing to sit for the Master Sommelier exam, the most difficult test you’ve never heard of. The Court of Master Sommeliers is one of the world's most exclusive organizations with an exam that covers every nuance of the world of wine, spirits and at the time it was made, cigars too. A beautiful movie capturing the rigorous and demanding world of high-end wine service over a decade ago, it is still as inspiring today as it was then.
SOMM: Into the Bottle (2016) directed by Jason Wise
Expanding on the secret world opened to the public four years earlier, SOMM: Into the Bottle takes a deep dive into every step along the way of how these moments of bottled time arrive in your hands. This movie takes viewers on a rare and never before seen glimpse inside the private world of both famed and cult winemakers. Watch as some of the most storied bottles of wine are opened; in some cases less than a dozen are left in the world. While you’ll get to catch up with your favorite Master Sommeliers from the first movie, you’re introduced to other important names in the wine industry, the men and women who’ve made it their lives’ work to creating wine.
SOMM III (2018) directed by Jason Wise
My personal favorite of the quartet, SOMM III, takes a look at the world-changing Judgment of Paris and how the industry has changed since then. Three of the greatest legends in wine, former Master Sommelier Fred Dame, Jancis Robinson MW, and the much beloved Steven Spurrier, meet to drink the rarest bottles of their careers, while the best blind tasters of today (some of whom you’ll recognize from the previous movies) gather to settle an age-old argument. A poignant introspective about what makes wine great, and how as industry professionals, we remember the bottles that inspired us.
Bottle Shock (2008) directed by Randall Miller
One of two iconic films about wine, Bottle Shock is the largely fictionalized story of the Judgment of Paris, the blind tasting that changed the world. Starting an A-list team of wonderful actors, this movie is a cult favorite among the wine community while also getting a lot of details wrong. (As a side note: there’s a wonderful video comparing the real life historical events that led to the Judgement of Paris to the scenes in this movie on SommTV.) I will readily admit even though it’s not an accurate retelling of the events, it’s still a deeply enjoyable movie that tells the story of how the late Steven Spurrier came up with the idea for the blind tasting, visited California and tasted the iconic wines that put Napa Valley on the map as a major player in the global wine industry.
Sideways (2004) directed by Alexander Payne
Academy Award Winner for Best Adapted Screenplay, Sideways is the raunchy story of two middle-age men who go on a wild tasting tour of Santa Barbara leading up to their wedding. Do be warned this movie includes a fair amount of nudity and violence, but this is the eponymous movie that changed the wine industry in California. After Sideways debuted, there was a noticeable drop off in merlot sales and a dramatic shift towards pinot noir, which some economists have speculated led to a decrease in quality as producers started planting pinot noir in climates not suited for the thin-skinned delicate grape. Recently, Wine Enthusiast published an article speaking with the director, Alexander Payne, in a two-decade retrospective of this unexpectedly delightful movie. READ IT HERE.
Websites
While I aspire for my An Old Wine’s Tale to be a great resource for wine enthusiasts and people seeking to expand their wine education or prepare for tasting tours, I would be remiss not to include these other incredible websites.
Created by Madeline Puckett and Justin Hammack, Wine Folly is the go to public website for wine education. They cover most of the material from the book of the same name listed above, and much more! They have regional guides, how to pair seasonal food and wine for events like a 4th of July barbecue or Thanksgiving, as well as a number of proprietary courses they designed and sell. Approachable and easy to understand, Wine Folly is still one of my go-to resources for quick information.
GuildSomm International is a nonprofit membership organization for wine, spirits, and beverage professionals and aficionados. They create and deliver the most accurate, comprehensive, and accessible educational content in support of the global beverage community. GuildSomm connects its over 9,000 members with a range of content on GuildSomm.com and through classes, events, videos, and a popular podcast. With a mix of both public and private members-only educational content, this is a very reliable resource, but requires more time to sit down and comb through.