Bordeaux

WinedrinkersaroundtheworldrefertoRobertM.Parker,Jr.'sBordeauxsimplyas"TheBible."Firstpublishedin1985,thislandmarkconsumerguidelaunchedoneofthemostillustriouscareersinwinecriticism.RobertParker'smission,inhisnewsletterTheWineAdvocateandhismanybestsellingbooks,hasalwaysbeentogivewinedrinkershonest,informedadviceaboutwhichwinesareworththeirmoney,andwhichwinesaren't.ThefourtheditionofBordeauxpresentsacompleteguidetovintagesbetween1961and2001.Thislatestvolumebringsreadersup-to-dateontheabundanceofnewproducersinFrance'smostimportantwineregionandforthefirsttimeincludesmorethan700winelabels.ParkerhasretastedandreevaluatedmanyofBordeaux'sfinestwines—andadjustedtheirratingsaccordingly—soreadersofhispreviouseditionswilldiscoverhereinawealthofnewmaterial.Parkerbeginswithanoverviewofeachyear,whichincludesinsightintogrowingconditionsandyields,notesonanticipatedmaturity,generalpriceranges,andlistsofbestwines.Theheartofthebookisthechapter"EvaluatingtheWinesofBordeaux,"inwhichhemeticulouslyreviewswineproducersofeveryappellation.Organizedgeographically,thechateauxarelistedinalphabeticalorder,andentriesincludecontactinformation,vineyardsize,detailsaboutthewine-makingstyle,andageneralevaluationofthechateau'swines.Bestofall,eachentryincludesextensivetastingnotesonimportantvintages,allofthemfeaturingParker'scelebratedratingsystem—inwhicheverywineisassessedonascalerangingfrom50to100.Inlaterchapters,healsooffersessentialinformationabouttheelementsofagreatBordeauxwine,practicaltravelinformationabouttheregion,aglossaryofwineterms,andmore.Aninvaluableguideforconsumers,RobertM.Parker,Jr.'sBordeauxprovidesalltheinformationamateursandconnoisseursalikecouldpossiblyneedintheirsearchforthatperfectbottle.Parker'sphenomenallysuccessfulfirstbook,whichestablishedhimas"themostinfluentialwinewriterintheworldtoday"(LosAngelesTimes),nowcompletelyupdated.Itisalsoexpandedtocontaindiscussionsof100morechateauxandtastingnotesfor1,000morewines.Decorativeartandmaps.