There are dozens upon dozens of wine books out there. Some read like encyclopedias, while others manage to whisk you away into the romantic, nerdy, delicious, and deeply historic world of wine in a way that feels more like a vacation than a seminar. When it’s all over and you return to real life, you might be surprised to realize you actually learned a thing or two along the way. We’ve rounded up seven of the best wine books out there, perfect for every type of wine lover, from the curious beginner to the devoted foodie to the proudly self-identified oenophile. And while we’ve linked to all of these books on Amazon, we highly encourage you to call up your local bookshop and order from them instead.
For the Foodie: Big Macs + Burgundy
Sommelier Vanessa Price breaks down the art of food and wine pairing for normal people. Forget foie gras, tartare, caviar, and all the dishes you’ll never make at home. This book shows you which wines work best with your everyday staples and guilty pleasures, from Bagel Bites to avocado toast and even your go-to fast food or Trader Joe’s finds. Not exactly for anyone trying to stick to a diet.
For the Beginner: Wine Simple
Don’t let the fact that this book is written by top sommelier Aldo Sohm intimidate you. Sure, he spent over a decade at the three Michelin-starred Le Bernardin in NYC, but here he talks about wine like a friend over drinks. The book is packed with brightly colored infographics and illustrations that break the info into easily digestible bites. You’ll learn all the basics — and then some — from key grapes, wine styles, and regions, to tasting, buying, food pairings, and even how to saber a bottle of Champagne.
For the Certified Wine Geek: Godforsaken Grapes
Like the kids in high school who always wore obscure band tees, this book is for the wine geeks chasing bottles from producers, grape varieties, and regions that most people, even top industry pros, haven’t heard of. Author Jason Wilson takes readers on a colorful journey across the U.S. and Europe — France, Switzerland, and beyond — in search of near-extinct grapes you probably can’t pronounce and almost certainly haven’t tasted. Godforsaken Grapes is full of quirky, approachable tasting notes and zero wine pretension (thankfully).
For the Romantic: Love by the Glass
This memoir comes from wine’s favorite power couple, Dorothy J. Gaiter and John Beecher, the voices behind The Wall Street Journal’s weekly “Tastings” column. Even if you’ve never read their work or followed their story, any wine lover will connect with this book. Equal parts love story and wine story, Love by the Glass shows how wine brings people together and makes life’s small moments unforgettable. Cue the “Awwwwww.”
For the Francophile: Adventures on the Wine Route
Renowned wine importer Kermit Lynch takes you on a lively tour through France’s vast, diverse, historic, and wonderfully complicated wine regions — from Bordeaux and Burgundy to the Loire, Provence, the Southern Rhône, and beyond. More travel memoir than encyclopedia, this book is the most entertaining way to get a real sense of the land and meet the colorful people who make it all happen. Warning: it may inspire a trip to France… or at least a serious visit to your local wine shop.
For the Feminist: The Widow Clicquot
This biography by Tilar J. Mazzeo dives into the fascinating life of one of Champagne’s most iconic figures — Madame Clicquot of the legendary yellow label, Veuve Clicquot. After her husband’s death, Barbe-Nicole Clicquot Ponsardin, just 27 at the time, took the reins of his wine business, a bold move in an era when few women held leadership roles in wine or anywhere else. Today, she’s celebrated as a true legend, having not only kept the brand afloat through seemingly insurmountable challenges but also built an empire and forever changed the Champagne industry. Pink hats are encouraged, but definitely not required, while reading.
For the Fiction Lover: The Lost Vintage
This is a story about wine — but also love, history, war, and tragedy. It follows a small family winery in Burgundy’s famed Côte d’Or, told through two perspectives (think The Nightingale, if you’ve read it). The narrative switches between the present day, as told by Kate, a young sommelier studying for the Master Sommelier exam, and World War II, through the diary of a mysterious relative living there during the Nazi occupation. While Ann Mah’s page-turner is fiction, it paints an impressively accurate picture of wine during wartime. You’ll come away learning a ton about one of the world’s most celebrated wine regions and a pivotal moment in wine history — all without cracking a textbook.
