Wine for Women

I like that Sbrocco features female wine makers and sommeliers throughout the book—it almost makes the condescending title of the book seem like a feminist statement. I would love to think that Sbrocco is making this statement with this book: gone are the days when women retreat with “I’ll have a glass of white wine, please,” leaving the enjoyment of bodacious reds to men. But the patronizing tone of her writing, together with gardening metaphors, pantry-stocking instructions, and “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” allusions just make this book a beginner’s guide gone wrong.

I know choosing wine and learning about wine can be overwhelming. After ten years of pretty intense study (read: regular, but focused, wine drinking paired with just two overseas wine-tasting vacations), I like to think I know what I’m talking about. But when I recently asked my local wine store owner to recommend a champagne that was lighter than Veuve Clicquot, she politely suggested that Veuve Clicquot was as light as it gets. Clearly, I have a lot to learn.

So the truth is, I need a wine guide. I don’t need vintage charts or a guide to building the perfect wine cellar. I just want to stock my wine rack with reasonably priced bottles I can enjoy with food and friends. I need a book like Leslie Sbrocco intended to write. I like to know where wine comes from; I like to be able to describe accurately how it tastes; I like to be able to go into a store and confidently ask for the type and style of wine I’m looking for and actually get what I’m expecting. This, I think, is what most women—and men—want. Unfortunately, Wine for Women is too confusing and too condescending to fit the bill.