Spain and its wine. An English teacher and a mission.
So begins Let's Open a Bottle - an original, fascinating and humorous look at the Spanish wine revolution. The author, a U.S expatriate living in Madrid for the past fifteen years, takes the reader on his personal journey to search out a three-thousand-year-old tradition undergoing a veritable turnaround of the likes never seen before. Along the way he shares with us an entertaining array of characters and scenes that represent the inseparable bond between a culture and its most venerated drink.
You will travel the diverse countryside that is the Iberian peninsula, visit all the major wine regions and many minor ones as well, and you will discover the great wines emerging from this land.
But there is more in this book for you than just Spanish wine and the revolution. You will also read about the bones beneath the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, the current state of the wild boar in Murcia, what ingredients go into the stew Cocido Madrileño, why some highways are toll roads, what tallar means in the language of Catalan, where the country's best haunted house is, how the author nearly sold his soul to a tailor and much, much more.
Let's Open a Bottle will appeal to the wine enthusiast as well as the novice; the avid traveler or those looking to take their first adventure to Spain. Or anyone looking to read a good adventure story. This book is fun, easy to read and filled with charm and wit. Open it up and see or yourself.
Customer Review: A wonderful, detail-packed read for any interested in Spanish wines and wine region history
LET'S OPEN A BOTTLE: MY JOURNEY THROUGH THE SPANISH WINE REVOLUTION takes readers to Spain along with the English teacher/author, who considers the Spanish wine revolution. Murdock is an expatriate living in Madrid the past fifteen years: his background lends to a blend of memoir and travelogue which brings readers into the heart of Spanish wine country politics and winemaking tradition. Travel tips include listings of regional wineries, specialties, and recommendations for destination-bound wine fans. A wonderful, detail-packed read for any interested in Spanish wines and wine region history.
Diane C. Donovan, Editor
California Bookwatch
Customer Review: Uniquely entertaining
Books on Spanish wine are difficult to find, good books on Spanish wine are rare and books such as Brian Murdock's are unique. Not only is it up-to-date and thorough but it blends a current knowledge of the Spanish wine industry with insights into Spain's history and culture. Robert Parker (aka God), the world's leading wine critic, has said of Spanish wine that,"Spain has done an outstanding job of maintaining respect for its traditions of the past and also looking forward to the future." This wine revolution is perfectly captured in Murdock's book.
However, this is not just a (well above) average reference book on Spanish wine regions and their wines. This book is far more. It is a personal journey, literally, among the highways and byways- most Spanish wineries are on byways- where the author talks to a wide cross-section of individuals involved in wine-making. This allows the reader to hear the voices of those actually making the wide variety of quality wines which Spain is now producing.
In this personal account the author's acute perceptions, deep knowledge, wit and sheer passiopn of and for Spanish wines burns through. At the end of this excellent read Murdock modestly states that he is no 'expert' but '...after a helluvah lot of work, I also should know what I am talking about.' Indeed he does.
As a wine merchant based in Spain and having visited many of the same places and tasted the same wines as the author I can bear witness to its accuracy and insight. This first-class book will appeal not only to all those who wish to explore Spanish wines but also ita charming people and rich culture.
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