Are there wines to rival the greatest first-growths of Bordeaux and the grand crus of Burgundy? Robert Parker's answer is a resounding Yes -- they are to be found among the finest wines of the Rhône Valley. With this new edition of Wines of the Rhône Valley, Robert Parker, the world's most influential wine critic, provides the key to enjoying the winemaking world's best-kept secret. And publication of Wines of the Rhône Valley coincides with reports that the 1995 vintage from this region may be one of the best ever.

With the precursor of this book, The Wines of the Rhône Valley and Provence, first published in 1987, Parker began a campaign to share with the wine consumer the wealth of wines found in this underappreciated region. The area contains the oldest vineyards in France -- indeed the heyday of some of the Rhône Valley wines was 2,000 years ago, around the time of the Roman conquest of France. In recent centuries, these wines have been misunderstood and ignored -- and consequently undervalued. All of which means that some of the great wines of the world are available for a fraction of the cost of those from better-known regions.

Wines of the Rhône Valley is the ultimate resource for every wine lover, highlighting both the greatest wines of the Rhône Valley and the region's finest wine values. These wines range, in Parker's words, "from the humble generic Côtes du Rhône to the most sublime and celestial wines of Côte Rôtie, Hermitage, Condrieu, and Châteauneuf du Pape." With his trademark thoroughness, Parker has fully revised and expanded this edition to reflect changes in the region, new personalities, and the latest vintages.

Parker's previous books -- the critically acclaimed Bordeaux and Burgundy and four widely praised editions of the Wine Buyer's Guide -- firmly established him, in Time magazine's words, as "the man with the paragon palate." His appeal lies not only in his unabashed consumer advocacy, insightful reporting, and clear, lyrical writing but in the deep enthusiasm that infuses his work. Parker is an impassioned champion of wine and has made it his cause to give everyone -- from the novice whose curiosity about wine is just burgeoning to the expert who cellars by the case -- the information they need to be informed buyers and educated consumers. In this edition, Parker returns to the region closest to his heart, exploring the sun-drenched Rhône Valley in unprecedented candor and detail.

Wines of the Rhône Valley is divided into two main sections; the lush valleys of northern Rhône and the sunbaked hillsides of the southern Rhône. Within the sections, Parker profiles each appellation. A handy summary box provides information at a glance, including types of wines produced, grape varieties planted, and number of acres under vine. The price range of the wines is listed along with an assessment of their quality and aging potential. The description of the appellation that follows -- its history and personalities, successes and failures -- is accompanied by a rating of recent and older vintages. Then, Parker provides his classification of the growers of each appellation, comments on and explains how the wines are vinified and bottled, and gives guidelines for how long to cellar and when to serve the wines. Brief aromatic and textural profiles in this section give a hint of the detailed tasting notes that accompany the profiles of the top producers later in the chapters. Throughout, Parker tastes and evaluates the wines using his revolutionary 50-100 point scale.

The book's introduction thoroughly explains Parker's methodology and gives guidelines on how to use his ratings and reviews most effectively. His wine terms are also defined in a detailed glossary. And there's a section that provides Parker's guidelines for what a visitor traveling in the Rhône Valley can expect to pay for a meal as well as recommendations for restaurants and lodging.

Wines of the Rhône Valley is certainly the most comprehensive and detailed book ever written on this region. These wines, long overshadowed by their more well-known neighbors, are now thoroughly analyzed and reviewed, providing the ultimate resource for today's savvy wine consumer.

Customer Review: A must read for wine geeks (only)

Latest vintages reviewed are 1996 and many Rhone wines aren't made to cellar 10 years, so I consider the book out of date. However the details Parker includes about the regions and wineries do make this a very comprehensive reference tome.

Customer Review: Another excellent book from Parker

This is Parkers first book on Rhone - and what a result ! All areas of the Rhone are covered, some to a bigger detail than others but anyway, the outcome is great. Maybe a little more in-depth details on the smaller - or should I say lesser known - regions (which are the ones we mere mortals can afford !) would be nice but, knowing Parkers affection for Rhone, that'll probably (hopefully) come in the next edition. All-in-all, very recommendable..

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