by KELLI A WHITE Foreword by Karen Macneil

THE SAME ELEMENTS that make wine thrilling – its breadth of regions, varieties and vintages, its ever- changing nature, rituals and the many languages of its labels – can also make it intimidating. And this breaks Kelli White’s heart.

In Wine Confident, she takes the anxiety out of wine description by teaching us how to reach the right metaphors; debunks the myths around restaurant choices; tells the truth about sommeliers (she’s been there, she is one!), and teaches us how to order wine like a pro. For Kelli, wine really matters – not just as a fine-dining accompaniment or to relax your shoulders at the end of a long day, but as a clue to the character of our natural world. Here, upper-class pretensions are swept aside and the core message of this book – communicated with Kelli’s uniquely quirky wit and warm humour – is clear.

• How to taste: it’s about using all your senses!

• Training your nose: pay attention to your world and be a better smeller!

• Letting the poets in: learn to connect flavour with language

• Kelli’s advice on talking to sommeliers and ordering wine like a pro

• Don’t overthink it: wine, food, difficult bottles and choosing your stemware…

• How to start a collection – and how to store it if you’re cellar-less

• Lessons in anatomy: how grapes are grown and wine is made (and how this affects the flavours in your glass)

• Wine and the future: understanding organic, biodynamic, regenerative and sustainable wine production in our warming world

• You decide! …the many ways that wine knowledge can change your life

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kelli A White is the Director of Education for the Wine Center at Meadowood in Napa Valley. She is also a celebrated sommelier and author, having penned the award-winning Napa Valley, Then & Now and contributed to a variety of other books including the World Atlas of Wine, the Oxford Companion to Wine, and the Academie du Vin anthologies On California, On Champagne, and On Burgundy.

Her articles have appeared in many top wine publications and earned her two coveted Roederer Awards. In addition to making select television and film appearances, Kelli has lectured on wine all over the world. She prides herself on making wine easy to understand without oversimplifying the subject. She lives in Napa with her husband and daughter.