The Oxford Companion to Wine
Encyclopedia
The Oxford Companion to Wine (OCW) is a book in the series
of Oxford Companions
published by Oxford University Press
. The book provides an alphabetically arranged reference to wine
, compiled and edited by Jancis Robinson
, with contributions by several wine writers including Hugh Johnson, Michael Broadbent
, and James Halliday, and experts such as viticulturist
Richard Smart
and oenologist
Pascal Ribéreau-Gayon.
The contract for the first edition was signed in 1988, and after five years of writing it was published in 1994. The second edition was published in 1999 and the third in 2006. The third edition contains nearly 4,000 entries over about 800 pages with contributions of 167 people.
Entries for individuals are limited by the strict criteria of "a long track record" and "global significance"; hence French worldwide consulting oenologist Michel Rolland
and even Soviet premier Mikhail Gorbachev
have entries, while California oenologist Helen Turley
is omitted. Also, there is no entry for Jancis Robinson herself.
Eric Asimov
of The New York Times
has noted that with the wine world's increasing rate of evolution, "this encyclopedic work keeps pace with new information on issues like climate change, biodynamic viticulture and globalization, and emerging wine regions like Canada and eastern Europe".
Having received several awards, including the André Simon Memorial Award and the Glenfiddich Award, it has been described as "the most useful wine book ever published", and "the one essential book for any wine-lover".
Book series
A book series is a sequence of books having certain characteristics in common that are formally identified together as a group. Book series can be organized in different ways, such as written by the same author, or marketed as a group by their publisher....
of Oxford Companions
Oxford Companions
Oxford Companions is a book series published by Oxford University Press. This series provides general knowledge of a specific area, and has included :* The New Oxford Companion to Law* The New Oxford Companion to Literature in French...
published by Oxford University Press
Oxford University Press
Oxford University Press is the largest university press in the world. It is a department of the University of Oxford and is governed by a group of 15 academics appointed by the Vice-Chancellor known as the Delegates of the Press. They are headed by the Secretary to the Delegates, who serves as...
. The book provides an alphabetically arranged reference to wine
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
, compiled and edited by Jancis Robinson
Jancis Robinson
Jancis Mary Robinson OBE, MW is a British wine critic, journalist and editor of wine literature. She currently writes a weekly column for the Financial Times, and writes for her website jancisrobinson.com...
, with contributions by several wine writers including Hugh Johnson, Michael Broadbent
Michael Broadbent
John Michael Broadbent MW is a British wine critic, writer and auctioneer in a capacity as a Master of Wine...
, and James Halliday, and experts such as viticulturist
Viticulture
Viticulture is the science, production and study of grapes which deals with the series of events that occur in the vineyard. When the grapes are used for winemaking, it is also known as viniculture...
Richard Smart
Richard Smart
Dr. Richard Smart is an Australian viticulturalist and leading global consultant on viticulture methods, who is often referred to as “the flying vine-doctor”. He is considered responsible for revolutionising grape growing due to his work on canopy management techniques.-Biography:Dr...
and oenologist
Oenology
Oenology,[p] œnology , or enology is the science and study of all aspects of wine and winemaking except vine-growing and grape-harvesting, which is a subfield called viticulture. “Viticulture & oenology” is a common designation for training programmes and research centres that include both the...
Pascal Ribéreau-Gayon.
The contract for the first edition was signed in 1988, and after five years of writing it was published in 1994. The second edition was published in 1999 and the third in 2006. The third edition contains nearly 4,000 entries over about 800 pages with contributions of 167 people.
Entries for individuals are limited by the strict criteria of "a long track record" and "global significance"; hence French worldwide consulting oenologist Michel Rolland
Michel Rolland
Michel Rolland is an influential Bordeaux-based oenologist, with hundreds of clients across 13 countries and influencing wine style around the world...
and even Soviet premier Mikhail Gorbachev
Mikhail Gorbachev
Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev is a former Soviet statesman, having served as General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1985 until 1991, and as the last head of state of the USSR, having served from 1988 until its dissolution in 1991...
have entries, while California oenologist Helen Turley
Helen Turley
Helen Turley is an American winemaker and wine consultant, known for bringing several Californian cult wines to the public awareness, and as the owner of a boutique winery, Marcassin Vineyard....
is omitted. Also, there is no entry for Jancis Robinson herself.
Eric Asimov
Eric Asimov
Eric Asimov is an American wine critic for The New York Times, with articles subsequently published in the International Herald Tribune.-Biography:...
of The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
has noted that with the wine world's increasing rate of evolution, "this encyclopedic work keeps pace with new information on issues like climate change, biodynamic viticulture and globalization, and emerging wine regions like Canada and eastern Europe".
Having received several awards, including the André Simon Memorial Award and the Glenfiddich Award, it has been described as "the most useful wine book ever published", and "the one essential book for any wine-lover".
External links
- The Oxford Companion to Wine (text from the 1999 second edition) Winepros archive pages