Tom Stevenson
Encyclopedia
Tom Stevenson is a British
author
who has been writing about wine for more than 30 years. Described by his colleagues as one of today’s most prolific wine authors, Stevenson is regarded as the world’s leading authority on Champagne. He has written 23 books, the most important of which have been published internationally by more than 50 publishers and translated into over 25 languages. In 1986, his book Champagne became the first wine book to win four literary awards, establishing Stevenson’s reputation as a serious author, a fastidious researcher with a talent for divining future issues, and a critic bold enough to take on the establishment.
in the late 1970s, a magazine for which he still writes, he was a more prolific contributor to WINE Magazine for consumers and Wine & Spirit International for the trade (both since merged into Wine & Spirit
) during the 1980s and 1990s. At the time he was well known for his monthly "Fizz File" column in WINE Magazine, and for being the sole author of the award winning annual Champagne supplements for both of these magazines.
In 1998, his Christie’s World Encyclopedia of Champagne & Sparkling Wine
became the only wine book to warrant a leader in a UK national newspaper (The Guardian
, 14 October 1998), when he published for the first time ever a 17th century document proving that the English used a second fermentation to convert still wines into sparkling at least six years before Dom Pérignon arrived at the Abbey of Hautvillers, and almost 40 years before the French claim that sparkling Champagne was invented.
Stevenson is also regarded as one of the world’s leading experts on Alsace wine
. In 1987 he was elected a confrère oenophile of the Confrérie Saint Etienne, when he was the sole person amongst the Alsace wine producers and other experts present to identify a 50 year old wine made from Sylvaner. In 1994 Stevenson’s 600-page The Wines of Alsace
won the Veuve Clicquot Book of the Year award in the USA and caused Malcolm Gluck
, then wine correspondent of The Guardian
, to declare that “It is not simply the best book about Alsace wines ever written, or the most penetrating book about a French wine region ever written; it is the greatest wine book ever written, period”.
Stevenson is also the author of several more wide-ranging publications, including The Sotheby’s Wine Encyclopedia
, which is required reading for both Master of Wine and Master Sommelier examinations, and has been published and revised continuously since 1988. In this book, Stevenson has shown that he has the gift of taking vast quantities of knowledge and experience and translating them into lucid, sparkling prose, easily graspable by the novice, yet still interesting and instructive to the connoisseur. With The Oxford Companion to Wine
, The Sotheby’s Wine Encyclopedia is regarded as one of the essential wine reference books in English.
In addition to the books authored by Stevenson, he conceived and edited the annual Wine Report, described by Jancis Robinson
, MW
as "the most significant entirely new wine book to emerge in 2003". In August 2009 it was announced by publisher Dorling Kindersley
that the 2009 edition of Wine Report was to be the last, citing that the sales figures were insufficient to justify the fees of the guide's 45 writers, among them Clive Coates
, MW and Anthony Rose
. Wine Report was the recipient of "Best in World" prizes three times at the Gourmand International Awards, and in 2006 it became the only wine book to be inducted into Gourmand's Hall of Fame (a feat unmatched by other wine books until 2007 when joined by The World Atlas of Wine
and Bordeaux et ses Vins).
Over and above these awards, Stevenson has personally won 31 literary prizes, including "Wine writer of the year" three times and the coveted Wine Literary Award, America’s only lifetime achievement award for wine writing.
Stevenson has been chairman of Champagne and Alsace panels at the "Decanter World Wine Awards" since its inception, and has judged at other major competitions in France, Germany, Greece, Australia and the USA. He presents the Christie’s Champagne Masterclass in London ever year (taking it to Singapore one year) and for a cyberspace presence, he squats on Tom Cannavan’s Wine-pages, where his contributions are sporadic, once notably giving away an entire edition of his Champagne & Sparkling Wine Guide simply because it was late coming out, and where his Aromas and Flavors resource, where he lists the active chemical compounds responsible for common aromas in wine, has been described as the most helpful tool for delineating wine's attributes since Dr. Anne Noble's Aroma Wheel was devised at UC Davis in 1990.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
who has been writing about wine for more than 30 years. Described by his colleagues as one of today’s most prolific wine authors, Stevenson is regarded as the world’s leading authority on Champagne. He has written 23 books, the most important of which have been published internationally by more than 50 publishers and translated into over 25 languages. In 1986, his book Champagne became the first wine book to win four literary awards, establishing Stevenson’s reputation as a serious author, a fastidious researcher with a talent for divining future issues, and a critic bold enough to take on the establishment.
Career
Although Stevenson's first writings on wine were published in DecanterDecanter
A decanter is a vessel that is used to hold the decantation of a liquid which may contain sediment. Decanters are normally used as serving vessels for wine. Decanters vary in shape and design. They are usually made of an inert material and will hold at least one standard bottle of wine...
in the late 1970s, a magazine for which he still writes, he was a more prolific contributor to WINE Magazine for consumers and Wine & Spirit International for the trade (both since merged into Wine & Spirit
Wine & Spirit
Wine & Spirit is a British monthly magazine on wine, spirits, beers and cocktails, directed at both consumers and the drinks industry. The magazine also organises the annual "International Wine Challenge" and "International Spirits Challenge", and publishes the annual results book, the World's Best...
) during the 1980s and 1990s. At the time he was well known for his monthly "Fizz File" column in WINE Magazine, and for being the sole author of the award winning annual Champagne supplements for both of these magazines.
In 1998, his Christie’s World Encyclopedia of Champagne & Sparkling Wine
Christie’s World Encyclopedia of Champagne & Sparkling Wine
Christie’s World Encyclopedia of Champagne & Sparkling Wine is an encyclopedia written by Tom Stevenson, published by Absolute Press, which is devoted to subjects relating to Champagne and sparkling wine. The foreword is written by Michael Broadbent...
became the only wine book to warrant a leader in a UK national newspaper (The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
, 14 October 1998), when he published for the first time ever a 17th century document proving that the English used a second fermentation to convert still wines into sparkling at least six years before Dom Pérignon arrived at the Abbey of Hautvillers, and almost 40 years before the French claim that sparkling Champagne was invented.
Stevenson is also regarded as one of the world’s leading experts on Alsace wine
Alsace wine
Alsace wine or Alsatian wine is produced in the Alsace region in France and is primarily white. These wines, which for historical reasons have a strong Germanic influence, are produced under three different Appellations d'Origine Contrôlées : Alsace AOC for white, rosé and red wines, Alsace Grand...
. In 1987 he was elected a confrère oenophile of the Confrérie Saint Etienne, when he was the sole person amongst the Alsace wine producers and other experts present to identify a 50 year old wine made from Sylvaner. In 1994 Stevenson’s 600-page The Wines of Alsace
The Wines of Alsace
The Wines of Alsace by Tom Stevenson was published in 1993 by Faber & Faber. This 600 page book profiles 300 producers, 118 wine villages, 51 grands crus, 84 lieux-dits, 28 clos and 4 wine-producing châteaux of Alsace...
won the Veuve Clicquot Book of the Year award in the USA and caused Malcolm Gluck
Malcolm Gluck
-Career:Initially an advertising copywriter for Collett Dickenson Pearce, Doyle Dane Bernbach, a founder employee of Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO and later creative director for Lintas, Gluck was for sixteen years the wine correspondent of The Guardian with the column "Superplonk"...
, then wine correspondent of The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
, to declare that “It is not simply the best book about Alsace wines ever written, or the most penetrating book about a French wine region ever written; it is the greatest wine book ever written, period”.
Stevenson is also the author of several more wide-ranging publications, including The Sotheby’s Wine Encyclopedia
The Sotheby’s Wine Encyclopedia
The Sotheby's Wine Encyclopedia is a reference work on wine written by Tom Stevenson and published since 1988 by Dorling Kindersley, selling over 600,000 copies in 14 languages....
, which is required reading for both Master of Wine and Master Sommelier examinations, and has been published and revised continuously since 1988. In this book, Stevenson has shown that he has the gift of taking vast quantities of knowledge and experience and translating them into lucid, sparkling prose, easily graspable by the novice, yet still interesting and instructive to the connoisseur. With The Oxford Companion to Wine
The Oxford Companion to Wine
The Oxford Companion to Wine 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...
, The Sotheby’s Wine Encyclopedia is regarded as one of the essential wine reference books in English.
In addition to the books authored by Stevenson, he conceived and edited the annual Wine Report, described 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...
, MW
Master of Wine
Master of Wine is a qualification issued by The Institute of Masters of Wine in the United Kingdom...
as "the most significant entirely new wine book to emerge in 2003". In August 2009 it was announced by publisher Dorling Kindersley
Dorling Kindersley
Dorling Kindersley is an international publishing company specializing in illustrated reference books for adults and children in 51 languages. It is currently part of the Penguin Group....
that the 2009 edition of Wine Report was to be the last, citing that the sales figures were insufficient to justify the fees of the guide's 45 writers, among them Clive Coates
Clive Coates
Clive Coates is a British wine writer and Master of Wine, best known for his books about the wines of Burgundy.-Biography:Born in 1941, Clive Coates worked for The Wine Society in Stevenage in the late 1960s and early 1970s. In 1975 he founded the award-winning magazine The Vine, a monthly fine...
, MW and Anthony Rose
Anthony Rose
Anthony Rose is a British wine journalist known for his column in The Independent. He also contributes to publications such as Wine & Spirit, Decanter and The World of Fine Wine...
. Wine Report was the recipient of "Best in World" prizes three times at the Gourmand International Awards, and in 2006 it became the only wine book to be inducted into Gourmand's Hall of Fame (a feat unmatched by other wine books until 2007 when joined by The World Atlas of Wine
The World Atlas of Wine
The World Atlas of Wine by Hugh Johnson and Jancis Robinson, MW, is an atlas and reference work on the world of wine, published by Mitchell Beazley. It pioneered the use of wine-specific cartography to give wine a sense of place, and has since the first edition published in 1971 sold 4 million...
and Bordeaux et ses Vins).
Over and above these awards, Stevenson has personally won 31 literary prizes, including "Wine writer of the year" three times and the coveted Wine Literary Award, America’s only lifetime achievement award for wine writing.
Stevenson has been chairman of Champagne and Alsace panels at the "Decanter World Wine Awards" since its inception, and has judged at other major competitions in France, Germany, Greece, Australia and the USA. He presents the Christie’s Champagne Masterclass in London ever year (taking it to Singapore one year) and for a cyberspace presence, he squats on Tom Cannavan’s Wine-pages, where his contributions are sporadic, once notably giving away an entire edition of his Champagne & Sparkling Wine Guide simply because it was late coming out, and where his Aromas and Flavors resource, where he lists the active chemical compounds responsible for common aromas in wine, has been described as the most helpful tool for delineating wine's attributes since Dr. Anne Noble's Aroma Wheel was devised at UC Davis in 1990.
See also
- Richard JuhlinRichard JuhlinRichard Juhlin, born 1962, is a Swedish Champagne writer, who has written a number of books that have been translated into several languages, including English and French....
: Swedish writer focusing on Champagne, one of the leading Champagne connoisseurs in the world. - List of wine personalities