Tailor-made for the contemporary wine consumer who drinks what he or she likes--one day a grand, awe-inspiring vintage; the next, an unknown wine from a country whose name only recently appeared on the wine maps of the world. Wine journalist Priewe provides a key to the complex language of wine and illuminates the science of winemaking while honoring the art behind its creation. About half the book is devoted to the winemaking process itself; the other half examines the best wines of the world, country by country, and guides the reader to an understanding of the intricacies of wine tasting and appreciation. Chapters cover wine storage and best serving temperatures along with information on recent developments in cork technology. Illustrated with more than 1,000 color images, including computer graphics that explain the invisible processes of wine making; satellite maps and aerial photos of the world's most important wine regions; and photographs of individual vineyards by the world's best wine photographers, this book will quench the thirst for knowledge that true wine lovers feel rising within them whenever they uncork a bottle of fine wine.--From publisher description.