Books - Wine, Food, Lifestyle
Wine Diva books

Welcome to Wine Diva's online bookshop, with thousands of wine, food and lifestyle books.

This month's great read - Wine

Vineyard Cookbook  by
Vineyard Cookbook takes us on a journey around the wine-growing regions of Australia, where talented and passionate chefs, vignerons and restaurateurs share their secrets for creating amazing food and wine experiences. The dishes they present are designed to showcase their wines, and reflect a commitment to making the most of seasonal produce and local artisanal products. From Ten Minutes by Tractor on the Mornington Peninsula to Cullen Wines in the Margaret River region, this book invites us to delve into the history of each vineyard, the winemaker's philosophy and the chef's attitude to food and produce. There are inspiring recipes from every restaurant, including suggested wine pairings. Foreword TobiePuttock

Hardback,  344 pp,  $59.95. Buy now

This month's great read - Food

Stephanie Alexander's Kitchen Garden Companion  by Stephanie Alexander
If you have ever dreamed of picking fresh salad leaves for the evening meal, gathering vine-ripened tomatoes or pulling up your own sweet carrots, this is the book for you. Stephanie is one of Australia's best-loved cooks and food writers as she reveals the secrets of rewarding kitchen gardening. Be encouraged by detailed gardening notes that explain how adults and children alike can plant, grow and harvest 73 different vegetables, herbs and fruit, and try some of the 250 recipes that will transform your fresh produce into delicious meals. Whether you have a large plot in a suburban backyard or a few pots on a balcony, you will find everything you need to get started in this inspiring and eminently useful garden-to-table guide.

Hardback,  784 pp,  $125.00. Buy now

The Diva's Choice

The Widow Clicquot  by Tilar Mazzeo
Veuve Clicquot champagne epitomizes glamour and style all over the world. But who was the 'Veuve' - Clicquot whose champagne sparkled at the Europe’s imperial courts and how did she rise to celebrity and fortune? The Widow Clicquot brings to life the woman behind the label: Barbe-Nicole Clicquot Ponsardin (1777-1866) a daring and determined entrepreneur who during the tumultuous years of the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars became one of the richest women of her time, single-handedly founding a champagne house of renown. Her winemaking inventions and experiments changed the history of champagne. As much a fascinating journey through the process of making this temperamental wine, as a biography of a uniquely tempered woman.

Paperback,   $32.99. Buy now

For Beer Lovers

Australian Beer Companion, The  by Willie Simpson
The Australian Beer Companion is an unrivalled book on Australia's thriving beer industry. Separated into state sections, the book covers more than 100 of author Willie Simpson's favourite Australian breweries. These include the big players such as Carlton & United Breweries (CUB), Cascade, Fourex (XXXX) and Coopers, as well as respected microbreweries like Mountain Goat, Little Creatures and Moo Brew. The book traces each brewery's history and their range of beers, and showcases their beer label through a feature called ‘Behind the Label'. A glossary of beer styles and a wealth of photos make this large-format hardback book the ideal gift.

Hardback,  192 pp,  $49.95. Buy now

Getting started

How to Taste  by Robinson
Hailed the "The Wall Street Journal" as "our cleverest, most thoughtful wine writer", Robinson makes learning about wine almost as enjoyable as drinking it. With "How to Taste", she's put together a unique wine-tasting course based on practical exercises that appeal to wine connoisseurs of all levels. 90 photos

,  208 pp,  $49.95. Buy now

Wine science and viticulture

Making Good Wine  by Bryce Rankine
"Making Good Wine" has become the classic text on Australian and New Zealand winemaking, read and treasured by professional and amateur winemakers, students, wine lovers and buffs alike who want to know more about wine. Clearly and expertly it explains the principles as well as the practices of winemaking, and highlights the remarkable nature of the product. Written by Bryce Rankine, long-time head of oenology at South Australia's famous Roseworthy College, this the definitive work on winemaking in Australia and New Zealand.

Paperback,  336 pp,  $32.95. Buy now

Wine Guide 2010

Big, Red Wine Book 2009/2010  by Campbell Mattinson, Gary Walsh
There is a glut of wine guides out there, but wine writer Campbell Mattinson and co-author Gary Walsh reckon that most people buy them for the sections on red wine, and that it's a trickier area to navigate. So this will be the first guide of its kind in Australia: one for those wanting to know the best quality and best value red wines available. 'The top 20 wines under $20' section will be welcomed happily in the current economic climate. Mattinson and co-author Walsh also keep a focus on local and organic wines as well as established wines. For only $24.95 RRP The Big Red Wine Book 2009/2010 edition, is the perfect gift for wine buffs as well as those without wine knowledge but a love for a good drop.

Paperback,  352 pp,  $24.95. Buy now

Wine Guide 2010

Australian Wine Vintages 2010 - The Gold Book  by Rob Geddes
It’s the colour of gold and shaped like an ingot and just as precious. With over two thousand wines tasted and rated Australian Wine Vintages 2010 is the best wine guide to pack for those trips to the wine regions. Many of Australia’s great wineries are represented and there is good representation across grape varieties and wine regions. Australian spirits, liqueurs and fortified wines are also included for the first time. Well known brands and hidden gems all feature. Tasting notes include vintage quality, cellaring time, alcohol levels and indicative price. This wine guide morphs into a very useful travel guide with succinct information on wine regions and lists of best vintages, wineries, places to eat and accommodation.

Hardback,   $34.99. Buy now

Gift Ideas

Thai Street Food  by David Thompson
It's hard to imagine a more knowledgeable and inspiring guide to the vibrant world of Thai street food than internationally renowned chef and Thai food expert David Thompson. Join him on a whirlwind tour of the curry shops and stir-fry stalls of Thailand: a float on the canals of Bangkok, on the streets and in the markets – then try your hand at cooking the fast, fresh, and irresistible food that sustains a nation. With Earl Carter's photo essays of Thai street life and exquisite food photography, Thai Street Food so effectively captures the atmosphere of Thailand's streets and markets it's as if you were there.

Hardback,  384 pp,  $100.00. Buy now

Gift Ideas

James Halliday Australian Wine Companion 2010  by James Halliday
James Halliday's Australian Wine Companion is the No.1 bestselling guide to wineries and wine in Australia. Keenly anticipated by winemakers, faithful collectors and wine lovers alike, the 2010 edition has been completely revised and updated to bring you up-to-the-minute information. Halliday shares his extensive knowledge of wine via detailed tasting notes, each of which includes vintage-specific ratings and advice on optimal drinking, as well as each wine's closure, alcohol content and price. It is the most authoritative and entertaining guide to Australian wine. Features: Tasting notes for 5798 wines; 142 new wineries; Expert ranking of wineries throughout Australia; Vintage rating charts for each region and a full-colour map of the wine

Paperback,  768 pp,  $34.95. Buy now

Yum!

Manna From Heaven  by Rachel Grisewood
A sumptuous collection of recipes for delicious cakes and biscuits, breads and pastries, sweet treats and savoury delights from Rachel Grisewood, the woman behind the famous handmade Manna from Heaven bakery in Sydney. The book also chronicles her life from her British roots to Australia.

Hardback,  304 pp,  $59.99. Buy now

Wine guide 2010

The Juice 2010  by Matt Skinner
Matt Skinner, author of Heard It Through the Grapevine, uncorks a hip and easy guide to the hottest wines from around the globe, featuring many wines for under $15. Well-known as one of the world's funkiest sommeliers, Skinner includes 100 inimitable selections for 2010 in this breezy and accessible volume written especially for the US market. Recognizing that what we want to drink depends on the occasion, Matt divides his selections into five sections: Drink, Give, Dine, Splurge and Stash. Add to this Matt's Juice Awards for his best wines and producers of the year, lots of juicy wine tips, plus a guide to grape varieties and you have today's freshest and most appealing wine guide.

Paperback,  304 pp,  $17.95. Buy now

Wine region

One Hundred and One Beautiful Towns in France  by Simonetta Greggio
Beautifully illustrated as well as informative, One Hundred & One Beautiful Towns in France: Food and Wine explores the local delicacies of a country known for and proud of its love of food and wine. Organized by region, this book features a wonderful sampling of French plaisirs de la table and the shops and markets where you can find them. The classic dishes and drink of France are as remarkably varied as its many different regions: Quench your thirst with a glass of calvados, the heady apple brandy that Normandy is known for reach land's end or Finistere, in Brittany, and enjoy a galette, a savory buckwheat crepe stuffed with ham and cheese or mushrooms and lobster don't miss the vendange (harvest) in romantic Burgundy or a simple, hearty

Hardback,  280 pp,  $99.00. Buy now

Cocktails

Everyday Drinking  by Kingsley Amis
Kingsley Amis was one of the great masters of comic prose, and no subject was dearer to him than the art and practice of imbibing. This new volume brings together the best of his three out-of-print works on the subject: Kingsley Amis in Drink, Everyday Drinking and How's Your Glass? In one handsome package, the book covers a full shelf of the master's riotous and erudite thoughts on the drinking arts. Along with a series of well-tested recipes (including a cocktail called the Lucky Jim) are Amis's musings on The Hangover, The Boozing Man's Diet - all leavened with fun quizzes on the making and drinking of alcohol all over the world. Mixing practical know-how and hilarious opinionation, this is a delightful cocktail by one of our great wits.

,  320 pp,  $29.95. Buy now

Gift Ideas

Slow Cooker  by Sally Wise
Australian author Sally Wise owns two crock pots and three slow cookers. At this very moment there is probably a pot of something delicious on her kitchen bench, slowly cooking itself to perfection - to say that she is passionate about this style of cooking would be an understatement. In SLOW COOKER, the bestselling author of A YEAR IN A BOTTLE shares her favourite slow cooker recipes. Drawn from a collection created over thirty years of preparing tasty, economical and nutritious meals for her family, they include soups, mains - beef, lamb, chicken, pork and vegetables - and delectable desserts. Sally believes that a slow cooker should be among the kitchen tools of every budget-conscious or busy person.

Paperback,  240 pp,  $24.99. Buy now