Bookworms

The Rewards of Patience

By Andrew Caillard
Published by Allen & Unwin
RRP $39.95

Thanks to this remarkable one-brand bible, I can be confident the single remnant of my once-healthy stash of Penfolds bin reds is still alive and well. That solitary 1996 Bin 407 cabernet sauvignon should hold up until 2016, according to the illustrious tasting panel.

Pardon that personal indulgence, but this book, in its sixth edition since 1986, really is an unsurpassable guide for the enthusiastic amateur and serious collector alike. And apart from its vast swathes of information covering virtually every Penfolds wine produced since 1951, it's a riveting read. As current (and only the fourth in 60 years) chief winemaker at Penfolds, Peter Gago, observes in the foreword, "It's doubtful that Penfolds can ever again replicate the extent of vintage views presented here."

Beginning with a chapter on the history of Penfolds dating back to 1844 at 'Mackgill', the book then relates the story of Grange, taken from a paper delivered in 1979 by the iconic red's creator, Max Schubert, who recalled that "in its early years it was insulted and classified among the lowest of the low".

Part 2, taking up more than three-quarters of the 358 pages, is devoted to the wines themselves, with tasting notes and comments on the venerable Grange, the humble Koonunga Hill and everything in between.

World Wine – The Imported Wine Handbook

By Angus Hughson
Published by Longeville Books
RRP $29.95

For many consumers taking their first steps off the well-trodden path of Australian wine - with an occasional detour to New Zealand - the exploration of other countries' wines can be a daunting, haphazard experience. When browsing the liquor store shelves for a change of taste, how do you know what you're getting with, for example, a Domaine du Parc Saint Charles 2005 Les Moines Hospitalieres Cotes-du-Rhone (quite a mouthful of words as well as wine) or perhaps a Cantine Pra La Fontane 2005 Recioto di Soave?

Let Angus Hughson eliminate the guesswork for you with this well-researched and easy-to-follow guide that travels the globe, from New Zealand to France, Italy, Spain/Portugal, Germany/Austria and the Americas. There's a growing market for Hughson's advice and recommendations - Australian sales of imported wine doubled in the past year to exceed $150 million.

Hughson explains how to read labels, profiles the different regions of each country, lists the leading producers and provides tasting notes, detailed descriptions and ratings on the 100-point system for hundreds of wines. There's a useful list of the top dozen imports for 2009 and, even if the 99-point Salon 1996 champagne is beyond your means at $500, 'The Dog' from Italy at $14 or the Cillar de Silos 2006 from Spain at $26 are less daunting.

The Foodies Guide to Melbourne/Sydney

By Allan Campion & Michele Curtis (Melbourne) and Helen Greenwood & John Newton (Sydney)
Published by Hardie Grant Books in association with Fairfax Books
RRP $29.95

In their latest guises, these two guides again cover every conceivable twist and turn in the food and wine trail around Australia's biggest two cities. The legwork and research that's gone into ferreting out and assessing the very best sources of food from the exotic to the organic is testament to the authors' diligence. And it's gratifying to see that discerning wine retailers are given their rightful due as they stand in defiant contrast to the ubiquitous and impersonal megaretailers.

As with previous editions, these updated guides trawl the city, suburbs and beyond to identify more than 450 outstanding butchers, bakers, ethnic foods, delis, burgers, fish and chips, ice cream, cake decorators, cooking classes, farmers' markets, kitchen equipment suppliers and much more.

The chapters are set out in user-friendly alphabetical order, and in the back is another alphabetical list of stores and their locations, all depicted on a series of maps. Finally, a locality index points out what recommended outlets are closest to where you live and work. In each book, the authors also name the winners of their Foodies awards - outstanding retailers of produce ranging from wild mushrooms to chocolates to pasta.

In short, these are indispensable guides for the dedicated foodie.