Hasta La Ideas

Sommelier Matt Skinner is back with even more essential information for laid-back wine enthusiasts, which he pours out in his new book “Heard It Through The Grapevine,” a follow-up to his award-winning book “Thirsty Work.”

Skinner’s ability to organize the innumerable facets of wine into five main categories—shopping, drinking, eating, sleeping and well-being—is only part of what makes this book so valuable. The advice written within these subjects will not only keep you from wasting time and money on wine you do not thoroughly enjoy, but will also enlighten and provide you with confidence and dexterity when choosing wine. For example, we assume taste and smell are the influential factors in finding a wine we savor, but in actuality texture is equally as important. Another great tip is to decant wine into a completely rinsed out soft drink bottle if you don’t plan to finish it after opening it to reduce the oxygen-to-wine ratio and thus keep it fresher longer.

A simple guide for a complex subject, Heard It Through The Grapevine will be available in bookstores in April for $25 or you can pre-order now from Amazon.