Review of Exploring Wine Regions – Bordeaux France
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Glamvious
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- Latest Review: Exploring Wine Regions – Bordeaux France by Michael C. Higgins, PhD
Review of Exploring Wine Regions – Bordeaux France
[Following is a volunteer review of "Exploring Wine Regions – Bordeaux France" by Michael C. Higgins, PhD.]
Exploring Wine Regions-Bordeaux France by Michael C. Higgins is an amazing, inspiring travel guide for wine professionals as well as complete beginners. Higgins is an author, photographer and wine expert who considers himself methodically organised and geographically oriented. This, without doubt, can be said about his book as well. Higgins' book is a guide about Bordeaux as a wine region, filled with beautiful pictures and numerous suggestions. The author considers Bordeaux the "centre of wine universe" as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, the two primary grapes of the Bordeaux region, are the two most planted grapes around the world. The book is written from the author's personal experiences and interactions and his love for Bordeaux shines through every single page of the book.
Exploring Wine Regions-Bordeaux France starts with a short history of winemaking. It explains how certain wines survived in certain places while others died away. We learn amazing facts about the region such as any irrigation of the vines in Bordeaux is prohibited by the French government. The vines must survive themselves as they have for thousands of years. Bordeaux typically has a continental climate, however, we find out that some region's wine production is influenced by their special microclimates. In his book, Higgins reviews more than 30 cháteaux (castles). They have been specifically chosen to be in the book as all of them are open for visitors and offering excellent tourism experiences and fabulous wines. Among them, there are castles built to show off the wealth of the owners as well as fortresses originally built for defence. We learn that some of these fortresses are capable to hold off the enemy for years. Higgins also provides us with detailed descriptions of these castles including their address, email, phone number, opening hours, website and the collection of wines they offer. From the traditional to the ultra-modern winery, Michelin star restaurants and local eateries, we learn about them all. Interestingly, vineyards are not only run by generations of families, but also by Olympic champions and ordinary people who are now living the life they have always dreamt about.
Exploring Wine Regions-Bordeaux France is scattered with the most beautiful pictures of the Bordeaux area, taken by the author himself. In the book, we can find recommendations for easy day trips, children friendly destinations, information on educational tours and tasting events, set tours or exclusive, customised private visits. Photos of famous places, vineyard lands, and castles also make this book fascinating. Programmes like the excursion through the forest of senses tour, according to the book, can change our perception of forests for life. Have you ever dreamt about living the life of French aristocrats? This book gives you recommendations on how to do that, even if only for a few days. I find it absolutely amusing how Botrytis fungus (Nobel Rot) can help create a very special wine by attacking the grape and engaging its immune system to ward off the fungus. The chemical reaction created by this invasion is ultimately responsible for the special flavour of the wines of certain regions. We also learn about Thalassotherapy, a treatment that provides remineralisation of the body and boosts the immune system.
I enjoyed reading this book very much. I love how easy it is to use it as a guide while we are on the go. Shortlisting wineries that are the most worthy of our visit definitely makes our life easier and our travel planning much more fun. I recommend this book for the lovers of travel, food and wine. The book is exceptionally well edited, suitable for all age groups and an absolute joy to read. For all of this and for its beautiful pictures and well-organised nature, I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars.
******
Exploring Wine Regions – Bordeaux France
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
Exploring Wine Regions-Bordeaux France by Michael C. Higgins is an amazing, inspiring travel guide for wine professionals as well as complete beginners. Higgins is an author, photographer and wine expert who considers himself methodically organised and geographically oriented. This, without doubt, can be said about his book as well. Higgins' book is a guide about Bordeaux as a wine region, filled with beautiful pictures and numerous suggestions. The author considers Bordeaux the "centre of wine universe" as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, the two primary grapes of the Bordeaux region, are the two most planted grapes around the world. The book is written from the author's personal experiences and interactions and his love for Bordeaux shines through every single page of the book.
Exploring Wine Regions-Bordeaux France starts with a short history of winemaking. It explains how certain wines survived in certain places while others died away. We learn amazing facts about the region such as any irrigation of the vines in Bordeaux is prohibited by the French government. The vines must survive themselves as they have for thousands of years. Bordeaux typically has a continental climate, however, we find out that some region's wine production is influenced by their special microclimates. In his book, Higgins reviews more than 30 cháteaux (castles). They have been specifically chosen to be in the book as all of them are open for visitors and offering excellent tourism experiences and fabulous wines. Among them, there are castles built to show off the wealth of the owners as well as fortresses originally built for defence. We learn that some of these fortresses are capable to hold off the enemy for years. Higgins also provides us with detailed descriptions of these castles including their address, email, phone number, opening hours, website and the collection of wines they offer. From the traditional to the ultra-modern winery, Michelin star restaurants and local eateries, we learn about them all. Interestingly, vineyards are not only run by generations of families, but also by Olympic champions and ordinary people who are now living the life they have always dreamt about.
Exploring Wine Regions-Bordeaux France is scattered with the most beautiful pictures of the Bordeaux area, taken by the author himself. In the book, we can find recommendations for easy day trips, children friendly destinations, information on educational tours and tasting events, set tours or exclusive, customised private visits. Photos of famous places, vineyard lands, and castles also make this book fascinating. Programmes like the excursion through the forest of senses tour, according to the book, can change our perception of forests for life. Have you ever dreamt about living the life of French aristocrats? This book gives you recommendations on how to do that, even if only for a few days. I find it absolutely amusing how Botrytis fungus (Nobel Rot) can help create a very special wine by attacking the grape and engaging its immune system to ward off the fungus. The chemical reaction created by this invasion is ultimately responsible for the special flavour of the wines of certain regions. We also learn about Thalassotherapy, a treatment that provides remineralisation of the body and boosts the immune system.
I enjoyed reading this book very much. I love how easy it is to use it as a guide while we are on the go. Shortlisting wineries that are the most worthy of our visit definitely makes our life easier and our travel planning much more fun. I recommend this book for the lovers of travel, food and wine. The book is exceptionally well edited, suitable for all age groups and an absolute joy to read. For all of this and for its beautiful pictures and well-organised nature, I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars.
******
Exploring Wine Regions – Bordeaux France
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon | on iTunes
