I don’t think there’s any surprise by this point that I enjoy wines from south of the Equator, specifically those from South America. Because of that, I was excited when the book Wines of the Southern Hemisphere by Mike Desimone and Jeff Jenssen showed up, though I’m ashamed at how long it’s taken me to finally get around to looking through it and sharing my thoughts – the holidays were rough.
The book covers seven overall wine regions: Â Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Chile, New Zealand South Africa, and Uruguay. Like some other books I’ve looked at recently, it’s not something that you necessarily have to read cover to cover to learn anything, which I appreciate. You can jump to a region that interests you and learn about it, as well as what grapes they grow and learn more about wineries located therein.
In addition to information about the wine regions, the book also includes recipes from chefs within that region that will pair well with wines from the region. You see the theme there? If that’s not enough for you, Wines of the Southern Hemisphere also includes interviews with people associated with the region, giving you more insight into that region from those actively taking part in it.
I can’t say that this book will make you more knowledgeable about wine in the general sense, but it will certainly improve your knowledge of the wines from the Southern Hemisphere. It’s definitely a book that should end up on the shelf of any wine lover, particularly those that like wines from south of the equator.
You can find Wines of the Southern Hemisphere at your local book store or online at Amazon.com or Barnes & Noble.
