Money, Taste, and Wine: It's Complicated! [Hardcover]

The more it costs, the better the wine. That is the most common mistake made by wine buyers, according to Veseth, author of Wine Wars (2011) and blogger for Wine Economist. Veseth bring his love of wine and knowledge of economics to bear in this thoroughly enjoyable examination of how to satisfy the wine palate and the wallet. Perceptions of wine come from context and expectations, such as the occasion and the location. Palates are confused by labels, fancy wine-tasting venues, even placement on the store shelf. Veseth details the economics of winemaking as well as the psychology behind the wine market from the perspectives of the winemakers, the wine consumers, and investors and the connection between perceptions of quality and price. Drawing cultural references from movies and books, he debunks wine snobbery and offers advice on choosing based on personal tastes and finding treasures in wine stores, supermarkets, and big-box retailers. This is a humorous, engaging, and commonsense look at the tricky triangulation between money, taste, and wine.Everyone knows stories about people who prefer a bottle of swill to a $1,000 wine or a blindfolded aficionado waxing poetic about an old Bordeaux that turns out to be a warm white Burgundy. Wine economist Veseth takes readers on an entertaining romp through the wine world, which often bucks common economic theory. Veseth warns readers not [to] expect this to be a linear journey. The books 14 chapters are organized into four sections: Buyer Beware, which examines the disconnect between price and quality; Get a Clue! Searching for Buried Treasures, on where values lie; A Ros? Is a Ros?? Money, Taste, and Identity, about labeling and identity; and What Money Can (and Cant) Buy, on extrinsic value, sales, restaurants, perception, and much more. The book is readable and packed with corny humor. Endnotes and an index may appease scholars, but the book is really pitched to general readers and consumers looking for deallS.