The Sommelier's Atlas of Taste

INTRODUCITON 

Why? is the most vexing question in all of wine. Most attempts to explain precisely why a wine tastes the way it does are doomed to fail. But unlike the great philosophical questions involving life, God, and the universe with wine you actually can talk to the maker. Like the rest of us, the vigneron (a French term indicating the person who grows the grapes and makes the wine, our preference over English s winemaker, though we will use both throughout this text) may not be able to explain why the wine tastes the way it does, but obviously she can at least offer some detail and perspective. 

So this book takes its direction from the way Raj constructs his life essentially a nonscientific, yet rigorous and impassioned road-tripping inquiry into how wine tastes and why. I ve spent much of the last eighteen years of my life doing similar work as a wine and food writer, though certainly not with the same intensity (no one comes close to Raj in that), so it made sense to do this together and record it in book form. 

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Now, a few words on the title. Traditionally, an atlas is a collection of maps. Thumbing through this volume, you will quickly see it s not a traditional atlas. Once again, we re employing some poetic license and using the word metaphorically, for what we re generally depicting are not roadways or topographies or constellations the classic subjects of atlases but the taste of wine and how do you render a map of taste? You do it in the same confounding way people have always been doing it with words. Especially when it comes to wine, language is personal and imprecise, but it s all we ve got at this point, reminding us of the famous line from music criticism: Writing about music is like dancing about architecture.

Now, about the other big word in our title taste. Taste has many definitions, and in this book, we invoke many, if not all of them. Yes, we are writing about the taste of wine. Yes, we are also

RAJAT PARR is the wine director of the 17-restaurant Mina Group, which includes properties in Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, and Washington, DC. His program at the flagship restaurant in San Francisco holds a Wine Spectator Grand Award. He is also the cofounder of the wine labels Domaine de la Cote, Sandhi, and Evening Land Vineyards. JORDAN MACKAY is a James Beard Award-winning writer who lives in Napa Valley and travels extensively, speaking and writing about wine, spirits, and food. His work has appeared in Food & Wine, New York Times, Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle, Decanter, the Art of Eating, Wine & Spirits, and many others. He is the author of Passion for Pinot and coauthor of James Beard Award-winner Secrets of the Sommeliers (also with Rajat Parr), Two in the Kitchen (with Christie Dufault), New York Times bestseller Franklin Barbecue (with Aaron Franklin), and Knife (with John Tesar).

Best Wine Books of 2018   New York Times

"This is the sort of thought-provoking book that I will return to again and again."
Eric Asimov, New York Times

It isn't easy to produce fresh insights and fascinating commentary on some of the most well-trampled wine regions on earth, but sommelier-turned- wine producer Rajat Parr and writer Jordan Mackay have managed to do just that, and to do so with style; I expect this book to find its way on to the shelves of wine drinkers and collectors as well as those of aspiring sommeliers.
Victoria Moore, André Simon Awards assessor

"This book is both the wine novice's and expert's dream, packed full of everything you need to know about the word's best wine. Rajat Parr and Jordan Mackay break down what makes each one special and unique, and what to look for when it comes to awakening your palate. All that's left to do is open a bottle you've never tried before and explore the possiblities."
Ayesha Curry, author of the best-selling cookbook The Seasoned Life

"The Sommelier's Atlas of Taste is a must-read book for anyone looking to enhance their personal wine journey. Rajat Parr and Jordan Mackay manage to balance encyclopedic information and practical advice with one-of-a-kind storytelling about the people and places shaping the world of wine today. Even more impressive, they share this wisdom and passion in a refreshingly approachable way." Gary Vaynerchuk, wine critic and entrepreneur

"The Sommelier's Atlas of Taste is an essential exploration of what makes the world's great regions, producers, and wines delicously compelling, and why. Rajat Parr and Jordan Mackay relentlessly examine geographical and geological differences, cultural shifts, and producer philosophies through the lens of taste. This book charts their glorious adventures, taking the reader with them into the cellars and vineyards of the most famous producers, and provides rare access and