One of America's best novelists Jay McInerney is also well-known for being a wine connoisseur. Since beginning to drink wine, in emulation of his literary and cultural heroes, which he admits were not only Hemingway and Fitzgerald but also the characters that they gave birth to, McInerney's understanding of and fascination with wine has only grown.
The Juice is an insight into a passion and pastime that McInerney believes should be accessible to everyone, from those popping down to the supermarket to those popping down to their wine cellars. Using his trademark flair and expertise, McInerney paints a collage of the almost infinite varieties of wine across the globe, extracting the best and the most affordable from the intimidating selection offered by the modern world. His tour encapsulates not only a vast array of countries, moving across such legendary chateaus as Margaux and Latour in France to the vast lands of Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, as well as new contenders in Santa Rita Hills and Paso Robles, in the US, but also details the history behind each bottle. With contagious curiosity, the writer explores the huge world of viticulture, from terrior to biodynamic, and sets out to answer the big questions, including whether French should mix with American, why rap stars no longer drink Cristal, why you shouldn't be intimidated by German wine labels and whether it really is acceptable to drink Pinot Grigio.
Far-reaching, deeply knowledgeable and often hilarious, The Juice provides a master class in a vast array of grapes and wine styles, as well as the people and places taking such meticulous care over each and every glass. Stretching from the historic past to the often confusing present, McInerney captures the excitement that is felt, by millions of people, for the expansive world of wine.
