Wine for the Average Joe: A Guide to Enjoying Wine Without the Pretension

Kelly D. Lauderdale: I’ve thoroughly enjoyed this book. Plenty of great information. I would suggest that everyone connect with her podcast also. Podcast is also named Wine for Normal People.

United States on May 24, 2023

WillBeez: I discovered Elizabeth’s podcast it’s the absolute best. I wanted to buy her book and I’m not disappointed. You learn a lot and it’s not stuffy!!

United States on Nov 07, 2022

Robert Hudson: Good well written book, provides salient advice on wine without the normal verbiage and mystery. Well organised and covers many topics other do not. Recommended.

United Kingdom on Jun 27, 2022

Natalia Velikova: As an educator, I tried to adopt several books for my wine courses. With the abundance of wine books out there, I found that many are too technical, or outdated, or contain too much (often irrelevant) information. There was no book that would be well-balanced, written in a straightforward language, with just the right amount of information to generate interest and enhance knowledge. I am so happy there is one now, finally. "Wine for Normal People" is concise, yet detailed enough to include essential material for each wine region. Elizabeth does a wonderful job of explaining complex subjects in a simple way. My students love her non-pretentious writing style, sincere opinion, the simplicity of the material presentation, as well as the business angle incorporated into the content. Some students even bought a copy as a Christmas gift for their parents. It’s a fun textbook that does not cost an arm and a leg (for a change!).

United States on Dec 13, 2021

murray: Absolutely best book that supports the podcast. Very easy reading and detailed enough to generate interest. Good use of graphics and very well written. Can not recommend enough and use at wine tastings for reference.
Want to buy to gift to others as well.

United Kingdom on Nov 25, 2020

ScubaSommelier: Two books in one, I loved it!

In one aspect, this book plays the role of a fun filled lesson on how to engage with wine. For example, helping you learn vocabulary, styles, pairing, and buying. It is written with a light hearted backbone, providing smiles every few pages, which is a pleasant change to typically stuffy wine books.

In another aspect, the book plays a reference role on specific regions and grapes. For example, what to expect from wines coming from the Ribbon Ridge AVA in Oregon. I will certainly review sections when planning wine travel.

My favorite chapter in the book was titled “How a Wine Gets Its Flavor And Why You Should Care”. This section does an amazing job of helping enthusiasts map what they may or may not enjoy in certain wines and how leverage that in future purchases across other wines. I recommend that all people who are buying wine read this to maximize their enjoyment.

United States on May 22, 2020

J E.: Excellently produced, extremely well written. Essential for even the casual wine drinker. No matter your prior knowledge of wine, there is a lot to be learned from this book. Enjoyable and easy to digest. I also recommend the podcast highly!

United Kingdom on Dec 15, 2019

Fran: Such a great book! Well structured, easy to read, a fount of knowledge for those wanting to know more about wine. No pretentiousness, no snobby nonsense, just simple facts from the most down to earth author! Highly recommended. 5 star recommendation also goes for Elisabeth's podcast.

Germany on Dec 08, 2019

Wine Lady: I've followed Elizabeth Schneider on the Wine For Normal People podcast for about 8 years now and she is one of the main reasons I made a decision to pursue my education and a profession in the wine trade. Her friendly, easy going style translates so well into book format, it really does feel like a conversation.
I am using this book as part of my wine studies, but find myself following her references to other pages and then wandering off into the wine world as she explains it. And it happens with such ease.
I highly recommend this book as a reference as well as an interesting and comfortable read. Perfectly timed for the holidays, I know I'l be giving it as a gift to several of my friends who simply enjoy and like finding out more about their favorite beverage!

United States on Nov 13, 2019

Amanda G.: If you have an interest learning about wine in a no nonsense way then this book is for you. It's a reference book presented in a way such that you could also read it through front to back. I love the way the material is presented, it's logical and interesting. This isn't your typical stuffy wine reference book. You'll gain practical knowledge that will improve your wine tasting, communicating, buying and general understanding in a non-pretentious way. A must have for any normal wine person!

Canada on Nov 13, 2019