For those new to wine or for dabblers who could use some help deciphering foreign labels, Wine Basics brings unprecedented clarity to the world's most ubiquitous libation. Whatever your wine IQ, keeping a handle on all the essentials of the world's most captivating beverage is a sobering challenge indeed. Enter Wine Basics, written by a California-based expert. With 400 full-color photos, authoritative text, delicious recipes, and regional maps, this visually incomparable guide provides you with easy-to-follow, step-by-step advice on every facet of wine enjoyment. You'll learn the distinctions of each grape variety and the world's major wine-producing regions; how to read a label; how to entertain with, order, and serve wine; how to pair food with and cook with wine; and how you can interpret wine ratings.