THE digital revolution has changed the nature of wine communication. As more practical, everyday wine info goes online – which bottles to buy, where to buy them – old-fashioned, hard-copy wine books are reinventing themselves to attract buyers.
Some have headed down the specialist path, exploring geeky, niche subjects for small audiences. Some have decided to dress themselves up as lavish, desirable, collectible objects. Some are geeky and lavish.
The result is one of the best crops of new wine – and drinks – books I have seen.
Collector’s item
A YEAR IN THE LIFE OF GRANGE – $785
Milton Wordley and Philip White
THIS is the biggie: one for the obsessed wine collector who already has a cellar full of great bottles. Yes, it is a lot of cash to spend on a book, but this exceptionally well-told tale of Australia’s most famous wine is also an incredibly limited, absolutely gorgeous work of art, beautiful to hold, to read, to pore over.
The sumptuous photographs are by veteran snapper Milton Wordley; the evocative, richly layered text is by Philip White, maverick wine writer and old friend of Grange creator Max Schubert; everything including the generously large-format design, printing and binding is proudly South Australian.
The price quoted is for a limited edition of 1000 copies; $1000 will get you one of 250 copies that also come with a signed archival print; $4000 will nab you one of only 100 leather and kangaroo-bound copies that also include seven signed prints in a presentation box.
Max Allen
This article is an excerpt from the Australian, the original article can be viewed here: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/executive-living/food-drink/a-good-vintage-the-pick-of-the-crop-for-books-on-wine-and-more/story-e6frg8jo-1226757609814
