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Godforsaken Grapes: The Book and Thoughts about Wine

Most of my readers are aware that I love reading, and while wine drinking hadn't been high on my list, lately I have been very interested in wines. My family already has a deep interest and knowledge base on wines, and perhaps I am just wanting to be a part of their discussions. Whatever the reason, Godforsaken Wines: A Slightly Tipsy Journey through the World of Strange, Obscure, and Underappreciated Wine was a fascinating book about your not-so-normal wines.  Click on the link to purchase the book. If you purchase the book from me, I will make a small commission.  What a great place for me to jump off and start my learning.



This post is a part of a group called #WinePW and they write monthly on wine. This is my first attempt at writing a post for this group. Yes, a bit intimidated but I am one to jump right in. The chat is being hosted by Camilla Mann of Culinary Adventures with Camilla.  Thank you so much for trusting that I will be an asset to the group.



For me, this book is set up like a travel book and I love to travel. You will find grape varietals you haven't heard of, or most of us anyway, and wine areas that aren't getting a lot of attention.  I was fascinated by how some wines become very popular, then slowly die off, to be discovered again in a new generation of wine drinkers.  I found a lot of inspiration in this book, to become more learned in wine and culture, and to seek out different wines. This book will serve as my "bible" to wine exploration.

I love books where the author can tell a great story. This author, Jason Wilson, has the gift of storytelling. Because of his gift, I was riveted to a book that I don't have a lot of background knowledge. It has changed my thinking about wine and how I will buy wine in the future. I have joined a couple of wine groups that focus on smaller producers. I'll let you know how those groups turn out in future posts.

While I didn't find an obscure wine that I wanted to share with you, I did try this pecorino, an Italian varietal that I didn't know much about.  The grape is so old that no one is sure where the name of the grape came from!  The closest Italian word is pecora, meaning sheep. For me, the wine smells full and fruity, very slight sweetness, acidic but not overly so. I found the wine in a group that I joined over Christmas called FirstLeaf.

At the back of the book is a list of 101 varietals that are considered rare. I had only tried three of them and so now the hunt is on!  Come see me next month!


Would you like to comment?

  1. I enjoy a good glass of wine. I will have to check more into these posts. I may look for the one you spoke of.

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  2. I like to drink wine with my husband on weekends and learning more about it helps the experience. I hope I learn more about what a good glass is all about.

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  3. Thanks for joining us, Terri! I'm SO glad you enjoyed the book. It's serving as my wine bible this year, too. Cheers.

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  4. I'll have to get the book for my mom, who enjoys her wine. I wish I liked it, but I never got a taste for wine.

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  5. i was jsut thinking of a new book to add to my list and this might be it :) FUN!

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  6. Kita Bryant6:19 PM

    This honestly looks like a very relaxing way to spend an evening. I would really love to kick back and relax with this.

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  7. My dad and his wife loved a good glass of wine, but I rarely drank when my dad was alive. These days I enjoy a glass of wine, but would love to try more and learn more about wine. I tend to like sweet ones, but have tried a dry wines and liked them.

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  8. I just recently started getting into wines, though I don't know very much about them just yet. I would definitely love to learn more so I know what's good to order when we go out to eat. I just tend to take a guess and hope it's one I'll like LOL.

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  9. That sounds like the perfect book for the hubs since he's a bookworm and he also loves wine. Will have to grab a copy of that for him.

    -LYNNDEE

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  10. So glad to have you aboard Terri. I enjoyed this book as well and you are right...it is a book about travel as well as wine.

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  11. Welcome to the group. I remember my first post for #winePW and remember how nervous I was. And then my first time hosting........ nervous wreck!!! But this group is amazing and am so happy I joined!

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  12. I'm not a huge fan of drinking wine but moscato was my favorite. However, now that I have rheumatoid arthritis and am on methotrexate, I no longer drink any alcohol at all. But I know a few wine lovers and I'll share it with them.

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  13. There is so much to know about wine, and I feel very behind in my understanding. I would love to dig into a book to expand my knowledge!

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  14. What a great book for people who enjoy wine. This will be a good read, while drinking a glass of wine.

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  15. I love travel and I think I am going to love this book. The cover is so pretty too!

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  16. Sounds like a great book to read if you're interested in learning more about wine. I love that you mentioned how well-written it was. I love books that take me to places even if I'm just sitting on the sofa on a lazy afternoon.

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  17. This sounds like such a great book for those who are looking to get into wine. It's always good to find something well-written and easy to follow.

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  18. Welcome to group! Glad you've jumped in and hope you enjoyed that Pecorino!

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  19. Thanks for the excellent review of the book. I'm definitely going to read it. It's cool you'll use it as your "bible" for further exploration!

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  20. Welcome. You did a great post like a pro!

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  21. Welcome, Terri! This is a great group -- I've learned so much from everyone. I haven't read the book yet, but definitely will check it out based on all the good reviews.

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  22. Glad you can join us! I'm definitely a fan of Pecorino -- the grape and the cheese!

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  23. Sounds like a wonderful book for people to enjoy wine and relax! Adding it to my reading list!

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  24. Seems an interesting book that wine lovers will surely love to read on.

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