Featuring a fresh layout, revised maps, and more detail than ever before, the eagerly anticipated seventh edition of Parker's Wine Buyer's Guide offers collectors and amateurs alike the ultimate resource to the world's best wines. In every way, this edition bears out Parker's stated goal: "To make you a more formidable, more confident wine buyer by providing you with sufficient insider's information to permit the wisest possible choice when you make a wine-buying decision." Understanding that buyers on every level appreciate a good deal, Parker separates overvalued bottles from undervalued, with wine prices instantly shifting according to his evaluations. Indifferent to the wine's pedigree, Parker's eminent 100-point rating system allows for independent, consumer-oriented, inside information. The latest edition of Parker's Wine Buyer's Guide includes expanded information on Spain, Portugal, Germany, Australia, Argentina, and Chile, as well as new sections on Israel and Central Europe. As in his previous editions, Parker provides the reassurance of a simple number rating, predictions for future buying potential, and practical overviews of regions and grapes. Altogether, an indispensable resource from the man the Los Angeles Times calls "the most powerful critic of any kind." Parker, a major force in the wine world, has both avid fans and legions who despise him. The French government has made him a Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur, and Italy has made him a Commander in the Order of Merit, so he does know wine. The seventh edition of his buyer’s guide has been fully revised and updated. Parker’s introduction notes the growth of the wine industry and the increasing popularity of wine. He discusses the techniques of winemaking and explains his rating system. He also gives advice about buying and storing wine as well as serving it and pairing it with food. A discussion of “the dark side of wine” warns readers about things that winemakers may do to ruin wine, inflated prices in restaurants, wine fraud, and other “unspeakable practices.” Parker also offers his opinion on what constitutes great wine and provides a reading list of useful books on the subject. The main part of the book is the guide itself, with sections for western Europe, North America, and “The Best of the Rest” (Argentina, Australia, central Europe, Israel, New Zealand, and South America). These sections are divided alphabetically by country or region, with further divisions in the sections for France and Italy. Each treatment begins with a map and an article about the area’s wines, followed by ratings for the best wine growers and producers and an alphabetical list of wineries with vintage ratings and brief commentaries. In the interests of space, the specific tasting notes found in earlier editions have been eliminated. The index helps readers find information on specific wineries. This is a good resource for wine collections in public libraries. --Barbara Bibel Robert M. Parker, Jr., has been the author and publisher of The Wine Advocate for more than twenty-five years. He has won countless awards, including two of France’s highest presidential honors: in 1993, President Francois Mitterrand pronounced him a Chevalier dans l’Ordre National du Merite. In 1999, President Jacques Chirac signed a decree appointing Parker a Chevalier dans L’Ordre de la Legion d’Honneur, and in 2005, elevated his title to Officier. He is the author of many books about wine, including Bordeaux, Burgundy, The Wines of the Rhône Valley , and Parker's Wine Buyer's Guide . Visit the author online at www.eRobertParker.com. Parker's Wine Buyer's Guide, 7th Edition The Complete, Easy-to-Use Reference on Recent Vintages, Prices, and Ratings for More than 8,000 Wines from All the Major Wine Regions By Robert M. Parker Simon & Schuster Copyright © 2008 Robert M. Parker All right reserved. ISBN: 9780743271981 INTRODUCTION HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE This book is both an educational manual and a buying guide; it is not an encyclopedic listing of wine producers and growers. It is intended to make you a more formidable, more confident wine buyer by providing you with sufficient insider's information to permit the wisest possible choice when you make a wine-buying decision. The finest producers as well as the best known (not necessarily a guarantee of quality) from the world's greatest viticultural regions are evaluated, as well as many of the current and upcoming releases available in the marketplace. If readers cannot find a specific vintage of a highly regarded wine, they still have at their fingertips a wealth of information and evaluations concerning the best producers for each viticultural area. Readers should be confident in knowing that they will rarely make a mistake (unless, of course, the vintage is absolutely dreadful) with a producer rated "outstanding" or "excellent" in this buyer's guide. These producers are the finest and most consist