Questions of Taste: The Philosophy of Wine

By Barry C. Smith

Book Overview

Interest in wine has steadily increased in recent years, with people far more sophisticated about wine than they used to be, and with more and more books being written about it, not to mention the success of films like Sideways. And, inevitably, those who take a serious interest in wine find themselves asking questions about it that are at heart philosophical.
Questions of Taste is the first book to tackle these questions, illuminating the philosophical issues surrounding our love of wine. Featuring lucid essays by top philosophers, a linguist, a biochemist, and a winemaker and wine critic, this book applies their critical and analytical skills to answer--or at least understand--many thorny questions. Does the experience of wine lie in the glass or in our minds? Does the elaborate language we use to describe wine--alluding to the flavors of cheese or fruit, or to a wines suppleness or brawniness--really mean anything at all? Can two people taste one wine in the same way? Does a wine expert enjoy wine more than a novice? How much should we care about what experts say about wine? These questions and others are not just the concern of the wine lover, but go to the heart of how we think about the world around us--and are the province of the philosopher.
With a foreword by leading wine authority Jancis Robinson (editor of the Oxford Companion to Wine), this volume will be of interest to anyone who thinks seriously about the experience of enjoying wine, as well as those interested in seeing philosophy applied to the world of the everyday.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 019533146X
• ISBN13: 9780195331462
• Release Date: October 2007
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 1.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 8.6" x 5.5"

Customer Reviews

Background in Philosophy and a Love of Wine

I wouldn't recommend this book unless you are either philosophically minded (i.e. have a background in philosophy) or enjoy scholarly essays. This book is not an introduction to wine, it is not about families in vineyards, about wine lovers and wine-makers sharing their personal tales about wine and the wine experience (although Chapter 10 does focus on Ridge winemaker, Paul Draper and his opinions about wine and wine culture - if you can pick this book up at the library, just read his interview with wine writer Andrew Jefford. It is the most accessible part of the book, revealing the depth and passion of a widely-read, world traveled California winemaker). If you took a philosophy class in university and didn't enjoy it, I suggest something else. This book is dry, reminiscent of philosophical journals I had to read as an undergraduate. As much as I loved this book, treasured each individual essay, I know it isn't for everyone. The book doesn't focus on grape varieties, doesn't talk about the history of wine, etc... But again, I loved it. Ten essays, all of them focusing on the philosophical questions circulating around wine appreciation and apprehension. There is discussion about the science of wine, the science of the brain, subjectivity vs. objectivity. If this gets you going, I recommend this book. I found the reading fascinating but slow going, often pausing, putting the book aside over some of the more difficult to grasp concepts. Each essay is worth several reads, if not to enjoy the prose and the arguments but to further dwell on the questions presented. The one question I still come back to: is wine art? Roger Scruton would argue against it as would Tim Crane in this volume. It is a question I often put to my colleagues in the wine industry and the discussion always comes up with something new. Again, this is a great read, one of my favourites in the literature of wine (The Judgment of Paris by George Taber another) but not for everybody. If you want the challenge and are prepared for it, I say go for it. Others interested in philosophy of wine, check out 'Wine & Philosophy' edited Frit Allhoff... both are great but the latter is suitable for a larger audience.

Great book!

A very witty and interesting philosophical guide to wine. It's great to see prominent philosophers not just writing about the usual abstractions but considering the serious puzzles that confront wine-lovers: how can we have a shared vocabulary for describing how wine tastes? Is there really such a thing as expertise in wine-tasting? It even has a chapter on intoxication - most writers seem to miss that aspect of wine-drinking! Definitely the most orginal book on wine I've read. I recommend it especially to people interested in the "wine wars" (Robert Parker vs. the Europeans). It helped me think about the underlying issues (though I didn't change sides afterwards!).

Highly Recommended!

A friend had recommended this book to me and, although I enjoy wine and lite philosophy, I have to admit that I was at first daunted by the title. But after another friend, a sommelier, told me that I had to read it, I finally bought it--and loved it! I didn't expect that I, a non-philosopher (though a wine lover), would be able to keep pace but I'm glad to report that I was wrong. You'll find within this book's pages the best possible presentation of what many may deem a highly subjective topic. What's great about this particular collection of essays is the obvious thought that the editors put into their selections, and how these pieces frame and address the issue. This collection masterfully guides the reader through tricky territory, not in an attempt to find out who's ultimately "right," but to help readers better understand the questions we really ought to be asking. They also address the conditions, both physiological and psychological, that predispose us to these "questions of taste" in the first place. For example, what is meant when we talk about a "fine wine" and why does this phrase carry so much authority? Is taste in us, or is it in the wine? Do experts actually taste things that others can't? The one thing I want to stress about this book is that, despite the heavy questions it takes on, this is a totally accessible read. Best of all, the quality of writing and thought is not sacrificed in the process. I'd feel more than comfortable recommending this to both the serious and the amateur oenophile. I think that the only people who can walk away from this book without having learned something valuable and new are the editors... Buy one for yourself, and ten more for your thinker/drinker friends--they'll thank you for it!

It's not a Question of Taste, it's just fantastic

Dear philosophers and wine lovers THANKS ! what a wonderfull time I had reading Question of Taste : the philosophy of wine. I particulary enjoyed the multi-talent approaches and review of the wine world, no matter you're a wine expert or a great philosopher to learn, think, smile... and almost taste. The NY Time review is what triggered my choice (if you don't believe my enthusiastic comment, check the NY Time review). Question of Taste is the first book on the phylosophy of wine... but it won't be the last of my christmas gifts (what a perfect one !).