Ron Herbst holds a degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management and spent the better part of a decade working in various restaurants around the country. He is the co-author of three critically acclaimed books with Sharon Tyler Herbst, including ""The New Food Lover's Companion,"" which is currently featured on the Food Network's website as their go-to food reference guide, ""The Deluxe Food Lover's Companion,"" and ""The New Wine Lover's Companion,"" all published by B.E.S..
...an invaluable, user-friendly reference. I learned something from the very first page I turned to, and keep learning as I keep turning. --William Rice, Food and Wine Columnist, Chicago Tribune If you're looking for a straightforward, user-friendly wine reference, The New Wine Lover's Companion is an ideal holiday gift for any lover of the grape, novice and sommelier alike. Authors Ron and Sharon Tyler Herbst, give you the back story; sometimes they limit it to a paragraph, often the 'definition' takes up an entire page. And the terms aren't only those you read in wine reviews. You get the full treatment, and stories within stories. The entry for barrique doesn't stop at telling you it means barrel; go to barrel and you learn about a dozen different kinds of wine barrels, from a feuillette and a Fuder to a Doppelstuck, puncheon and Viertelstuck -- how they were named, where they're used and what's inside the cask. If you're interested in wine, it's really fascinating stuff. This informative book is practically an entire wine education. As references go, The Wine Lover's Companion is a page-turner. If you're looking for a straightforward, user-friendly wine reference, The New Wine Lover's Companion is an ideal holiday gift for any lover of the grape, novice and sommelier alike. --The Wine Buzz, www.thewinebuzz.com A great reference! . . . excellent and accurate source for both wine professionals and those involved with wine purely for the love of it. --Jacques Pepin, cookbook author and TV chef Now in an updated fourth edition, The New Wine Lover's Companion is a user-friendly reference to the world of fine wine, with alphabetical entries covering everything from alluvial soil (a type of soil prized in the viticultural world for the flavorful grapes it produces) to Zinfandel (a red-wine grape grown primarily in California). Charts and tables, guides to storing and serving wine, a bibliography, and much more round out this superb resource. Highly recommended, especially for anyone curious to learn more about the depth of wine culture. --The Midwest Book Review