Title Page -- Copyright Page -- Dedication -- Contents -- Introduction -- Chapter One. People Who Love Good Wine -- Ben Franklin, Wine Lover -- A Toast to Hilarious George Washington -- The Favorite Wines of Sherlock Holmes -- The Favorite Drink of Robin Hood -- Julius Caesar's Favorite Roman Wine: Still Around? -- Agoston Haraszthy, Father of California Wine, Enjoyed a Vintage Lifestyle -- Hemingway at the Oyster Bar with Wine -- Thomas Jefferson: Wine Expert -- Jefferson: "Disguised in Drink?" -- Thomas Jefferson's Wine Cellar -- Wine Won't Do? Try Cider -- French Chef Matches Wine with Grits -- In Cajun Country with Wine -- Bayou Rouge: Wine in the Deep South? -- Chef Frank Stitt at Highlands in Birmingham with Wine -- The Hochar Family and the Wines of the Middle East -- The Basques and Their Wines -- The Wine Spectator Staff Stocks a Dream Cellar -- Barefoot Boy -- Pharmacy Prof Tries to Simplify Wine Labels -- Winetasters -- Giants of the Bible -- Who Owns the Wineries? -- Chapter Two. Going Places with Wine -- Wine Attics of New Orleans -- Old Madeira -- Wining and Dining at the Peabody Hotel -- Wine at the Napoleon House in New Orleans -- Mellow Memories of an Oxford Poolroom Rival a Fine Wine -- Without the Bubbles What've You Got? It's Still Champagne -- Armchair Wine Travels -- Fine Wines of China? -- The Story of "A": Traditional Chinese Food and Wine in Paris -- Kublai Khan: A Chinese Feast with Wine -- Merlot Among the Magnolias: K.C. Joe's Restaurant -- The Rose of San Francisco: Red Wine and Garlic Breath -- Napa Valley: An American Eden? -- Napa Valley: A Local Auction for Everyone -- Monticello West -- Is Wine-Tasting a "Profession"? -- Best Wine Bars and Bistros of Paris -- The Wines of New Zealand -- Spain's Whites Catch Up with Its Great Reds -- Sea Air Cools Temecula Valley -- The Wines of Texas Are upon Us.

Wine in Yosemite: The Ahwanee Hotel -- The Dark Side of France -- Never Heard of Chenin Blanc? You've Got Company -- The Wines of Chateau Biltmore -- Irish Wines in Bordeaux -- Wines from Bulgaria -- All Is Ducky at the Peabody -- Cool Reds for Summer -- In New Orleans the Cajun Tide Ebbs as French and Italian Wines Flow -- A Deep South Winemaking School Thrives-For a While -- A Mouse-Jump for White Burgundy -- Red Wines Flow When Chill Winds Blow -- The Great Old Reds of Italy -- The Great New Reds of Italy -- America Conquers Pinot Noir, the Holy Grail of Wine -- A Friend Comes through with Spanish Treasure -- Chapter Three. Tips for Enjoying Good Wine -- Finding a Good Wine Shop -- Old Wine Books to Savor -- Be Assertive with Annoying Waiters -- Serving Wine Is Not Brain Surgery -- Problem Corks -- What's That Floating in My Glass? -- Resveratrol for a Healthy Heart -- Judging Wines -- Detective Sonny Crockett Called His Favorite Wine D.P. -- These Gizmos Do All but Drink Your Wine for You -- Those Maligned Muscats -- Sauternes and Foie Gras -- Wine as Dessert -- Bottle Builders -- Half-Bottles and Marbles: Solutions for Leftover Wines -- To Decant or Not to Decant -- Wine Yeasts, Wild and Tame -- The Big Chill -- Best Beer? Czech It Out -- Nebbiolo: As "Brisk" as Champagne, as "Silky" as Madeira -- Swiss Wines for Winter -- Friends of the Oyster -- Bad Wine? Don't Pour It Out -- Cabernet Franc, A New Star? -- A Dark Horse Grape: Petit Verdot -- Hi Yo, Mourvèdre, Away -- "Sour Wine" Has Added Zing Since Biblical Times -- Sulfites Suffice -- Tannin in Wine: It's How It Feels -- The Trick to Drinking Champagne -- Wine Words: Not So Confusing after All -- Chapter Four. Finding the Humor in Wine -- Wine Cartoons -- Finding the World's Worst Wine -- The Guinness Book of Wine Records -- The Astrology of Wine: Your House or Mine? -- Thoroughbred Wines.

Witch Wines for Halloween -- Red Wine with Barbeque, White with Snake -- Wine Goes with Everything, Even Food That's "Bad for You" -- This Could Be the End and I Can't Decide on a Wine -- Acknowledgments -- Source Notes -- Bibliography -- Index.