The inside scoop … for when you want more than the official line! Selecting wine used to be as simple as white with chicken or fish, red with red meat, Chianti with spaghetti, and champagne on New Year's Eve. But these days, eager but uneducated consumers reel in wine stores or restaurants, overwhelmed by the endless array of choices. When it comes to choosing the perfect bottle of wine, however, you don't want to take all your marching orders from the store clerk or the sommelier. You want to know wine as ably as the most seasoned connoisseur. You want the inside scoop. The Unofficial Guide™ to Selecting Wine is designed to give savvy consumers like you a foolproof appraisal of everything from reds, whites, and rosés to choosing the perfect bottle for any occasion. In this book you'll get unbiased recommendations that are not influenced by any company, product, or organization. The Unofficial Guide™ to Selecting Wine is intensively inspected by The Unofficial Panel of Experts: Rory Callahan is a former winemaker and president of a market development firm for wines; Abigail Sawyer is a veteran editor, writer, and web site developer specializing in wines; and Bo Thompson has worked for more than 20 years as a wine manager and buyer for San Francisco's finest restaurants. These specialists ensure that you are armed with the most up-to-date insider information on the subject of wine selection and are told exactly what "the Official establishment" doesn't want you to know. Vital Information on knowing the difference between varietals and blends and the different wine regions Insider Secrets on opening, tasting, sniffing, and assessing wine Money-Saving Techniques on choosing the very best wines regardless of your budget Time-Saving Tips on buying and ordering wine The Latest Trends in wine-buying at online venues, at auctions, and directly from the vineyard Handy Checklists and Charts for