The adventure of a lifetime to buy Stalin's secret multimillion dollar wine cellar located in Georgia; it is the Raiders of the Lost Ark of wine. In the late 1990s, John Baker was known as a purveyor of quality rare and old wines. He was the perfect person for an occasional business partner to approach with a mysterious wine list that was different to anything John, or his second-in-command, Kevin Hopko, had ever come across. The list was discovered to be a comprehensive catalogue of the wine collection of Nicholas II, the last Tsar of Russia. The wine had become the property of the state after the Russian Revolution of 1918, during which Nicholas and his entire family were executed. Now owned by Stalin, the wine was discreetly removed to a remote Georgian winery when Stalin was concerned the advancing Nazi army might overrun Russia. Half a century later, the wine was rumoured to be hidden underground and off any known map. John and Kevin embarked on an audacious, colourful and potentially dangerous journey to Georgia to discover if the wines actually existed; if the bottles were authentic and whether the entire collection could be bought and transported to a major London auction house for sale. Stalin's Wine Cellar is a wild, sometimes rough ride through the glamorous world of high-end wine.

The most beautiful wine cellars in the world provides a unique perspective on the most beautiful, impressive and atmospheric cellars through which many a wine enthusiast would gladly be allowed to wander. An intercontinental journey through both ancient, hidden-away 'treasure troves' as well as latter-day wine cellars held by wine producing domaines, wine merchants, hotels, restaurants and private individuals. The entries were coordinated by wine connoisseur Jurgen Lijcops, who has worked as sommelier and chef-sommelier in a variety of leading restaurants. Thanks to the hundreds of full-page photographs and splendid details, you are able to take a fantasy tour passing alongside musty bottles centuries old, wrought iron gates in subterranean tunnels and grottos, wine racks stretching for kilometres, cellars not open to the public, wine archives, ageing cellars, glass wine cellars and contemporary cellars fitted with the very latest in gadgets.

Wine regions are attracting increasing numbers of tourists through tours, wine festivals and events, and winery, restaurant and cellar door experiences. Using a host of case studies from Europe, North America, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand this book reviews the latest wine tourism research and management and marketing strategies. The book highlights the lessons learnt for wine, tourism and related industries and concludes by examining the future of the wine tourism industry.

Finally, a wine guide that helps you select outstanding wines from every important region and in every price range and track down and purchase the bottles you want. Renowned wine critic Stephen Tanzer, author of the bimonthly International Wine Cellar newsletter, has teamed up with WineAccess.com, the Internet's leading search engine for fine wine, to create the ultimate buying tool for experienced wine drinkers and neophytes alike. This concise and lucid guide provides a brief overview of every important category of wine, and recommends the best wines from the top producers in every important wine-growing region of the world. Then, through your free subscription to WineAccess's proprietary website, you can find and purchase the thousands of wines recommended in the guide, at the lowest prices, from WineAccess's network of retail merchants around the U.S. Your access to the website also entitles you to ongoing updates of the guide for 12 months, with ratings of new vintages added as wines appear on the shelves.

Both the region of Champagne and its wines have always been associated with prestige and luxury. Knowledgeable wine enthusiasts have long discussed top Champagnes with the same reverence they reserve for the finest wines of Bordeaux and Burgundy. But everyday Americans usually keep Champagne way back on the high shelf. It’s for big celebrations, send-offs, and wedding toasts and, more often than not, is bought by the case. The good stuff costs plenty—and frankly, rarely seems worth the price. Today, though, Champagne is in the midst of a renaissance—no longer to be unjustly neglected. Over the past decade, an increasing number of wine enthusiasts have discovered the joys of grower Champagne—wines made by the farmers who grow the grapes. Thanks to a few key wine importers and America’s newfound obsession with knowing where food comes from, these shipments have been climbing steadily. In But First, Champagne, author David White details Champagne’s history along with that of its wines, explains how and why the market is changing, and profiles the region’s leading producers. This book is essential reading for wine enthusiasts, adventurous drinkers, foodies, sommeliers, and drinks professionals. With a comprehensive yet accessible overview of the region, its history, and its leading producers, But First, Champagne will demystify Champagne for all. From the foreword: "Smart, entertaining, and valuable . . . one of those rare wine books that should appeal to people just getting into Champagne and longtime Champagne obsessives." —Ray Isle, Executive Wine Editor, Food & Wine