The new, updated edition of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Wine Basics is on shelves now. In this edition, I've completely renovated the food and wine pairing section, making it far more user-friendly; updated the information on Spain, which has exploded with fabulous (and often inexpensive) wines in the past few years; and added a section on organic, biodynamic and sustainably grown wines, which have become an important—and confusing—segment of the market. All the wine recommendations have been updated as well (and the aroma wheel is no longer upside-down!).
Also check out Culture, a new magazine on cheese; the Spring issue talks about cab franc and spring cheeses (no joke — great pairing!)Appearances I'm in Hamburg, Germany, for the summer, submersed in riesling, frühburgunder and any other interesting wines I find, so if you need a report on the wine scene here (or simply want to visit), drop me a line, And I'll be judging at MUNDUSvini in Neustadt am der Weinstrasse in late August.
Books There's a slew of great new wine and spirits books on the shelf this year; I've reviewed some of my favorites in the Denver Post. And check out the second edition of the Complete Idiot's Guide to Wine Basics. It's truly not for idiots; I've packed it with enough information that there's something for everyone in it—particularly the new edition, which has new and expanded sections on organic and sustainably grown wines, Spanish wines, and an immensely improved wine-and-food section. (My apologies to everyone who suffered through the first version of that chapter.)
Wine of the Week Every other week in the Denver Post, I highlight a wine that's grabbed my attention. Some are splurges, but since I buy my own wines, most are $15 or less.
Articles From sake to sommelier interviews, Grüner Veltliner to Zinfandel, I write on all sorts of wines and trends. In addition to the Denver Post and Wine & Spirits magazine, my work has appeared in Gastronomica, Clear, Real Food, and Golf Connoisseur, as well as The Philadelphia Enquirer, The Charlotte Observer, and many other newspapers across the country.
Book Reviews There's no better way to learn about wine than to drink it, but sometimes it helps to get some background information. Here are some books that are both helpful and good reads — because reading about wine should be as fun and interesting as drinking it.
Classes What good is all this knowledge about something I love if I can't share it? Whenever I can, I teach classes at Mise En Place cooking school in downtown Denver. I'll also customize classes for groups of one to one hundred (maybe more if you ask me) in a setting of your choice: an evening tasting at your office, a Saturday afternoon wine and food pairing event, a wine class at your culinary school, or whatever fits your needs. Send me a note (web-reader-mail@TaraQThomas.com) for more information.
Freelance writing Need a piece on great organically-farmed wines? Or the up-and-coming wines of Greece? Or just a list of ten greats? Contact me at web-reader-mail@TaraQThomas.com and we'll talk.
Consulting With a degree from the Culinary Institute of America (Hyde Park) and experience in both the front and back of the house coupled with my knowledge of the wine industry today, I'm well prepared to help you shape your wine list into an exciting, profitable one. Send email to web-reader-mail@TaraQThomas.com to contact me.
Who am I anyway? Well, I've been writing about wine for a dozen years now, mainly at Wine & Spirits, where I'm Senior Editor and the wine critic for wines of the Mediterranean. I'm also the wine critic for the Denver Post (where I've been voted "Best wine writer for a newspaper" by the Colorado Vine.), and I contribute occasionally to Gourmet.com's blog. Where ever you find my writing, you'll see that I have no patience for pretentious prose and can't stand wine snobs. My goal is to make reading about wine as easy and enjoyable as drinking it, regardless how much you know.
