In this informative and amusing book, newly revised and updated, Simon Hoggart provides a highly personal selection of 100 exciting and eclectic wines that are invariably good value (including 10 new ones). Life’s Too Short to Drink Bad Wine is aimed at the amateur wine lover prepared occasionally to spend a little more than supermarket prices to get something special. He eschews pretentious ‘wine-speak’ yet describes his encounters with each of them so wittily you will be sure to remember them. Whether or not you have the pleasure of drinking all of the featured wines, you will certainly enjoy every page.

The wines are arranged alphabetically with entries interspersed with interesting features varying from how to read a wine label or on how to buy wine, to an account of the Judgment of Paris, when Californian wines beat the French in a blind tasting. From the 100 Simon has selected he has awarded ten of them Top 10 status.  At the back of the book is an extensive source list of wine makers, distributors and merchants, with complete details, including websites, for ease of ordering.