Overview

In Questions of Taste, the first book in any language on the subject, philosophers such as Roger Scruton and wine professionals like Andrew Jefford, author of the award-winning book The New France, turn their attention to wine as an object of perception, assessment and appreciation. They and their fellow contributors examine the relationship between a wines qualities and our knowledge of them; the links between the scientifically describable properties of wine and the conscious experience of the wine taster; what we base our judgements of quality on and whether they are subjective or objective; the distinction between the cognitive and sensory aspects of taste; whether wine appreciation is an aesthetic experience; the role language plays in describing and evaluating wines; the significance of their intoxicating effect on us; the meaning and value of drinking wine with others; whether disagreement leads to relativism about judgements of taste; and whether we can really share the pleasures of drinking. Questions of Taste will be of interest to all those fascinated by the production and consumption of wine and how it affects our minds in ways we might not hitherto have suspected.

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9781909930216

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Reviews

'Smith contends that, contrary to the oft-repeated incantation that taste is personal and all opinions are equally valid, oenophilia is not a strictly subjective exercise, and some people are more adept at judging Burgundies and Rhones than others.' --New York Times Book Review 'The contributors prove well up to the task of situating wine-centred questions within a larger framework of questions about taste and perception, subjectivity and objectivity, and aesthetic appraisal more generally.' - Times Literary Supplement 'It is quite surprising that no one has published a book like this before. Wine is an excellent subject for philosophy. In nine essays and an interview it focuses questions about subjective and objective qualities, aesthetics, the part in our appreciation played by knowledge, and the nature of expertise. Philosophy of wine has the advantage over many rather tired areas of philosophy that it is only likely to be discussed by those who care deeply about its main subject matter; it is also possible to say new and interesting things about it.' --Nigel Warburton, Virtualphilosopher.com 'Looks at the perception and appreciation of wine by an impressive line-up of philosophers and wine professionals. A perfect gift.' - The Bookseller 'Questions of Taste is devoted to the deep philosophical question of taste in wine: what is it, and why should we get it right? ... The contributors to this book have persuaded me that taste in art is a phenomenon distinct from taste in wine. Art has a meaning, and invites you to a long-lasting personal relationship. Through works such as Mozart's opera The Magic Flute, the David of Michelangelo or Milton's Paradise Lost, you come to understand life in this world and your own humble place in it. Nothing like that can be gleaned from wine, not even from a bottle of 1945 Lafite.' --New Statesman

Author Information

The contributors include ROGER SCRUTON (wine correspondent for the New Statesman), KENT BACH: (San Francisco State University), BARRY C. SMITH (Birkbeck College, London), TIM CRANE: (University College London and author of The Mechanical Mind, Penguin, 1997), JAMIE GOODE (trained biochemist and an accomplished wine writer who runs the highly informed website www.wineanorak.com), PAUL DRAPER (chief wine-maker at Ridge Wines, California, and Decanter Man of the Year in 2001) and ANDREW JEFFORD (distinguished wine writer, winner of five Glenfiddich Wine Writer awards and author of the award-winning, The New France).

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