Conrado Bondoc's Recommendations: Superlative Books -- Boston Superlatives

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As you'll probably learn real quickly, I have a strong affectation for champagne. Forget about bubbly's association with "luxury," "celebration," and "romance." The bottom line is this: champagne is a wine.

Many oenophiles consider champagne to be the most complex wines to taste and to understand. I agree with that only to the extent that tasting and enjoying champagne requires a whole lot more concentration than other wines.

Nevertheless, your understanding and enjoyment of champagne, in my infallible opinion, will grow a lot by reading more on the subject. After learning just a little about champagne, I think you'll find yourself seeing champagne in a totally different way ... even after the first sip!

The Millennium Champagne and Sparkling Wine Guide
Tom Stevenson
(Article: "Champagne: Shop Now and Avoid the Rush!": 02/10/99)

For those of you who are already planning your Y2K champagne selections, this book carries the highest Superlative recommendation! Tom Stevenson provides great overviews on all the major champagne houses — followed by tasting notes on over 900 brands. Having done a cross-comparison of his tasting notes versus my own, Stevenson seems to have a great taste for bubbly. PLUS ... having been published late in 1998, many of his notes are temporaneous to what you may experience.

Wine Spectator's Ultimate Guide to Buying Wine
Wine Spectator Magazine

For many wine amateurs and professionals, WS' book is well-known for their ratings. DON'T EVEN BOTHER WITH THEM. That's not why I recommend this book ... "Ultimate Guide" is invaluable because it's the resource to rely on if you want to know what's available in the wine world.