If Wine Could Talk

I got this book from NetGalley for an honest review.

Easy to read and full of good info about wine selections and tastings.

I loved the bit about the wine but have to admit, the whole backstory of the author's life was not nearly as interesting.

As a girl who loves her wine, it was helpful to read about some of the lesser known things about wine and serving wine. It is such a gorgeous social beverage that can really bring people together.

I didn’t know this was a non-fiction memoir x wine guide. If I’m honest, when I received my advanced copy of it, I assumed it was a gentle chick-lit type book about a woman her 30s who lives in London and depends too much on wine whilst she watches her contemporaries settle down in their careers and love lives. So this came as a complete surprise.

Kara Joseph writes with such passion that a glass of wine becomes more than a glass of wine. I do like the odd white or rose wine (I find red too rich), but I’m definitely more of a gin girl. Having said that, I will appreciate any wine I drink now more than “just” having a glass.

I’ll be honest, the extent of my wine knowledge is being able to identify a red, white or rose - although someone said you can now get orange or blue wines which slightly disturbs me.

This book is informative and technical but approachable; even someone with zero knowledge of wine is able to follow Kara on her journey. The integration of her personal story gives a human relatable side to the technical wine talk.

What I did find amusing though, was when I told my mother I was reading a book about wine, she looked at me quizzically and said “can’t you just drink the wine?”

I have read some of the other reviews of this book, and I have to admit, they leave me a bit puzzled. It seems that people are not reviewing the substance of the book, but rather their perceived opinions on the author. Which is wrong!
Josephs is a very determined young woman who sets goals for herself and works hard to achieve them. Graduating from college, she was not sure of where she wanted to go in life. She knew that wine was fascinating to her, so why not explore that. And boy, does she ever! Taking a menial job at a cafe in a winery on the other side of the country, she throws herself into it. Say what you want about her being from a privileged background, she works her butt off! And sets the almost impossible goal of becoming a sommelier. In only a little over a year! That's crazy. People study for decades to pass the test, and only a very few succeed. AND SHE DOES IT! Unbelievable.
The book contains a lot of information about wine. From the growing of grapes, to the end product, to pairings with food. All in an easily understood manner. This information alone makes the book worth the read.
But to me, where the book really sparkled was watching this young person, obviously very intelligent and driven, set her mind to something and not let anything stand in her way. That was what really made me smile!
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley, in return for a fair and honest review.

A really interesting read. Not quite what I thought it would be but enjoyed it even more. I learned many a new thing about wine and its a book upon which you could dip in and out of easily.

Being a wine enthusiast and a wine writer I was very interested in "If Wine Could Talk" by Kara Joseph.

I think for a reader who is interested in learning about wine tastings, what works best for food and wine pairings and the simple art of enjoying wine this book holds some valuable information. Although I did enjoy reading what the author shared about the specifics of different wine grapes I found her backstory lacked in comparison to the wine stories and I did not find it interesting for that reason.

I think I would still recommend the book to anyone interested in learning more about wine in general as it is an easy read for wine lovers to enjoy.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book! Part memoir and part wine guide it was brilliantly engaging and informative. As someone interesting in wine it was fascinating to see how someone ends up in the wine industry and the passion that Kara has for wine to pursue her dreams. The factual sections are full of detailed information on wine countries, how to taste, what a sommelier is and so much more, but all of it is broached in a very immersive and informal manner. I think it's a fantastic way to introduce so many of these complex ideas in an accessible, friendly and engaging writing style.

In If Wine Could talk. Kara shares her story on how she got involved with wine and interesting for the wine newbies like me how to appreciate wine as not just a beverage.
I found this book really amazing and relatable especially as it explores doubting yourself, insecurities and everything life brings along with it. This is an amazing read I hope everyone picks up.