The world in a wineglass The insider's guide to artisanal, sustainable, extraordinary wines to drink now

It used to be that oenophiles needed to know about the grape, the maker, the vintage, and the color. Now, as the industry industrializes and more and more wineries spring up worldwide, there are more considerations: Is the wine organic? Biodynamic? What other techniques and processes have been used? Is the production sustainable? As Isle notes, these things are important, but there's little oversight on the definitions and use of these terms. He aims to be constructive and honest, refuses to condemn corporate winemakers out of hand, and offers detailed introductions to often-overlooked independent wineries in Europe, Asia, Africa, Oceania, and the Americas, particularly those who have committed to organic and sustainable viticulture. The wines he catalogs vary in price from inexpensive Provençal rosé to top-of-the-top Roederer Cristal champagne. Isle's writing is poetic but never precious, and he focuses on vintners as people, showing how their personalities joyfully come through in their wines. For the one-third of Americans who consume wine regularly, Isle offers helpful direction on how to choose bottles thoughtfully.