Cork Dork: A Wine-Fuelled Journey into the Art of Sommeliers and the Science of Taste

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In the book, Bosker describes finding a mentor in Morgan, an actual sommelier at a top New York City restaurant. Her description was a lot like Cork Dork – a gorgeous, deliciously rendered little journey for my mind to follow along with that, when all is said and done, remained entirely Bosker’s. The brouhaha finally culminated in a series of tweets by Eric Asimov, the New York Times’s wine critic. With one caveat, I'd like to highly recommend the newly released Cork Dork by journalist and aspiring wine nerd Bianca Bosker.

The book is not only informative but also entertaining and written in a conversational style, making it easy to read and understand even for those who are not wine experts. This wine has a creamy mouth feel but also packs wonderful acidity with green apple and citrus flavors. Several years ago we watched the documentary, Somm, which documented the rigors of becoming a master sommelier (a "cork dork").The challenge was not just about educating her palate, but also absorbing tons of trivia about wine growers and production methods and learning the accepted standards for sommelier service. As a successful journalist, she decided to take a hiatus from her to dedicate an entire year to becoming a Master Sommelier.

My caveat is that readers shouldn't take this book and the characters within it to represent the entirety of the wine world, and I know many wine pros will take issue with her portrayal of their community once they start to read it (as Eater contributor Levi Dalton has already done on Twitter). She felt that Cork Dork set her profession back, confirming people’s worst suspicions about sommeliers — that they’re snobs who are judging you and upselling you, whose primary goal is to get you to spend more money. The author covers this in depth, and the controversies resulting (not to spill the beans, but some of the ratings are dubious, at best).Whenever I make the unwise decision of having a non-water beverage alongside a plate of pasta or stir-fry or whatever it is, I feel like I’m writing with a completely new and unfamiliar set of punctuation. Professional journalist and amateur drinker Bianca Bosker didn't know much about wine—until she discovered an alternate universe where taste reigns supreme, a world of elite sommeliers who dedicate their lives to the pursuit of flavor. For readers of Anthony Bourdain, Susan Orlean, and Mary Roach, a surprising, entertaining and hilarious journey through the world of wine. But Bianca Bosker’s book stands out as being spectacularly successful in teaching us about wine, in making us love wine, and in presenting a tone of unfailing good humor.

The importance of vintages, grapes, blends, and soil are bandied about when discussing a good-quality wine. We drink wine, enjoy wine, and attend wine tastings when we get the chance, but liking and enjoying wine is far different than knowing wine. However, a report to the committee said a previous premises licence lapsed due to the company that held the licence being dissolved.Some forgo brushing their teeth in the morning, or drinking hot beverages, or using perfume, scented laundry detergent, extra salt. For 18 months, she shadowed renowned wine fanatics, hoping to understand their obsession and to become a certified sommelier herself. This book may not be the end all, be all of the world of wine, but for a rookie like myself, it offered a peek into their world, and I will never approach a glass of wine in quite the same way. There are competitions too where the competitors will compete in this blind tasting on 6 different wines and it’s timed!

As fresh and fun as a Wachau Riesling…packed with helpful information, wrapped in honest inquiry, and slathered with humor and wit. We have a very impressive wine list with over 100 wines and most of these are available by the glass. Her goal was to figure out how much of this revered title was based on true skill versus pretension. It is important that we continue to promote these adverts as our local businesses need as much support as possible during these challenging times. An informative and riveting read that doesn’t take itself too seriously—a much needed dose of reality the wine world could benefit from.Despite the populism of the op-ed, Cork Dork’s focus on the most elite sommeliers and their rituals might just make wine more intimidating than ever. As with reality television, it's a self-selecting group that agrees to be subjected to this journalistic intrusion.