It’s so perfect.

Miss Dumas, my sophomore English teacher delivered this, the first day of school in her class. It was her introduction for what she expected from us…

Good, better, best,
Never let it rest,
Until the good is better,
And the better is best…

Receiving the book Good, Better, Best Wines for review led me to assume that I was going to love this book, even before I opened it… I wasn’t disappointed.

From the PR agency:

As much as Americans love the finer things, 90 percent of the wines bought in America are popular big brands that cost less than $15 a bottle—yet no one has ever compared them, until now. In Good, Better, Best Wines, a new book launched this week, wine expert Carolyn Evans Hammond ranks the most popular big brand wines by grape variety and price point, up to $15 per bottle. This book is particularly timely given America is drinking more wine than ever and is poised to become the world’s biggest wine consumer by 2012 according to The International Wine and Spirit Record.

In the book, you’ll find the following:

• The good, better and best big name wines under $5, $8, $11 and $15, for each major grape variety
• Hundreds of bottle images, for easy recognition on the shelf
• Jargon-free tasting notes
• Perfect party wine recommendations for specific occasions
• Trade secrets for getting the most out of each bottle

Because Good, Better, Best Wines focuses on the best-selling wines in the United States, as based on the research of the Beverage Information Group’s “Wine Handbook,” this book of repeat purchases is a guide to what’s already been established by American consumers for preferred purchases. It contains familiar names, like Beringer, Barefoot, Kendall-Jackson, and Woodbridge. These brands are already easily accessible at your local stores as the most widely available wines in America, so you’ll have no problem finding any of the wines in this guide.

This isn’t a book for artisan wines, which Carolyn is quick to express. These brands aren’t handcrafted by the masters, who babysat each drop of nectar from the gods. Carolyn does, however, believe that there are still a great many wines of character and great flavors for those weekday value moments… for the simple pasta dishes that I’m always referring to, when I’m enjoying my Monday through Thursday wines.

This pocket guide is just what the words “pocket guide” suggests… Tuck it into your pocket, guys, and head to your local supermarket. Ladies, stick it in your purses and boogie out the door, confident that you’ll have access to all you need to know about each wine you’ll find on local your grocery store shelves. You’ll be able to make guided decisions about flavors, styles, what of wine goes best with which foods; all in very concise, easily understood wine jargon, with a sweet twist of humor by Carolyn Evens Hammond.

As I thumbed through the pages, I found some of the obscure grape varieties I’m now looking for, in order to become a member of The Wine Century Club. I’ve now tasted 61 different cultivars, as I head toward the big 100. Honestly, all that seems left are wines that will take me to a very specialized wine shop that stocks an abundance of obscure, imported varieties. I did learn, tough, that Lindeman’s produces a Cawarra, and Folonari Soave produces a Garganega (which I’ve had) Trebbiano (which I haven’t yet had) blend. And there are a couple more. I found this wine guide most helpful, now knowing that these few wines will be a lot easier to find than I had originally thought.

I believe you, too, will find this book of great value in your travels to the market, making easy buying decisions; plus, it’s a great read for picking up nuggets of wine knowledge… all leading to more enjoyment of your personal wine experiences.

Her video is pretty enlightening.