I recently received an e-mail from a publisher asking me to read and review a new wine book, "1000 Best Wine Secrets" written by Carolyn Hammond. In the interest of full disclosure, the book was sent to me gratis.

The book is made up of thirty chapters, which each include several itemsthat generally entail two-three sentences on a given point. The items are each numbered for a total of 1,000.

The title is a bit of a misnomer in that the numbered items aren’t really secrets, as in secret #14, "Above all else, trust your own palate. Everyone’s tasting experience is unique; a trusted critic an offer guidance, but rely on your own taste buds to decide if a wine is worth buying." While I agree that the statement is good advice, I wouldn’t classify it as a secret, nor would I classify most of the helpful tips listed in the book as secrets. However, I suppose "secrets" makes for better book marketing than "tips."

As an educator and Diploma student, this is not a book that I would choose to read as the presentation of the information is primarily surface-level, without much detail on any given subject. However, others might find my "go-to" books to be daunting and/or dull and may find that this format is much more their style. Accordingly, as the content is well-written and engaging, I find it hard to dismiss it out of hand.

If a reader were looking for short doses of wine education, s/he might find it a useful format. In their fast-paced, "I want it now" mentality, this style would seem to work especially well with the Millennial generation. In terms of the content itself, the book would be more appropriate for the novice looking for quick answers rather than the serious wine student given the limited depth to which topics are presented. To its credit, the book has a very detailed index, making it very user-friendly as a brief reference guide. The book also includes a listing of Carolyn’s 50 best wine recommendations under $20.00, which readers might also find useful.