Hachette Atlas of French Wines and Vineyards

One of the most important books about French wine - This is a fantastic book with some great maps and lots of illustrations and photos. It covers everything (even things I did not know I did not want to know) about the soil and climate of each region in France, and the techniques, methods and economy of making wine. The book description says that the Institut National des Appellations and the National Geographic Institute collaborated to make the maps and I can believe it, they are masterpieces of detail. The book is worth it just for the maps. I spend hours looking at them, and always find something new and interesting. It is great to get a peek inside some of the world s most famous vineyards. It is also one of the few wine books that has style and looks good on the coffee table. It is a shame to hide it on a shelf with other books, and the more you leave it around the more you consult it.