CHECK IT OUT

Beyond that baguette, there are infinite ways to pair wine with food

and to better appreciate the world’s great vintages. To raise the quality

up a notch, turn to Newport libraries.

If you’re a newcomer to enjoying the fruit of the vine, start with “Oz

Clarke’s Introducing Wine,” a new guide for readers interested in more

than a wine shop’s old standbys. Clarke is an award-winning wine

correspondent for London’s Daily Telegraph. Sections devoted to wine

flavors, wine enjoyment and the globe’s great vineyards make this an

intoxicating trek through the world of wine and the regions that produce

it.

Find other empowering buying and ordering advice in “Great Wine Made

Simple,” by renowned sommelier Andrea Immer. Featuring lessons based on

the six grapes that comprise 80% of today’s vintages and a flavor map

that reveals what tastes to expect from which climates, this

comprehensive guide will help you identify what you like and how to spot

it on a menu or shelf.

Still don’t know how to uncork a bottle or what to look for on a

label? Check out “Complete Wine Course: Windows on the World,” a

user-friendly overview of varieties and varietals, from the white wines

of Alsace through the reds of California, Iberia, Australia and South

America. This book is by Kevin Zraly, founder of New York’s Wine School.

When you’re ready to play the food-wine matching game, check out Linda

Johnson-Bell’s “Pairing Wine and Food,” featuring reference lists of

international dishes, from antipasto to vichyssoise, and a wealth of

wines that complement them best.

Take a virtual tour of wine country cuisine with “Weir Cooking,”

Joanne Weir’s companion volume to her PBS series, illustrated with

dazzling photos of such Mediterranean-inspired dishes as crostini with

artichokes and olives, pizza with Gorgonzola and tomatoes, and linguine

with goat cheese and arugula.

If it’s cheese you want to pair with wine, learn how to bring the

world’s best dairy products to your table with “The Cheese Course,”

featuring more than 40 inventive recipes for sweet to savory pairings.

From planning a cheese platter to choosing beverages to drink with it,

there are tips for hosting everything from a formal dinner party to a

casual wine and cheese tasting in this new volume.

Once you’ve had your fill of partying, you can explore a century of

winemaking history with “A Sense of Place: An Intimate Portrait of the

Niebaum-Coppola Winery and the Napa Valley.” Culinary Institute of

America wine professor Steve Kolpan wrote this story about one of

California’s first established wineries. Learn how film director Francis

Ford Coppola overcame naysayers, red tape and financial turmoil to bring

the historic Inglenook estate back to life.

* CHECK IT OUT is written by the staff of the Newport Beach Public

Library. This week’s column is by Melissa Adams, in collaboration with

June Pilsitz. All titles may be reserved from home or office computers by

accessing the catalog at o7 www.newportbeachlibrary.org.f7