I like to consider myself a wine aficionado, although I am probably closer to being a wino. . . I mean a wine lover.

While I was in culinary school, one of my favorite classes was an intensive wine course we were required to take. This class was a combination of lectures, tastings and wine pairings.  My school was located in San Francisco, so we were able to take field trips to the Napa and Sonoma Valley for tastings and meetings with local wine makers. Although I enjoyed wine before, I had no real understanding of wine. This class opened my eyes, and my palate.

In California, you can find great wine being made from the Mexican border all the way up to the Oregon border. I have been to wineries all over this state, and learned through tasting what my favorite wines are. But, while California has many varietals to choose from, the reality is that wine is produced all over the world and has been since biblical times. And learning about wines from other countries can be daunting, especially if you aren’t required to take a class, as I was.

That is where The 24-Hour Wine Expert written by renowned wine critic Jancis Robinson comes in. This pocket-size book makes choosing the right wine so simple, even if you are a wine novice.  This book is written for everyone, with no wine snobbery or language that is not accessible.

About the same size as a Kindle or other tablet, this book easily fits in your purse or bag, so taking it with you when you go wine shopping is easy.

Are you having a dinner party? Consult the chapter about Matching Wine to the Occasion.

Don’t know a thing about European wines? Read Wine Regions You Need to Know About – A Cheat Sheet.

Not sure how to store and serve your wines? How to Handle Wine and Essential Hardware are the chapters you need.

From learning about each grape variety to choosing the right bottle, The 24-Hour Wine Expert breaks it all down for you in an unfettered, simple to understand style.

To learn even more about wine and Jancis Robinson, visit her website, where you can find articles, tasting notes and more.

Find links to purchase The 24-Hour Wine Expert here.

Full Disclosure: This is a sponsored post from Abrams Books and the Abrams Dinner Party.  I may receive compensation in the form of monetary compensation or product compensation in exchange for my review. I believe in reviewing only products that fit my brand and will be beneficial to my readers. All the opinions are my own.