Ben Howkins – författare

"A charming, entertaining, and illuminating read – not only for all those in or around the wine trade, but also for all those outside who want to see in to what makes it so special. " - Neil Beckett, Editor, World of Fine WineThe memoirs of a wine trade insider, from the heady days of 1960s to today. Quickly discovering that a knowledge of wine opened doors that were closed to lesser mortals, Ben had a front row seat as the wine trade grew from an elitist and rather amateurish profession into a multi-million dollar global business. This is the story of how it happened, and of the many remarkable characters he befriended along the way – people whose marketing genius was matched only by their desire to put a smile on everyone’s faces. In true vinous style, Ben’s book is sure to do the same.Plumbing the depths: - Ben’s valiant attempts to sell wine to beer-loving miners, which involved actually joining them at the coal face.- Englishman abroad: a jolly jaunt through French châteaux, Spanish bodegas and Portuguese quintas, where Ben forged many of the friendships that would last a lifetime.- Serious business: Ben’s career takes off during the golden age of wine and spirits marketing, when he played a part bringing many of the world-famous brands we know and love today into being.

The ultimate collection of your favourite wine books by your favourite writers, the Cellar Edition sits in a beautiful Wibalin cloth-covered slipcase with foil embossing. It is the perfect way to display and store titles that every good cellar or library should include.Enjoy Hugh Johnson’s exploration of the long and fascinating history of wine, along with the work of other writers including George Orwell and PG Wodehouse. The father of formal wine tasting, Michael Broadbent, guides you through the knowledge you need to get the most out of what you drink. Learn about glorious wines including sherries, clarets and the extraordinary Lebanese wines made by Chateau Musar. Meet the legendary wine commentators, including Steven Spurrier, and get to know some of the noblest winemaking families of Europe with Fiona Morrison MW.The titles featured this collection include:The Story of Wine 9781913141066 A Life in Wine 9781913141073 On Bordeaux 9781913141059 Chateau Musar 9781913141042 In Vino Veritas 9781913141035 Sherry 9781913141028 10 Great Wine Families 9781913141011 Wine Tasting 9781913141004

An essential reference guide to port, this book is recommended reading for the Wine & Spirit Education Trust and other certification programmes. It describes the unique features of the Douro Valley, the cycle of work in the vineyards, historical production techniques and more recent innovations, and the role of the wine lodges where port matures before being shipped to its worldwide markets.Ben Howkins offers a concise history of port and the port trade as they have developed over the last 300 years. He covers important changes in recent ownership of the major shippers and highlights the people driving change in the industry while protecting port's heritage.

An elegantly bound collection of fine wine writing past and present – the perfect gift for wine lovers everywhere (or the wine lovers in their life).With contributions from Michael Broadbent on good and bad vintages, Ian Maxwell Campbell on Bordeaux vs Burgundy, George Orwell and PG Wodehouse on the complementary pleasures of wine and tea, Randall Grahm on the search for California’s ‘magic grape’ and Andrew Caillard MW on the art of the wine label, it brims with wit and wisdom from some of the most erudite wine writers ever to raise a glass.Also includes Steven Spurrier, Jason Tesauro, Jane MacQuitty, Giles MacDonogh, Philippe de Rothschild, Fiona Morrison MW, Dan Keeling, Charles Walter Berry and many more.Like Cyril Ray’s classic Compleat Imbiber before it, In Vino Veritas might rightfully be described as ‘the quintessential late-evening or bedtime book for those who like wine'.‘Denied wine’s bridge to gregariousness, “cabined, cribbed, confined, bound in to saucy doubts and fears,” as Macbeth once complained, we need an antidote, and rummaging around in this anthology of wine writing is a good one: It’s a set of keys to open the windows and let some sun shine in.’ - World of Fine Wine