André Simon
Some time around 7.30pm Thursday evening the winners of the 2012 André Simon Memorial Food and Drink Book Awards will be known. After a barren period a few years ago, there has recently been a renaissance of drink books. The year when no award could be made because there simply wasn't a drink book of sufficient merit seems increasingly distant. The renaissance has come about in part through new publishers emerging, like Berry Bros with Jasper Morris' Burgundy book – now an innovative ebook, as well as the development of self-publishing.
This year's shortlist looks strong even though there is a clear favourite amongst the titles shortlisted:
Kerin O'Keefe: Brunello di Montalcino (University of California Press)
Eric Asimov: How to love wine (William Morrow)
Neal Martin: Pomerol (Wine Journal Publishing) – Neal has self-published this detailed study of Pomerol
Peter Liem & Jesús Barquin: Sherry, Manzanilla & Montilla (Manutius)
Jancis Robinson MW, Julia Harding, Dr José Vouillamoz: Wine Grapes (Penguin Books)
Wine Grapes must be the clear favourite this year, although there can always be surprises. If Wine Grapes wins Jancis won't be there as she left last week for a tour of several weeks in Australia and the rest of Asia-Pacific.
I plan to take photos at the evening and trust that this year they won't be recording the last days of a senior member of the wine trade – last year I took some of the last photos of John Avery MW, who very sadly died of a heart attack less than a week later.
The heavyweight Wine Grapes
Page from Neal Martin's Pomerol book
