Wine Simple

Aldo Sohm has poured wine at Le Bernardin for over a decade, which means he's fielded every version of the same question: how do I actually understand this? Wine Simple, published by Penguin Random House, is his answer — a wine guide book built for the person who wants genuine fluency without the performative gatekeeping that makes so much wine education feel like homework. Whether you're standing in front of a wall of bottles at a shop in Leesburg or scanning a list at a Lansdowne dinner, this is the reference that makes the decision feel considered rather than guessed at.

Sohm's approach here is direct and structured — the kind of instruction that respects the reader's intelligence while still meeting them at the beginning. It's not a coffee table object designed to signal taste; it's a working book, the sort that gets flagged and returned to.

• Written by Aldo Sohm, internationally recognized sommelier and longtime wine director at Le Bernardin in New York City
• Published by Penguin Random House LLC, one of the most established names in reference and lifestyle publishing
• Designed to teach wine fundamentals in an accessible, contemporary format rather than a traditional academic structure
• Covers core wine knowledge including regions, varietals, tasting frameworks, and selection principles
• Geared toward modern drinkers — curious beginners and developing enthusiasts — rather than collectors or trade professionals
• Written to build practical confidence in ordering, pairing, and exploring without intimidation
• Functions equally well as a self-directed study and as a reference to return to between tastings or visits to new wine regions

Caring for a book like this is mostly a matter of intention. Keep Wine Simple by Aldo Sohm away from moisture — which, given that it tends to live near a glass or two, is worth noting. Wipe the cover with a dry cloth if needed; store it spine-out on a proper shelf rather than stacked flat under other volumes, which warps the binding over time. This Penguin Random House wine guide is a paperback or hardcover object that holds up well under regular use as long as it's treated like something worth keeping — which, given what's inside, it is.