= Bordeaux and The Wines of the Rhone Valley and Provence have established Robert Parker as one of the world’s most influential wine writers. In this new book, his most comprehensive and ambitious to date, he provides a guide to the growers, appellations and wines of Burgundy. The introduction gives an overview of the region, its wines and its history, including the fragmented land ownership which makes it essential for the consumer to know not only which appellation and vineyard a wine comes from, but also who makes it, to ensure getting a good bottle. The body of the book has three interdependent parts. • The first deals with some 640 growers and négociants. For each one Parker lists the wines produced, discusses their overall quality and style, notes the vineyard holdings, describes the wine-making techniques, and assesses the producer on a five-tier system. • A survey of the appellations makes up the second part. From Chablis in the north to Beaujolais in the south, Parker highlights the most important feature of each village or appellation - the area under cultivation, the hierarchy of wines, the benchmark characteristics of a particular wine, the ageing potential, and the best values. • The final part consists of vintage summaries for burgundies from 1945 to 1989, with notes on the effects of weather on crop size and quality, and the basic characteristics of each year’s red and white wines. Specific tasting notes and scores are provided for the best recent vintages: 1983,1985, 1986,1987 and 1988. Parker’s formidable analytical palate, forthright tasting notes, and uncompromising standards - combined with an infectious enthusiasm for his subject - will make Burgundy invaluable for the amateur and professional alike.