As hard as you may look, it is quite a challenge to decide on which is the best of the many wine magazines available in the market today.
Some of them will give you facts of the trade, like
The Wine Advocate magazine,
but if you want the focus to be on lifestyle and how great it is to be able to afford excellent wines and gourmet dishes, you should consider the
Wine Spectator magazine
One Magazine for Everyone
The question is always what you are looking for in a magazine about wine.
Of course, this is connected to who you are, what your budget is for indulging in pleasures like the perfect Napa Zinfandel or the quintessential Argentinean Malbec, and how advanced you are in connoisseur-land. :-)
For example, if you are a newbie, you probably won't even open the boring cover of
The Wine Advocate magazine
...but as an expert you might devour it with delight, thinking that you might just strike gold following wine guru Robert Parker's advice. After all, he does make wine and vintage speculators quite a bit of money from time to time... all from those dull monochrome Advocate pages.
Aficionados and Connoisseurs
There are some magazines about wine, though, that try very hard to cater for everyone. While not all of them succeed,
Wine and Spirits magazine
is one that has stood up to the challenge.
With excellent articles, reputable wine reviews, and admirable photography, Wine and Spirits is one publication that will satisfy you as much if you are a fan, as if you are a connoisseur.
Entering Gourmet Planet
Though Wine and Spirits is largely focused on wine, it does open up the field to other kinds of drinks.
If you want to mix it up a little, you may want to try publications that focus on food and wine pairings, for example, getting a
Food and Wine magazine
subscription.
Full of advice on party-planning, wine storage, and cocktail mixing; the magazine has the potential to turn you into a perfect host/ess in no time.
Entertainment Counts
If you want to stick to wines, but you are looking for lighter reading than the Advocate or the Spectator, you should look into the
Wine Enthusiast magazine
Considerably cheaper than many of its competitors, Wine Enthusiast is usually full of interesting articles, more suited for the hobbyist than the expert.
The Authoritative Canadian
In North America, there is yet another top wine publication which is not devoted to American wines. I am referring to
Wine Access magazine,
Canada's top wine review.
Awarding the most prestigious Canadian wine prizes every year, the magazine has an impeccable reputation, and it is the main source for Canadian wine ratings.
Don't Judge a Book by its Cover
As I have only mentioned excellent magazines in this article, I think that you would potentially enjoy them all.
However, you should choose well according to your personal background and expertise, because, though the covers may look alike, and they all may promise the same; these wine magazines are all very different from each other.
Honestly, if I could, I would subscribe to them all; then I would get a taste of every world. But if, like me, you don't want to spend that much money on magazines, just choose the one that suits you.
I am sure there is at least one in the lot that can make you, your palate, your cellar, and even your pocket quite happy.
