The 10th edition of Wine Behind the Label is published early next month with its most comprehensive analysis to date of wine producers, their vineyards and their wines.
The guide remains unique in that it features not only the most up to date profiles of individual wineries from all the main producing countries of the world. It also gives full ratings and scores for their wines.
As a result it has become known as "the sommelier's best friend" and is widely used by sommeliers, and other wine professionals, both in their training, as research for professional exams, and as a day to day resource in their working lives.
Wine Behind the Label is once again published by joint editors, David Moore and Neville Blech.
The 10th edition includes full profiles of 3,700 wineries, including 160 new entries. There are 6,000 wineries featured in total, with over 19,000 different wines rated and scored.
The guide has been updated to include all the latest wines and ratings from the 2015 northern hemisphere vintage and the 2016 vintage in the southern hemisphere.
Wine Behind The Label contains the most accurate information possible about wineries and their wines as it relies on a network of some of the biggest names in the international wine writing community to help compile many of the chapters, profiles and wine ratings. It is their work and expertise that has helped Wine Behind The Label become seen as THE reference book for professional and amateur wine lovers alike.
Contributors to the 10th edition include Jim Budd (Loire Valley) , Michael Edwards (Champagne and Burgundy), Professor Kathleen Burk (Germany, Austria and Virginia), Gary White (Portugal and South America), Ilona Thompson, (West Coast of the USA). It also includes work from previous contributors, including Sarah Ahmed, Maggie Rosen and Stuart George.
A key feature of the Wine Behind The Label guide is its full range of regional maps, with great detail of all the main wine producing areas of the world.
It also includes comprehensive glossaries for wine and viticulture terms along with a guide to all the main grape varieties.
Previous editions of the guide have received international acclaim. The most recent coming from the Organisation Internationale de la Vigne et du Vin which earlier this year gave it a special prize in its international wine awards for its contribution to wine education and knowledge.
As the 10th edition is about to hit the presses, plans are already in place for 2017, with more leading contributors from around the world for the next Wine Behind The Label and a dedicated app to help professionals and wine lovers alike check wines for quality and value when out buying bottles in shops and restaurants.
Nearly twenty years experience as a wine consultant, wine buyer, writer and editorial director have provided David with the background to co-author and edit a wine guide of such breadth and scope.
During this period he has travelled widely and been exposed to hands-on winemaking and was one of three principal judges for the New York Times "Wine Today Europe" site of the early 2000s.
Today he focuses his research on his own areas of expertise. He travels extensively to both France and Spain, taking in visits to all the major fairs and exhibitions. Alimentaria in Barcelona and Fenavin in Ciudad Real are consistent dates on his calendar as are Vinisud in Montpelier, the bi-annual tastings organised by Inter-Rhône and the annual primeur tastings in Bordeaux.
Visiting winemakers in their cellars though remains a cornerstone of the work on Wine behind the label. As well as extensive visits in Europe, David visits the West Coast of the United States in most years. The vast majority of the most exciting hand-made wines Stateside can only be tasted in this way. As a part of this he has been invited to key local fairs and tastings.