Master Sommelier Tim Gaiser’s new book, First Glass: How to Taste, Talk About, and Buy Wine Like a Master Sommelier officially comes out next week. It will be available in digital and paperback form.
I’ve been looking forward to reading it since Gaiser announced the title at the TEXSOM Conference back in August. Here’s my review of the advance Kindle edition.
Wine can become an all-consuming obsession that eats up years of your life. No one knows that better than a Master Sommelier. It’s a hard-won title–one that requires elite tasting skills and knowledge of practically every commercial grape variety and wine region in the world.
But between the very tip-top of the profession and the person who only drinks wine at weddings or with ice cubes, there are many, many rungs. Approximately 99.5% of us wine drinkers know more than nothing about wine, but could always benefit from learning more. That’s why you need this gloriously compact little wine primer.
Tim Gaiser’s new book, First Glass: How to Taste, Talk About, and Buy Wine Like a Master Sommelier, is an overview of wine that requires no prior knowledge. It’s roughly divided into four sections: vocabulary, production, utility, and a wide-ranging Q&A.
Gaiser describes First Glass as the book he wishes he had when he was getting started. As a wine student and server, it’s a book that I’m glad I have now. Throughout its 130 pages, it’s refreshingly plain-spoken and accessible.
We begin with a glossary of wine words. Wine people are always talking about “legs” and “body” and “grip.” These are terms that sound incomprehensible–and perhaps vaguely horny–until someone tells you what they mean. Spend fifteen minutes with this chapter, and you’ll feel much less intimidated the next time you attend a wine tasting or fire up that wine-review app.
After the vocab comes an overview of how wine is made, from the farm to the bottle. It’s concise and breezy, a condensed version of the hefty viticulture and vinification textbook that’s currently baking my brain.
You’ll learn about why wine tastes the way it does–all of the natural and human factors that express themselves in the wines of the world. You’ll discover why white wine is white (unless, of course, it’s orange) and the difference between oaked and over-oaked wines. Controversial topics–like, “Hey, can you taste soil/rocks in wine or not?”–are treated with diplomacy and nuance.
Next up is the fun part: how to drink wine! Sensory science and tasting technique–which Gaiser has written about at length in his classic Message in the Bottle: A Guide for Tasting Wine–meet down-to-earth hosting and buying tips.
There’s straight talk around everyday wine dilemmas. You’ll learn how to pick a good bottle at a restaurant without busting your budget, and how many people is too many at a wine-tasting party. (Hint: It’s a smaller number than you think.) Gaiser shares his expertise on selecting glassware and serving temperatures. The next time you pour a glass of wine, try some of his pro tips to get more out of your sense of smell and uncover flavors you may not have noticed before.
Near the back of the book is an FAQ, a delightful catch-all of weird and wonderful wine queries. I chuckled with recognition at versions of questions that my guests ask all the time. They range from the practical (“How do I swirl my wine without spilling it all over the charcuterie?”) to the philosophical (“What exactly is a sommelier and who gets to call themselves one?”).
First Glass is a rare wine book that’s informative and comprehensive–and also plenty of fun. It’s not exhaustive, but it’s not trying to be. It’s a valuable resource for beginners and educators alike, or anyone who wants to understand the basics of wine production and service.
I read First Glass in an afternoon…almost before the bubbles went flat in my glass of bubbly. Still, I’m sure I’ll be returning to it for its lucid, user-friendly explanations of some of wine’s most baffling concepts and perennial questions. It trades industry jargon and endless maps for what really matters to most wine lovers: tasting, sharing, and knowing just enough to fully appreciate what’s inside the bottle.
Book Details:
First Glass: How to Taste, Talk About, and Buy Wine Like a Master Sommelier by Tim Gaiser MS (Paperback, $14.99)
Publisher: Lumaria Press
Publication Date: October 20, 2026
ISBN: 979-8997442217
Further Reading:
Tim Gaiser: New Book Announcement: First Glass
Review disclosure: The author invited me to read an advance digital edition of First Glass, which I purchased at a reduced price with no obligation to review it. I was not compensated or provided any free products for this post. Opinions expressed on The Wine Fairy blog are entirely my own.
Leave a Comment