WineSense

About the Book

ABout the AUTHOR

Bob Desautels describes himself as a wine enthusiast who is “more gourmand than gourmet in foods and wines.” Bob’s formal education includes a Bachelor of Commerce and Master of Arts in Philosophy. At the University of Guelph in Ontario, he taught for ten years in the School of Hotel & Food Administration’s Bachelor of Commerce program. Although he taught eight different courses at the university, his favourite was the wine course. One year he took a group of students to Europe to learn about the vineyards and wineries of Germany and France. Bob often gives talks on wine and has taken numerous trips to Ontario’s wine region with small and large groups. Bob is also a successful restaurateur. He opened one of Canada’s first wine bars in 1985. As Chair of a hospitality business, The Neighbourhood Group of Companies, his company has four restaurants along with the Group’s signature products under the umbrella of “By Neighbours, For Neighbours”. Bob has been a champion of locally crafted foods and beverages since 1990. He is also a leader in sustainable business practices; his company won a national Green Leadership Award in 2013. Bob has twice been recognized with Ontario Restaurateur of the Year (by Ontario Hostelry Institute 2013 and Restaurant News 2016).

BUY THE BOOK

KUDOS

"Wine is a subject that can intimidate and alienate a lot of people. Bob's book breaks it down perfectly in an educational, engaging, and (most importantly) entertaining way! From the novice to the connoisseur, there is something in this for everyone."
- Craig Norris, CBC Radio

“Bob provides the reader with great facts and anecdotes from the view of an amateur winemaker and award-winning restaurateur, as well as a broad spectrum of many aspects of viticulture and winemaking. He also, like most authors on wine, gives his opinion on many issues, such as history, taste, blending, trends, wine laws, food pairings, etc., all of which make wine a fascinating subject to debate . . . over a fine glass of wine, of course, amongst friends and family.”
— Donald Ziraldo, Ziraldo Estate Winery and co-founder of Inniskillin Wines

"As a guide, WineSense is unimposing. It has the simple but heavy-uplifting prose of the 50's and 60's New Yorker, with Jillian Wilson's illustrations helping to define the casual refinement of that era."
— Bookshelf

"Bob Desautels, wine connoisseur but also keen student of philosophy, has composed a “summa oenologica,” a short and sweet – or demi-sec? - compendium that will enlighten and delight those who seek to enhance their enjoyment of wine with a dose of oenological know-how as well as historical and cultural lore about Bacchus’s great gift to mankind."
-- Jacques R. Pauwels, oenophile and historian, author of e.g. Beneath the Dust of Time: A History of the Names of Peoples and Places (London, 2009)

"Bob's WineSense is all about a common sense to understanding and enjoying what is arguably one of our greatest beverages. He makes it easy to get to know the different grape varieties and wine types and styles., and to appreciate the aesthetic experience of tasting wine."
- Angelo Pavan, Vice-President, Winemaker, Cave Spring Cellars

"Written in a conversational tone by a man with a clear love for his subject, WineSense demystifies wine for those of us often wandering in the wine wilderness."
- Anthony Leighton, Business and Travel Writer

"Congratulations to Bob Desautels (B.Comm. HAFA '75), Author of his new book, WineSense - The Three Keys to Understanding Wine. WineSense cuts through the jargon and complexities that wine can present.  In the common-sense guide, Bob Desautels offers straightforward information on types of wine, tasting, wine history, grape varieties, approaches to winemaking, and more.   His Three Keys to Understanding Wine allow the everyday wine enthusiast and the beginner to truly grasp the subject while increasing their appreciation of wine."
-- Lisa Fodor,  HAFA Alumnus Launches New Book

"A delightful read."
- Charles Pachter, Artist