James Oliver Cury
As soon as Levitt begins his sleuthing—first in Paris, then in Bordeaux and Marseilles—the pace, tone and rhythm of the book shift. Suddenly, Mayle's descriptive powers move into cinematic overdrive: meals are lovingly described, scenery comes to life, paragraphs take long floral detours. And everyone is blessed with hypersensitive taste buds. Unlike most novels, this one lets you hear what dishes everyone orders at restaurants…wine is clearly the main character. And the book generously flows with vinous minutiae. By the time Levitt returns to America, readers will have learned much about the history of winemaking, the key wine regions, various auction houses, critics and books—and even how to lift fingerprints from bottles.—The New York Times