Posted: Tuesday, October 9 2007. 9:30 AM

The World Atlas of Wine by Hugh and Jancis Released

The cream of the wine world gathered in London's Fortnum & Mason last week for the launch of the new, sixth edition of The World Atlas of Wine by Hugh Johnson and Jancis Robinson.The release, scheduled for October 11, was celebrated in the new food and wine hall of Fortnum's - London's most celebrated grocer, near the Ritz Hotel in Piccadilly.

First published in 1971, and originally written by Johnson alone, the Wine Atlas is now in its sixth edition, and remains one the most popular books on wine.

'Jancis is Merlot to Hugh's Cabernet,' said publisher David Lam on the collaboration.

The new edition – priced at $70, same as the fifth edition, published in 2001 – represents a significant update of the previous one, with 48 new pages and 20 new maps. Entries on Spain and Portugal have been considerably revised, with extended explorations of Australia and the US.

The book is a really handy and useful handbook of wine, I can assure you. It may be available in the Indian market soon for around Rs.2600. The comparable encyclopedia-Oxford Companion to Wine 2007 iby Jancis Robinson s already available easily in India. Otherwise, it is worth procuring through your contacts abroad-editor