Dan Keeling

Do you dream of drinking better wine but don't know where to begin? Pick Your Bottles offers a hand-picked selection of incredible wines that are well worth seeking out. Few of us can afford the greatest wines in the world but with the advice of Noble Rot founder Dan Keeling, you can find a plethora of hidden gems. In this essential handbook you will discover flavour and authenticity by choosing wines that are made by real people in real places; you just need to know where to look. Pick My Bottles features 100 affordable, accessible wines that will send you on a dazzling journey around the globe. Whether you find yourself in a Boston bottle shop or a Lyonnais bar vins, you too can learn how to select wines that will satisfy both palate and pocket. Dan's previous books, Wine from Another Galaxy and Who's Afraid of Roman e-Conti, have sold over 35,000 copies (combined) ex-warehouse in the UK and over 8000 in North America. Noble Rot is an internationally renowned brand through its quarterly wine magazine, three London restaurants (in Bloomsbury, Soho and Mayfair) and two Shrine to the Vine wine shops, with fans and contributors including Keira Knightley, Mike Diamond (Beastie Boys), Mark Ronson, LCD Soundsystem, Brian Eno, Jarvis Cocker and Caitlin Moran. The first small-format Noble Rot-branded handbook, underlining the accessibility and affordability of the wine selection.

I would recommend this book to anyone with a passion for wine, especially those who enjoy a deeper dive into its history, culture, and the stories that make it so fascinating. It's perfect for wine lovers who want to expand their knowledge beyond tasting notes and explore the myths and legends behind the world's most renowned wines. Whether you're a wine enthusiast, a collector, or someone curious about the industry, this book provides a unique and engaging perspective. It's also a great gift for anyone who appreciates both wine and good storytelling.

Take the guesswork out of great wine with Noble Rot’s Dan Keeling. Wine can be daunting without an incisive guide. Who’s Afraid of Romanée-Conti? is a no-holds-barred voyage of discovery, from sourcing good cheap vino to drinking its most unattainable and holiest of grails – Romanée-Conti – and the universe of interstellar wines that lie in-between. From new-school Burgundy, Barolo and Champagne to Tenerife, Corsica and Chianti, Noble Rot co-founder Dan Keeling visits some of the world’s most renowned vignerons and vineyards on a quest to find out why some wines matter – and why many others don’t. Throughout, he details the complex aspects of traditionalist wine culture, offering insights into subjects such as sulphur in winemaking, building a cellar, and many personal recommendations on what to buy for every pocket. It’s wine – but not as you know it.“I love this book. There’s pleasure on every page. It’s essential reading for wine lovers and wine novices.” – Keira Knightley“Who’s Afraid of Romanée-Conti? makes discovering great wine as exciting as the NME made discovering great music back in the day.” – Mike Diamond, The Beastie Boys“In the world of fine wine and fine eats, Keeling’s palate rules. Above all, this Englishman is a literate man of taste, passion, and talent. Bon appétit!” – Kermit Lynch, author of Adventures on the Wine Route.“This book is bloody amazing! ... Empowering, energising and without a scintilla of snobbery, this set off little explosions of excitement in me. It's your passport to pleasure.” – Diana Henry“Every word and thought here is shot through with verve, wit and often piercing snark. I dare you not to be engaged by the wisdom and writing of Dan Keeling. Do you need this collection of attitude-changing essays? If you care about wine (or want to) you absolutely do.” – Alice Feiring, author of To Fall in Love, Drink This.“No-one writes about wine like Dan Keeling. Who's Afraid is totally absorbing and just as importantly fun. Love it.” – Angela Hartnett

Winner of the Guild of Food Writers Drinks Book Award 2021Shortlisted for the André Simon Food and Drink Book Awards 2020"Noble Rot manages to unravel the mysteries of wine with insight and humour. A wonderful - and essential - read for anyone interested in the world of wine, or even for those, like me, who just drink it." — Nigella Lawson"The Noble Rot guys have the ability to describe wines as if theyre either future friends, or rock-stars coming to blow your mind." — Caitlin Moran"Noble Rot has brought originality, humour and now space travel to the very serious business of drinking wine. About time too." — Brian Eno"Dan and Mark do that thing that only crazy knowledgeable enthusiasts can do, they make you a crazy enthusiast too. If they said, 'We've found a wine like no other, a wine that actually lights up the sky, but you can only drink it in the desert at midnight, are you coming? Id be off, and I'd be confident of meteor showers. They provoke curiosity - 'how does anyone make this extraordinary drink just with grapes?' - excitement, joy, and a longing for knowledge. Now, in this book, they're sharing the knowledge." — Diana Henry"To really know and love a wine one should know the grower and the vineyard. This isn't always or even often possible, which is why the Rotters introduce these wines at source. You learn that making wine, as cooking should be, is an act of love. You will come to love this book too." — Rowley LeighChoosing wine in a restaurant or shop can seem an unfathomable business. But, according to Dan Keeling and Mark Andrew, the duo behind London's Noble Rot, it needn't be that way. In Wine from Another Galaxy they'll help you to understand how it is made, where to buy it, what to look for when you drink it, and how to talk about it. And once you've mastered the basics, they'll take you on a journey through the best of European wine culture, meeting the people and places behind their favourite bottles. Indeed, Dan and Mark have spent years visiting growers that you probably haven't heard of, from the original thinkers of the natural wine movement to the iconic estates of Burgundy and Bordeaux. This is the alternative, accessible, no-holds-barred guide to wine, where the usual clichés and rules don't apply.