Wine Uncorked: My guide to the world of wine

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Even Hartnett, holder of a star herself, kind of concurs: “More than anything, Michelin indicates a particular level of consistency, as well as a certain style of dining. It’s not that places without stars are necessarily inconsistent, it’s just that you can be confident that a place with a star is 99.99% going to be bang on the money every single time.” In this guide to wine around the world French-born maître d’ Fred Sirieix decants a career’s worth of expertise, revealing how everything from percentage to vintage impacts what ends up in your glass, as well as how to decipher a label and the optimum temperatures for serving. He then takes readers on a tour of the regions, showing how the landscape and climate work their magic on the wine produced around the world, highlighting key producers to suit all budgets along the way. At the end of the day, says Angela Hartnett, chef and owner of Michelin-starred Murano and three Cafe Muranos in London, it’s more about being candid with yourself: “I’d guess this is 90% true: ask if you maybe screwed up, and the answer is yes, probably.”

FALSE “If our menu says the pasta is hand-rolled, that’s because it is,” Hartnett says, though she accepts that not everyone is quite so honest. As Keeling points out, “Good restaurants deal with demand for sought-after table times by staggering bookings or pacing the service by offering guests a drink at the bar first.” You’re not being poured the wine to pass judgment on whether or not you like it, though,” Keeling adds. “Few restaurants have the capacity to open and discard multiple bottles based on the whims of your taste.”

If you have ever said, 'I wish I knew more about wine,' this is the book for you. Read more Look Inside Details

A downstairs farm shop selling flowers, artisan cheeses, a selection of fine wines, craft ciders, spirits, fresh produce and much more gives visitors sourced from the surrounding Sussex community gives visitors the perfect excuse to shop local. There will also be a fresh butchery counter from November 17.TRUE Hartnett, who oversees four busy London kitchens as well as various other ventures, says it would be “physically impossible to be in each and every one of them every day”. That sentiment is supported by Outlaw, who, while he’s downsized his operations in recent years, also used to run restaurants in London and Dubai: “There’s no way an exec chef can work across all their kitchens. The job’s essentially a management role, and more about orchestrating a team than being a hands-on cook.”

From 1st July 2021, VAT will be applicable to those EU countries where VAT is applied to books - this additional charge will be collected by Fed Ex (or the Royal Mail) at the time of delivery. Shipments to the USA & Canada: If you have ever said, 'I wish I knew more about wine,' this is the book for you. Read more DetailsFirst off, define “staff” – front of house and kitchen only? Or should you also include the marketing team, cleaners, the reservations desk? “It’s all very murky,” Sirieix says, “and so many people don’t understand it, both in the industry and out.” The service charge isn’t subject to national insurance or VAT, either, which adds a whole other level of complications: “I almost missed out on my first flat because the mortgage guy wouldn’t accept that about 20% of my regular pay always came from tips.” Knowing the difference between all those bottles on the supermarket shelves will double the pleasure you get from a glass of wine and, with Fred Sirieix as your guide, you'll discover how to get the flavour you want. Fred, who is now 51, was brought up in Limoges, France and his parents both worked in healthcare. He has said his parents inspired him to work in the service industry. In Wine Uncorked, Fred decants a career's worth of expertise in his own friendly and accessible style, revealing how everything from price point to percentage impacts what ends up in your glass, how to decipher a label and which glass to use. He'll then take us on a tour of the regions, showing us how the landscape and climate work their magic on the wine produced around the world, highlighting key producers and notable vintages to suit all budgets along the way. Sussex chef and English wine champion Steven Edwards has quietly opened his stylish speakeasy at etch. in Hove.