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Wine Republic 2003

Boy, but Martin Moran M.W. has worked hard on the second edition of his guide to wine buying, Wine Republic. The book is beefier, more beautiful and easier to use than his first edition, and you have to warm to a bloke whose disquisition on champagne and sparkling wines begins with a discussion of the merits of George Best over Ryan Giggs.

What have they got to do with fizz? I'm still not sure. But then fizzing off into unexpected places is the Moran signature, and if you can make your way through the torrent of prose, then there is a seriously unbiased guide to good drinking underneath all the language and opinion. Moran is no snob and tastes well, and his directory of wine sellers is very impressive, though even he can't get everywhere.

Mind, you, could anyone map all of Ireland's wine sellers right now? So many openings, so many enthusiasts setting up shop, means it is a difficult, indeed impossible, task. But what Moran shows is just how much more there is to choose from out there, and if you are only buying your wine from one supermarket, you are seriously missing out on a bumper time to be a wine buff.

Wine Republic 2003, Passion Publishing €15