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99 Bottles: A Black Sheep's Guide to Life-Changing Wines
99 Bottles is a highly opinionated, vibrantly illustrated wine guide from one of the country’s most celebrated—and unorthodox—sommeliers and winemakers.
In this entertaining, informative, and thoroughly unconventional wine guide, award-winning sommelier, winemaker, and wine educator André Hueston Mack presents readers with the 99 bottles that have most impacted his life. Instead of just pairing wines with foods, Mack pairs practical information with personal stories, offering up recommendations alongside reflections on being one of the only African Americans to ever work at the top level of the American wine industry.
The 99 bottles range from highly accessible commercial wines to the most rarefied Bordeaux on the wine list at The French Laundry, and each bottle offers readers something to learn about wine. This window into Mack’s life combines a maverick’s perspective on the wine industry with an insider’s advice on navigating wine lists, purchasing wine, and drinking more diverse and interesting selections at home. 99 Bottles is a one-of-a-kind exploration of wine culture today from a true trailblazer.
Color Illustrations by Rob DeBorde
In this entertaining, informative, and thoroughly unconventional wine guide, award-winning sommelier, winemaker, and wine educator André Hueston Mack presents readers with the 99 bottles that have most impacted his life. Instead of just pairing wines with foods, Mack pairs practical information with personal stories, offering up recommendations alongside reflections on being one of the only African Americans to ever work at the top level of the American wine industry.
The 99 bottles range from highly accessible commercial wines to the most rarefied Bordeaux on the wine list at The French Laundry, and each bottle offers readers something to learn about wine. This window into Mack’s life combines a maverick’s perspective on the wine industry with an insider’s advice on navigating wine lists, purchasing wine, and drinking more diverse and interesting selections at home. 99 Bottles is a one-of-a-kind exploration of wine culture today from a true trailblazer.
Color Illustrations by Rob DeBorde
256 pages, Hardcover
Published October 29, 2019
About the author
Andre Hueston Mack
4 books5 followersAndre Hueston Mack is the owner and winemaker of Mouton Noir Wines, with offices in Portland, Oregon and Brooklyn, New York. He won the title of Best Young Sommelier in America, awarded by the Chaine des Rotisseurs and subsequently worked as a sommelier at Thomas Keller s The French Laundry in the Napa Valley. He was on the opening team of the chef s New York restaurant, Per Se and spent three years as head sommelier there. His wine lists have received recognition by Wine Spectator, and he has been featured in Food & Wine, Wine & Spirits Magazine, The New York Times, Ebony, The Huffington Post and The Wall Street Journal Based on the success of the labels he created for Mouton Noir Wines - OPP, Oregogne, Love Drunk, Horseshoes & Handgrenades, and Knock on Wood - Mack established Get Fraiche Cru, a boutique graphic design firm, for which he serves as creative director.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
January 12, 2020
If you are a newbie to wine and don't know where to start, this book is what you need. Andre Mack shares his life in wine starting with the ones we remember from our youth like Boone's Farm (no? just me?) and gradually growing in brands, type, and price as he worked in various restaurants and worked his way up as a sommelier in some high-end restaurants.
As I read through the various chapters, I noticed that not everything is wine in the book. There are some references to lagers, spirits, and more. But each chapter reflects a different part of his life and what he was learning during those times to share with patrons and friends. Because this is Andre's life, he shares with the reader what his happening in his life from work to relationships and so much more. I liked one of his comments from an earlier chapter that he didn't need to tie up cash in wines he might drink later, but to drink them now and enjoy the wines, their flavors, and the experience. That is so true with anything, don't save it for later, enjoy and use those special items now.
A later chapter gave me a chuckle when he said that one of his greatest pleasures in life: really salty fries with old German Riesling. I never would put the two together, but salty and sweet - yeah I can see that!
Andre has gone on to create his own line of wines and you can see those on his website and in the book he mentioned trading cards for wine but I'm not sure where you can find those (and no google search turned them up.)
Ultimately the best advice Andre has to give in regards to wine is this - "I want to empower you to trust your own palate, and to be your own judge of what tastes good to you".
I recommend this book for anyone that wants to enjoy one man's journey through wine and perhaps find your own joy in the wines you enjoy.
As I read through the various chapters, I noticed that not everything is wine in the book. There are some references to lagers, spirits, and more. But each chapter reflects a different part of his life and what he was learning during those times to share with patrons and friends. Because this is Andre's life, he shares with the reader what his happening in his life from work to relationships and so much more. I liked one of his comments from an earlier chapter that he didn't need to tie up cash in wines he might drink later, but to drink them now and enjoy the wines, their flavors, and the experience. That is so true with anything, don't save it for later, enjoy and use those special items now.
A later chapter gave me a chuckle when he said that one of his greatest pleasures in life: really salty fries with old German Riesling. I never would put the two together, but salty and sweet - yeah I can see that!
Andre has gone on to create his own line of wines and you can see those on his website and in the book he mentioned trading cards for wine but I'm not sure where you can find those (and no google search turned them up.)
Ultimately the best advice Andre has to give in regards to wine is this - "I want to empower you to trust your own palate, and to be your own judge of what tastes good to you".
I recommend this book for anyone that wants to enjoy one man's journey through wine and perhaps find your own joy in the wines you enjoy.
July 18, 2022
I discovered Andre Mack on YouTube, and had no idea his biography and work in the wine world. His book is basically his YouTube voice in word form. I loved every minute. Mack artfully mixes wine information, wine bottle descriptions and personal history all together. The book is fun and such an accessible way to learn more about unique wines and the world of fine dining (especially Thomas Keller’s two restaurants). Mack has such a fascinating perspective on life, the service industry, wine, race and career.
While many of the bottles he describes are very high end and inaccessible (hard to find and pricey), there are definitely some to add to my wine list. His tips also are helpful for browsing a wine store and knowing the terms.
While many of the bottles he describes are very high end and inaccessible (hard to find and pricey), there are definitely some to add to my wine list. His tips also are helpful for browsing a wine store and knowing the terms.
June 22, 2023
I'm disappointed in how much I did not enjoy this book. I wasn't expecting anything specific, and only realized Andre Mack is the same guy I know from the youtube wine tasting videos a couple chapters in.
There's this push within the book to be somehow unusual, to throw out the way people normally talk about wine in favor of emphasizing Mack's 'black sheep' status within the wine world he's been so successful within and how individual wine drinking can be, which isn't on it's own a bad theme, but it's not well executed. Over and over we're given wine references that are so highly personalized to Mack himself that it's not useful information. If you like biographies you might still like this, but when the whole point of a wine's inclusion in the list is that he had it or first heard of it while doing something that was personally meaningful (or...not, as the case often also is), it begins to feel meaningless.
Also the whole Peju Wines thing (Bottle 32, i think?) was entitlement through and through. The man shows up after closing to a winery, is politely told by the hostess it's after hours and they are not letting new people in, and goes on to rail against that winery and forever after refuse to even try their wines in his professional roles? Not a good look, man.
There's this push within the book to be somehow unusual, to throw out the way people normally talk about wine in favor of emphasizing Mack's 'black sheep' status within the wine world he's been so successful within and how individual wine drinking can be, which isn't on it's own a bad theme, but it's not well executed. Over and over we're given wine references that are so highly personalized to Mack himself that it's not useful information. If you like biographies you might still like this, but when the whole point of a wine's inclusion in the list is that he had it or first heard of it while doing something that was personally meaningful (or...not, as the case often also is), it begins to feel meaningless.
Also the whole Peju Wines thing (Bottle 32, i think?) was entitlement through and through. The man shows up after closing to a winery, is politely told by the hostess it's after hours and they are not letting new people in, and goes on to rail against that winery and forever after refuse to even try their wines in his professional roles? Not a good look, man.
July 26, 2023
When Colin Powell wrote My American Journey, Joseph Persico told him, you have to put it ALL out there, you can take some of it back, but you can't just hold things back. If Mack had followed that advice, this could have been a really good book. But this is a book written by a very ambitious, hyper networking self promoting personal brand manager; so instead we get a highly edited, snarky, shallow, version of his experiences. He alludes to a lot of things but doesn't come clean on any of them. An example: He notes a number of difficulties with the corporate management at Per Se, but we only get bits and pieces. For a example of a "let it all hang out" restaurant memoir, see "Your Table is Ready" by Michael Checchi. Also there are a number of easily corrected errors in this book, that a real Master Sommelier would not make. He repeatedly mispronounces Barolo as "Barillo" on the audiobook. He says that Riesling originated in Alsace, when the first mention of Riesling is from the Rheingau. He also says that dryness of Alsatian Riesling reflects the terroir of the place, when the dryness of Riesling has everything to do with how it is made, rather than where the grapes are grown. He should visit Schloss Johannesburg to try the greatest expression of Riesling wines. There are many approachable books on wine that leave the reader more informed on the subjects of wines, this book is merely an extended marketing article for the personal brand of Andre Mack
October 22, 2021
I bought this book impulsively after watching Andre Mack taste wines on the Bon Appetit channel on YouTube. I was very impressed by his knowledge and calm demeanor when reviewing the wines. He was fun and informative. A real pleasure to listen to.
The book was not quite what I expected. It is more memoir than wine guide. I enjoyed reading the book. I had no idea that he had worked in such prestigious restaurants as The French Laundry in Napa Valley and Per Se in New York. These are my dream dining experiences! I am one of those tourists who get their picture taken outside of The French Laundry because we will never get a chance to eat there.
I feel like I am still a wine newbie so I have been reading many books about wine and trying to learn a little about wines and the world of wine. I have a suggestion for Andre Mack. Now that you have your own design firm, you should make those collector cards for the wines that you love!! And you could update them quarterly or annually. I would love to have a set of detailed cards to take to the wine store with me. It would be fun! I never remember the details of the wines when I get to the store. I know that there are apps for these things but I'd love to bring 3 or 4 cards with me to the store and search for those specific wines or ask for help to find something similar. Have you already printed your cards? Where can I get them?
The book was not quite what I expected. It is more memoir than wine guide. I enjoyed reading the book. I had no idea that he had worked in such prestigious restaurants as The French Laundry in Napa Valley and Per Se in New York. These are my dream dining experiences! I am one of those tourists who get their picture taken outside of The French Laundry because we will never get a chance to eat there.
I feel like I am still a wine newbie so I have been reading many books about wine and trying to learn a little about wines and the world of wine. I have a suggestion for Andre Mack. Now that you have your own design firm, you should make those collector cards for the wines that you love!! And you could update them quarterly or annually. I would love to have a set of detailed cards to take to the wine store with me. It would be fun! I never remember the details of the wines when I get to the store. I know that there are apps for these things but I'd love to bring 3 or 4 cards with me to the store and search for those specific wines or ask for help to find something similar. Have you already printed your cards? Where can I get them?
January 20, 2021
What a cool, genuine book it was to listen to (narrated by the author)!
This was much more than a book about which wines to drink. It was like sitting with an interesting person getting to know him through the story of each bottle that was coming to the table. I loved his style. I loved that he urged the readers to stick to their own stories and remember those bottles that might have changed their lives at some point; their evenings, their conversations, their thought process, their mood.
"Who would ever thought that learning about wine would allow me to unshackle my creative side? That's why I encourage all of you to get into it too. Knowing more about wine will change your life, even if it only changes how you drink, which itself can lead to all kinds of creativity."
This was much more than a book about which wines to drink. It was like sitting with an interesting person getting to know him through the story of each bottle that was coming to the table. I loved his style. I loved that he urged the readers to stick to their own stories and remember those bottles that might have changed their lives at some point; their evenings, their conversations, their thought process, their mood.
"Who would ever thought that learning about wine would allow me to unshackle my creative side? That's why I encourage all of you to get into it too. Knowing more about wine will change your life, even if it only changes how you drink, which itself can lead to all kinds of creativity."
May 4, 2020
This book was everything I wanted it to be. Having purchased Mack’s wine before, I enjoyed reading about his experiences and his wines of choice. I found myself dog-earring pages and ordering the book he references about being in the service industry. The book gives an approachable perspective to wine. And also makes me want to drink more and different wine. It is way less intimidating than the wine bible(which he also references) and the explanations of each type of wine is easy to read, and easy to understand. When New York is over I look forward to visiting & Sons with my daughter, and learning more about the wines Mack carries.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 4, 2020
Excellent book from the amazing sommelier/winemaker Andre Mack! He brings an approachable mindset towards wine through pop culture (Fraiser as an example) and music. His storied background from server at red lobster all the way to sommelier for the prestigious French Laundry and Per Se to breaking out on his own as a winemaker is engaging to say the least! I took tons of notes about all of the bottles he experienced along the way. From Bordeaux, Basque and what Andre calls the, “Nickelback of wine..” . Lots to learn here for sure! Enjoyed every bit of it.
Highly recommended.
Highly recommended.
October 26, 2020
This is a fantastic go-to wine book for me. I have enjoyed reading André's story through wine and also learning about his favorites and how they are special to him. Some are my favorites as well and it has been great to learn about their history. Overall wine in general can be intimidating, but I have bookmarked pages in this book as well as flagged some that I want to try and use this all the time. Grateful to have someone like André that is willing to share his experience and his obvious love for wine with us.
March 22, 2024
Found André on my favorite YouTube channel Bon Appetite talking about wine. I fell in love with the way he describes the stories behind each wine he tasted and was so happy to find his book in a second hand shop while visiting a friend. I was able to dive deep into not only the wine but his story as well while share the book with my friend. We were able to track down one of the bottles he mentioned in the book (Murphy Goode Zinfandel) at a wine store by her house and got to share it over a meal we made together. Such an incredible book and memory. Makes me wanna become a sommelier!
February 21, 2020
Somewhat interesting overview of the life of celebrity somm Andre Mack, including some of the challenges and stories of discrimination he faced while entering a predominantly white field. I would have liked a bit more information on the wines — maps, history, etc. So, if you’re expecting to learn about wine, this isn’t the book for you. It’s primarily an autobiography of a master somm told through some bottles he enjoyed.
January 1, 2024
What a fantastic read. Both a memoir and a guide book on incredible wines. Andre Mack writes with such ease and knowledge, it feels as if he is in the room telling you vignettes from his life. To hear his life story from restaurants in TX to NY to making his own wine is inspiring, funny, and personable. 10/10 recommend this book and his wines - Maison Noir crafts incredible wines that are worth seeking out (shoutout to In Sheep’s Clothing, our favorite!)
July 15, 2022
Great coming of age story from a black sheep sommelier. The author does a nice job sharing his life from a unique perspective. I enjoyed it all. My only quibble is that the author does mispronounce many words which, though endearing, should have been caught and corrected before publication.
September 27, 2020
This is a very fun wine book/memoir. André Mack has seen it all working in fine dining and takes you along for the ride. P.S. His Maison Noir rosé is SO good.
September 13, 2021
Half wine guide, half biography. Manages to do both decently, but each half doesn't quite feel complete.
March 28, 2022
Yup. Just give me every wine and food memoir in the world!!!
April 2, 2023
Written in a unique, short style that ultimately proves to hit all the right notes. You get to know Andre’s journey and learn some good tidbits about wine along the way. Fast read
May 28, 2023
Bought as a gift for my dad and he LOVED it
August 16, 2023
It was fun
February 13, 2024
Really fun and interesting introduction to wine. Not dry like other books about wine. Now I'm going to go watch Frasier again.
September 21, 2024
Somewhat entertaining. The format of each bottle telling a story is fun. For a wine professional, he writes a number of incorrect statements.
December 28, 2020
This is more than just a book about 99 bottles.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews