Jamie Goode has a PhD in plant biology and has worked as a scientific editor for over twelve years. In 2000, he established the consumer-oriented wine website www .wineanorak.com which is one of the world's most visited wine sites and was nominated for the 2004 Prix du Champagne Lanson. He is a member of the UK Circle of Wine Writers, and is wine columnist with The Western Mail as well as a regular contributor to Harpers, Decanter, and Wine International. He lives in London.

Introduction; Why wine science? Section 1: In The Vineyard; 1 Grapevine physiology; 2 Terroir: a taste of the soil? 3 Precision viticulture: using aerial and satellite monitoring to target interventions; 4 Global climate change and its implications for viticulture; 5 Genetically modified (GM) grape vines; 6 Phylloxera: how science saved wine; 7 Lutte raisonee: and integrated pest management (IPM); 8 Biodynamic viticulture; 9 Partial root zone drying: and regulated deficit irrigation (RDI); 10 Trellising systems: and canopy management; Section 2: In The Winery; 11 Barrels: and barrel substitutes; 12 Micro-oxygenation; 13 Naturalness in wine: how much manipulation is acceptable; 14 Yeasts: and wild-yeast fermentations; 15 Brettanomyces; 16 Reverse osmosis, spinning cones, and evaporators: alcohol reduction and must concentration; 17 Sulphur dioxide; 18 Reduction: volatile sulphur compounds in wine; 19 Closures: the cork taint debate; Section 3: Our Interaction With Wine; 20 Flavour: and its perception; 21 Wine and the brain; 22 Wine flavour chemistry; 23 Wine and health: is it good for you? 24 Extending lifespan by drinking wine: the holy grail; 25 Wine "allergies" 26 Summing-up; Bibliography & further reading; Subject index