I’m hardly a rarity in the world of wine writers in having always wanted to write a book on wine. Hey, a memoir may be in the cards, or some unique inspiration may hit, but the kind of book I’ve always thought to pen is an introduction to wine for those just getting into it and looking to expand their knowledge.

“It’s been done so many times, though!”

Yeah, yeah, I know. With bookstore shelves and websites overflowing with them, one may think there’s no need for yet another one. Although I tend to agree with this, my issue with what’s on shelves has always been twofold.

There are those who may pick up a tome that looks impressive on a shelf but is unlikely to provide enough enjoyment to enable one to glean considerable long-term knowledge. I mean, the Oxford Companion to Wine is an invaluable resource and all, but when was the last time anyone sat down to read through an encyclopedia?

On the other side of things, I find many books in this category to be unnecessarily patronizing, hokey, or lacking in thoroughness. I know so many people who have bought books like these only to quickly flip through it on the way home and then it’s shelved and the dust begins to gather.

What would it take, I’ve pondered, for a book to be coffee-table-worthy (making it ripe for regular leaf-throughs) and educational yet still unfussy and unpretentious?

Well, I’ve recently had a good gander at the new Wine Folly: Magnum Edition book by Madeline Puckette and Justin Hammack. Simply put, this guide to wine contains everything I thought to be integral for the imaginary book I no longer feel it necessary to ponder, because not only does it tick all my boxes but it goes above and beyond those things in its delivery.

The writing duo behind winefolly.com, the popular online resource known for handsome wine maps and infographics, came out with their first book (Wine Folly: The Essential Guide to Wine) in 2015. Although it covered many basics for the novice, I found that it relied too heavily on smart graphics and lacked enough substance or context to give readers a balanced grasp on global wine. There was plenty of focus on grape varieties but not as much as I would have liked to see on the world’s wine regions. Because most retail stores are organized by country—and all of us wine geeks are always going on about place being important, terroir and such—I wanted to see greater weight in that area.

This new version remedies any quibbles I had with the first edition.

First off: the book is stunning. The sturdy black-and-gold hardcover feels good in the hand, while the graphics, maps, and charts inside are easy to read and easy on the eyes, too. The opening Wine Basics section covers everything from how wine is made and reading international wine labels to treatises on sweetness, acidity, sparkling wines, wine faults, and how to properly taste. The graphic tours through these areas are so tight that a good dose of knowledge can be gained without reading a word.

There are also food-pairing road maps and full-page guides to wine grapes that cover flavour profiles, key growing areas, and “If you like that you’ll love this” guides to alternative varieties.

The Wine Regions section is beefy, whether diving deep into French subregions or presenting a four-page glance at Greece that breaks through the noise to give you precisely what you need to know to appreciate everything from Assyrtiko to Xinomavro.

The book can be enjoyed throughout a lazy Sunday afternoon or during a TV commercial break for a quick varietal spotlight. Consider a chunk of your Christmas shopping (for yourself or others) already done.

Of course, it’d be a shame to enjoy flipping through the thing without a glass in hand.

I recently enjoyed a fun bottle of fizz. Autour de l’Anne Wonder Womanne NV (Languedoc, France; $38 to $42, private wine stores) is a charismatic pink sparkling blend of biodynamically grown Cinsault, Syrah, and Grenache, loaded with Rainier cherry, Turkish delight, and white pepper. Brilliant aromatics and a complex layering of flavour make it a perfect match for a cheese board, tucking into a good book, and whiling away a rainy day. Recently spotted at Liberty Wine Merchants on Commercial Drive and Legacy Liquor Store.