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Tales From the Wine Floor
100 Questions Asked of a Sommelier
An imprint of Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.About Jimmy
James Quaile is one of eleven children raised in the Philadelphia suburb of Somerdale, NJ. He is a Certified Sommelier, musician, singer, teacher, and author. The road that led him to this point has been long and winding.
Jimmy’s journey started at just six years old, when he began singing and playing drums in his family’s band, The Quailes. By the time he was a teenager, The Quailes were performing at local and national nightspots.
After ten years of entertaining, the road curved when The Quailes opened their own club, The First Fret Lounge, in Westville, NJ. He and his siblings played there exclusively until Atlantic City casinos came calling. The Quailes’ shows gained wider acclaim (recognized by Atlantic City Magazine as the "Best of A.C."), giving them the opportunity to share the stage with a virtual “who's who” in show business.
Jimmy’s road then took a sharp turn from 2002 to 2011 when he and his chef wife, Janet, opened and operated Big Daddy’s Crabcakes. Their seafood restaurant was recognized as the Best of Philly by Philadelphia Magazine.
The route recalculated further when Jimmy became Wine Consultant for leading wine retailers Roger Wilco Wines & Spirits and WinesTillSoldOut.com (WTSO.com). In 2014, he received the title of Certified Sommelier by the Court of Master Sommeliers.
All roads eventually lead to Jimmy combining his entertainment background and his passion for wine with his book, Tales from the Wine Floor: 100 Questions Asked of a Sommelier. The book, published by Lyons Press (Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.) is available wherever books are sold. (Links below)
He now does book signing events and speaking engagements throughout the U.S. and around the world.
In addition to writing about wine, he teaches wine classes, hosts “Somm Dinners” for corporate clients and casino special events and donates his time and talents in support of his favorite charities.
Jimmy and Janet are parents to Lynsay and Leah, and grandparents to Aven, Shea, Ailidh, and Annabel.
The one aspect of Jimmy’s life that has never changed course is his lifelong fascination with The Beatles. He is an avid collector of Beatles memorabilia and if you ask him how he’s doing, he’ll tell you, “It’s getting better all the time!”
About The Book
James “Jimmy” Quaile, a certified Sommelier, entertainer, and restaurateur, takes newbie wine drinkers on an entertaining jaunt through the wine world in Tales from the Wine Floor: 100 Questions Asked of a Sommelier. Drawings by JOHN O’BRIEN
This ready reference, sure to be the go-to resource for both everyday wine enthusiasts and workers in the wine industry, explains complicated topics in an easy-to-understand format. The guide, geared toward true beginners who enjoy wine but lack the most basic understanding of it, addresses questions people frequently ask—or wished they had asked. Examples include:
Why don’t they list ingredients on the bottle?
What exactly are Sulfites?
How do I order wine in a restaurant?
What’s the best wine to pair with Thanksgiving dinner?
Why is Champagne served in funny-shaped glasses?
Interspersed throughout the book are the “tales,” exchanges between Jimmy and wine purchasers taken directly from the wine floor. In each tale, he fields questions—some absurd, and some laugh-out-loud funny—from regular wine-drinkers and provides the questioner with unpretentious answers that only an entertainer with Jimmy’s experience can give.
