BETWEEN THE WINES Hugh Johnson's pretty mini-coffee table book,
Tuscany and Its Wines is purely an excuse to daydream over Andy
Katz's chiaroscuro-edged photographs of that lovely region.
Castles, churches, vineyards, grapes, hearths, mists, and
monasteries you're unlikely to dawdle long over the text, but if
you've ever visited the region, or longed to, you'll nod along
with his every compliment.  This is not a wine book in the usual
sense: There isn't much in the way of description or even label
definitions, though there are tributes to the ancient palaces
and vineyards of the older families. This is an elaborate
postcard collection, with a bit of history about varietals and a
few palate-sharpening whiffs of wild mushroom and artichokes and
olives. But as a gift book, an invitation or a personal
indulgence, it practically demands a drinking partner, and a
rich, earthy, dreamy one, at that.  Because the American
distribution of Tuscan wines is so uneven, we offer a short
course in our favorite styles instead