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As the publishing industry heads toward more e-books, a few genres may benefit from the shift. Drink education books are a good example because of their multimedia features and easily updated content. That's especially true when, as with

Wine Simplified

(Betterbook), a project benefits from the clear-palate advice of an expert like local sommelier Marnie Old, who partnered with Anthony Giglio. Available on iPad and iPhone,

Wine Simplified

is essentially a textbook with far more information than it first appears, from the basics of tasting and different grapes, to advice on reading labels and ordering in a restaurant (including recordings of Old pronouncing the grapes) to discussions of climate, terroir, glassware, the winemaking process, and pairing (even by the time of day.) The multimedia features, though, are what help an e-book shine, and Old presents several videos with some fascinating experiments to make her points. The clip of her quenching the heat of a taste of sriracha with a sip of Dr. L Riesling - at once amusing and instructive - may on its own be worth the modest price of this substantive e-book.

"Wine Simplified," by Marnie Old and Anthony Giglio, $9.99 (after Jan. 1, price goes up to $14.99.)

- Craig LaBan