Wine: A Global History traces the long history of the most wondrous, complex, mysterious and magical of the world’s beverages. The origins of wine go back to the origins of modern man, and the development and significance of this heady drink are intertwined with the roots of civilization itself.
Today, the grape vine is cultivated all around the globe, and a profusion of wines are produced and widely available. This engaging book chronicles the domestication of the wild grape vine (Vitis vinifera sativa) and the systematic cultivation of its fruit, almost uniquely suited to being fermented into an alcoholic drink, which can be stored to mature and improve with age.
From the Transcaucasus some 8,000 years ago; across the Mediterranean Sea and spreading throughout Europe with Classical Civilisation, to the New World with the Conquistadors, on to the distant lands of Australia and New Zealand and now to the burgeoning economies of India and China, Wine tells a rich story, the story of our species itself.