The untold story of wine from the Stone Age to the present, stunningly presented.

In the beginning, there was the vine. Wine: a drink, a medicine, a ritual and a commodity. Across millennia, it has been used to celebrate and commiserate, as a negotiating tool and a diplomatic gift. But where - and when - was it first discovered? And how did it become a worldwide phenomenon?

From the planting of grape seeds in conquered territories across Ancient Rome, to the uprooting of vineyards during the Chinese Communist Revolution, this is the first truly global survey of wine from acclaimed historian Kathleen Burk. From a symbol of civilisation to the depths of debauchery, the formation of new trade routes to the consolidation of empires, Burk traces the story of our contemporary civilisation through one of the world's most ancient - and sought-after - pleasures.

An exceptional gift for lovers of wine and history.

Details

ISBN13: 9781788168984
Format: Hardback
Number of Pages: 640
Edition: Main
Publication Date: 06 Oct 2026
Publisher: Profile Books Ltd
Publication City, Country: London, United Kingdom
Dimensions (cm): 23.8(H)x15.8(L)x5.8(W)934
Weight (gm): 934

Author Biography

Kathleen Burk is Professor Emerita of Modern and Contemporary History at University College London. She has written on wine for more than 20 years and has been awarded a Diploma in Wine and Spirits. She is the co-author of Is This Bottle Corked?, as well as numerous works of history including The Lion and the Eagle and Old World, New World.

Reviews

Capaciously informative and endlessly entertaining -- Tom Holland, co-host of THE REST IS HISTORY
A formidable work of scholarship, squelching eight thousand years of wine into a veritable Beaujolais of a book ... Lucid and inspiring. Each page fizzes with revelations. I was astonished and enthralled at every turn -- Matthew Green, author of SHADOWLANDS
For the wine lover, it's the perfect companion to a brimming glassful * Country Life *
Erudite and intoxicating, Kathleen Burk's globe-spanning journey through wine history reminds us how deeply every glass is rooted in humanity's past -- Tom Standage, author of A HISTORY OF THE WORLD IN SIX GLASSES
Given the obvious effort, in terms of impressively wide research, that went into the writing of this book, [Burk] surely has wine in her blood * World of Fine Wine *
Magnificent ... Burk provides a series of delightful guides to grapes, vintages and terroirs ... One of the very best things about Burk's book is the way it reminds us that, in wine and human nature, little changes * Literary Review *
An epic tale ... If you want to learn about the history of wine, there's no better place to start -- Henry Jeffreys * Engelsberg Ideas *
Burk uncovers the remarkable stories behind the history of wine ... Fascinating * Taste of France *
Packed with fascinating information * Decanter *
Excellent ... It's fantastic * THE REST IS HISTORY *
A thorough, globetrotting biography of the beverage that has inspired, intoxicated, and entranced us for more than eight millennia. From Chinese poets to Benjamin Franklin, The Odyssey to the Qu'ran, Burk traces its evolution across time and place to explore its enduring appeal. A journey sure to enchant any oenophile. -- Bianca Bosker, author of CORK DORK
Kathleen Burk's epic work takes you on a fascinating journey from the earliest episodes of Neolithic drunkenness to the sober-curiousness of the 2020s -- Carolyn Boyd, author of AMUSE BOUCHE
A detailed, compendious history that's rich in wine trivia * Kirkus *
Praise for Old World, New World: Immensely thought-provoking [and] lucid * Guardian *
An ambitious narrative... lucidly narrated and generous * Times Literary Supplement *
Balanced, intelligent, insightful and funny -- Dominic Sandbrook