A short history of wine - Roderick Phillips

From the earliest evidence of fermented grapes in 5000 BC, to the popping of corks at the start of the year 2000, wine in its various forms has always been more than just a drink. Throughout its heady and volatile history it has aroused extraordinary passions: as a gift from God or a curse from Satan; as a marker of social sophistication or drunken revelry; in religious ritual and in sexual seduction; as a healthy tonic and something that can kill.;Rod phillips distills the rich, often fruity story of our palates through the ages, from the debauched drinking parties of Ancient Greece and Rome, where wine was mixed with sea water or honey; through the flourishing trade of the Middle Ages; to 17th-century Venice, where a wine fountain was constructed for shipyard workers; and on to the birth of port, champagne and New World wines. Ending with the industry of today, this is a hugely entertaining celebration of "the gladness of the grape" everywhere.