Wine: A Global History
Kathleen Burk
Oct 2026 · Profile Audio · Narrated by Lucy Tregear
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16 hr 57 min
Unabridged
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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.
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.
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?
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About the author
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.
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...
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