Inventing Wine: A New History of One of the World's Most Ancient Pleasures - Softcover

"In highly readable prose, Lukacs tells the story of winemaking's worldwide history, recounting such ever-fascinating stories as the discovery of champagne and the creation of phenomenally unctuous and costly wines from what appear to be overripe, rotten grapes." -- Booklist "Noted American oenophile Lukacs tells the story of wine over eight millenniums and around the globe. Themes of interest to oenophiles, from wine's longtime disrepute in North America to England's love affair with Bordeaux, and fascinating details-for instance, the unearthing of 26 casks of wine in King Tut's tomb-heighten the pleasure of this engrossing narrative. A richly readable and authoritative addition to the literature of wine." -- Kirkus Reviews "Just when it seemed that there was nothing new to be said about wine, Paul Lukacs tells an intriguing and original tale that is thoroughly enjoyable reading." -- Mark Kurlansky, author of Birdseye: The Adventures of a Curious Man and Salt: A World History "Rather than an eternal cultural verity, wine is the product of innovative discontinuities, according to this flavorful history.... [Lukacs's] absorbing treatise shows just how much the grape's bounty owes to human ingenuity and imagination." -- Publishers Weekly "Thoughtful and provocative, this book shows that the history of wine is as complex as the history of human society." -- Esther Mobley - Wine Enthusiast "Lukacs, well aware that his subject is often clouded with pretense, writes with an eye for pungent detail." -- The New Yorker "Fascinating." -- Eric Asimov - New York Times

Because science and technology have opened new avenues for vintners, our taste in wine has grown ever more diverse. Wine is now the subject of careful chemistry and global demand. Paul Lukacs recounts the journey of wine through history-how wine acquired its social cachet, how vintners discovered the twin importance of place and grape, and how a basic need evolved into a realm of choice.