A Modern Wine Publication Timeline
It may be shocking to learn that wine writing is definitely not a modern invention. In fact, examples of wine writing from Ancient Greece and Rome have been found. Even more surprisingly, these ancient wine writings aren’t that different to our wine writings today. They too talk about the best vintages and vineyards and even use similar language to describe the taste of wine.
The First Wine Writers
One of the first wine writers was Pliny the Elder. He was born in 23 AD during the era of the Roman Empire. It is believed he wrote multiple books on various topics, although only one has survived. His surviving book, called Natural History, covers many different topics related to nature, the earth, and everyday life. Within this book, Pliny wrote extensively on wine within the Roman Empire.
In many ways Pliny was the first wine critic. He ranked the Roman Empire’s best vineyards, discussed the best vintages of some of Rome’s best wines, and even wrote about viticulture and viniculture. In fact, some of his favorite vineyards and wine regions are still some of the most famous wine regions today. One of his favorite wines was Falernian, a wine that was produced in modern day Campania in Southern Italy. Additionally, he wrote about the best wines and vineyards from all over modern day Italy and even parts of modern day France.
Another, slightly less famous wine writer during the age of the Ancient Romans was Columella. He lived roughly around the same time as Pliny the Elder, and also wrote extensively about wine. In his writings he describes the best way to make wine, grow grapes, and he even gets into details like which soil types make the best wine. Much of his writing covers topics that are still being discussed in the wine world today, like pruning, vineyard spacing, and the role of terroir in producing quality wine.
Examples of wine writing from the Middle East written in the 1st century AD, have also been preserved through the ages. Many of these wine writings are in the form of poems, and describe the taste of various famous wines. Interestingly, the way wine is described at this time is very similar to the way we describe wine today. The poets from this time period use things like spices, fruits, and herbs to describe the taste of the wine, just as we do today.
The world of wine is so large, even in ancient times, that wine consumers have always appreciated knowledgeable experts to help guide them and teach them about wine. While modern wine writers cover many of the same topics Pliney and Columella covered 2,000 years ago, wine has certainly evolved since then. Although its power to fascinate and inspire seems to have remained as strong as ever.
To learn more about the top wine writers in modern times, take a look at the timeline below. It features some of the most popular and well written wine books from the last 30 years. Each of the writers featured has something interesting to share about the world of wine. From wine basics, to specific regions, to even how to make your own wine, there is a book for every kind of wine lover.
September 1, 1990 - Adventures on the Wine Route: A Wine Buyer’s Tour of France published
The reader travels across the Loire, Bordeaux, Languedoc, Provence, Northern and Southern Rhone, and Cote d’Or as Kermit Lynch describes his adventures traveling the wine route and working in wine cellars in France.
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1996 - Exploring Wine was published
This wonderful book is a must-have for beginners looking to master the fundamentals of wine, even if it is primarily written for sommeliers and chefs. Everything from wine production through wine marketing, wine lists, […]
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October 8, 2013 - The World Atlas of Wine, 7th Edition was published
The Washington Post dubbed this book “the best collaboration of two Brits from the time of Lennon and McCartney,” calling it “the best geographic perspective of the wine globe with precise mapping.” Maybe a […]
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To go deeper, these books make excellent companions:
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References:
“Ancient Rome and Wine – Roman Writings on Wine – Columella | Technology Trends.” n.d. Www.primidi.com. Accessed January 1, 2023. https://www.primidi.com/ancient_rome_and_wine/roman_writings_on_wine/columella.
Mowery, Lauren. 2019. “Pliny the Elder, the First Wine Critic and Why He Still Matters.” Wine Enthusiast. October 10, 2019. https://www.winemag.com/2019/10/10/pliny-the-elder-first-wine-critic/.
“Pliny the Elder – Legacy.” n.d. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Pliny-the-Elder/Legacy.
Rowell, Alex. 2020. “The Wine Critics of Early Islam.” New Lines Magazine. November 25, 2020. https://newlinesmag.com/review/the-wine-critics-of-early-islam/.
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