Kathleen Mildred Burk is Professor Emerita of Modern and Contemporary History at University College London, who uses her skills at sourcing in-depth historical information for her book, ” Wine A Global History“. There are 18 chapters for this book, starting you off with wine production in ancient Greece and Rome, how wine spread through religion and wars, the spread of vine growing and wine making across Europe, and how finished wines travelled between European countries. Dr. Burk also covers the relationship between wine and Islam, which I found very interesting. There are many poems written in the past about enjoying wine in Islamic times. Have you ever read the poems of Omar Khayyam?
There is also the discussion of the setbacks of phylloxera nearly wiping out European grape vines, the solution coming from the United States, and how wine spread to the New World countries and their wine production. Beyond just discussing Europe and the New World wines and wineries, Dr. Burk also brings us into Asia to discuss how wine was valued, where grape growing began and is flourishing. Did you know that China has been growing grapes and making wine back in the Tang Dynasty? That is really Old World wine making.
There is also an interesting section on the post-Soviet Union countries, how wines were controlled by Moscow, and how these free countries are now bringing back quality wines to market. I thought about this chapter as the Russian war against Ukraine is affecting the wine-growing region.
This is a scholarly book with deep, encyclopedic knowledge. You do not need to read this book front to back. Pick the chapters that are the most interesting to you.
Where Can I Buy This Book?
The book is being released on October 13, 2026, and can be preordered on Amazon.ca or Indigo – Chapters. The price listed from both websites is CAD $51.
