Ancient Wine: The Search for the Origins of Viniculture (Hardcover)

~ Patrick E. McGovern (Author), Robert G. Mondavi (Foreword) "A SINGLE Eurasian grape species (Vitis vinifera L. subsp. sylvestris), among approximately 100 that grow wild in temperature zones of Asia, Europe, and North America,..." (more)
Key Phrases: mixed fermented beverage, terebinth tree resin, domesticated grapevine, Near East, Godin Tepe, Bronze Age (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"From the beginning, wine and wine culture has been a halfway house between the sacramental and the social." -- Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker

"McGovern ... wields the most powerful tools of modern chemistry in his search for the roots of ancient wines." -- J. Madeleine Nash, Time Magazine

"McGovern's book will likely remain a standard in every serious wine-lover's library for a long time." -- Laurence A. Marschall, Natural History

"The most fascinating scholarly wine book this year is Ancient Wine." -- Gordon Stimmel, Toronto Star

A remarkable new book. -- Adam Gopnik , The New Yorker

This is a prodigiously learned book by a prodigiously learned man. . . . McGovern uses wine as a vehicle for exploring the reaches of ancient history, and for presenting some of the astonishing archeological discoveries that are still being made. . . . By the time we get to Persia, Greece and Rome it has become truly urgent, because it is now a story of civilizations and their clashes--the story in which we are still involved. -- Review

This is a prodigiously learned book. . . . McGovern uses wine as a vehicle for exploring the reaches of ancient history. -- Roger Scruton, New Statesman

Review

A remarkable new book.
(Adam Gopnik New Yorker )

No one is better qualified to sift through the widely scattered clues [to the origins of winemaking] than McGovern, a skilled scientific sleuth who wields the most powerful tools of modern chemistry in his search for the roots of ancient wines.
(J. Madeleine Nash Time Magazine )

A rich treasury of lore on viticulture. . . . McGovern's book will likely remain a standard in every serious wine-lover's library for a long time. To that achievement--and to glorious wine itself--let us raise our glasses high.
(Laurence A. Marschall Natural History )

It takes nerve to tackle a subject as wide-ranging in chronology, geography and historical variability as the study of ancient viniculture, and it takes rhetorical flourish to make such a study riveting, informative and thought-provoking. Patrick McGovern has succeeded in doing just that. His Ancient Wine is a book to be highly recommended to lay and professional audiences alike.
(James C. Wright American Scientist )

It's obvious that McGovern has a passion for his research, and that his deep appreciation for wine is enhanced by his understanding of wine's role in civilization. Wine lovers who also enjoy delving into wine's rich history will find much to savor in this complex but intriguing book.
(Deborah Scoblionkov Philadelphia Inquirer )

The most fascinating scholarly wine book this year. . . . This is a tapestry woven from surviving cultural fragments and combines art, archeology, chemistry and gastronomy. It tracks the thread of wine through 8,000 years of human history and is not for the faint-hearted.
(Toronto Star )

This is a prodigiously learned book by a prodigiously learned man. . . . McGovern uses wine as a vehicle for exploring the reaches of ancient history, and for presenting some of the astonishing archeological discoveries that are still being made. . . . By the time we get to Persia, Greece and Rome it has become truly urgent, because it is now a story of civilizations and their clashes--the story in which we are still involved.
(Roger Scruton New Statesman )

This book is clearly written, generously illustrated, and thoroughly indexed.
(Harvey Finkel New England Wine Gazette )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 400 pages
• Publisher: Princeton University Press (September 2, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0691070806
• ISBN-13: 978-0691070803
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 5.9 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #375,691 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent and thorough history, September 23, 2003

By	Michael Casey "Michael" (Atlanta, GA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I have enjoyed many books on the history of wine and grapes, my favorite being Johnson's The Story of Wine. McGovern's new book may replace Johnson's at the top of my list. McGovern's attention to detail is wonderful but his story telling is really top notch. He manages to weave a great story while at the same time providing us with an academician's attention to detail -- all without boring us! His examination of early cultures and their use of the grape is fascinating. A very enjoyable and educational book.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Indispensible and Unique, December 20, 2006

By	Lynn Hoffman, author:The Short Course in Beer (Philadelphia) - See all my reviews (VINE VOICE)

There is no book on the history of wine that is so widely
quoted. In fact,it may not be possible to write a credible
history of wine without referring to this brilliantly
assembled volume.

What makes this book outstanding is its author's background.
He is a chemist and archaeologist. As such, he holds dual
citizenship in two of the least sentimental professions in
the world. While other authors may be taken in by their own
poetry, McGovern relentlessly sticks to the facts as manifest
in the physical evidence. This Joe Friday approach makes him
not only believable but readable.

A case in point is the Godin Tepe jar, an artifact some 5500
years old from Iran. McGovern gets his description rolling with
the following: "My laboratory had already developed techniques
for identifying very ancient biomolecules." You know you're in
the company of a heavy hitter with an opening like that. McGovern
goes on to describe his skepticism that the jar could have
contained wine and then his assurance, based on molecular-
level study, that it had.

Compare this with the High School Book Report nature of a lot
of wine history writing. No, don't bother. There is no comparison.

--Lynn Hoffman, author of THE NEW SHORT COURSE IN WINE and
the forthcoming novel bang BANG from Kunati Books.ISBN 9781601640005

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Utterly fascinating, July 31, 2007

By	D. Tesic (Melbourne, Australia) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Ancient Wine: The Search for the Origins of Viniculture (Paperback)

I cannot remember holding a book in my hands that caused me more excitement and enchantment any time recently. And the best thing of all is that it is not a fairy tale, not even a "romanticized" account of the ancient history of wine; on the contrary, with all the diligence and impartiality of a good CSI detective, this book sticks to evidence and confirmed facts. Still, it manages to weave a compelling story of how wine was intricately connected with the very origins of civilization (or, should I say, civilizations). The book is not only difficult to put down, but as a viticulture and wine educator I find it impossible to ignore when preparing teaching materials. Granted, there is still a lot of uncertainty about certain wine archaeological issues and much more work to be done, but I find that part probably the most exciting. I recommend this book to the viticulture and wine professional and enthusiast alike, as well as anybody interested in archaeology and origins of civilizations.