Wine: A Graphic History
Words by Benoist Simmat
Art by Daniel Casanave
Translated by Edward Gauvin
Paperback with flaps, 264 pp, $24.99
The history of wine is nothing less than the history of civilisation. It is the religious drink par excellence — from the Ancient Greek god of wine, Dionysus, via the vineyard Noah planted after the Flood in the Old Testament, to Christ’s miracle at Cana. In the monasteries and churches of the Middle Ages, the syrupy drink of antiquity, unpalatable if undiluted, was transformed into the wine we know and love today.
Oenophile Benoist Simmat and artist Daniel Casanave tell the story of wine from its origins in the Mediterranean to the globalised industry of the 21st century. Tracing the innovations that have accompanied this ancient art and science, from oak-barrel ageing to the invention of the bottle, Wine: A Graphic History will leave readers with a fresh and full-bodied view of our own drinking culture.
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Daniel Casanave
Born in 1963 in France in the Ardennes, Daniel Casanave earned a diploma in the fine arts in Reims, and divides his time between illustration, scenography, and graphic novels. Casanave’s work is wide-ranging, from children’s books to press cartoons. He lives in France.
Benoist Simmat
Benoist Simmat is a journalist, essayist, and scriptwriter, and the author of thirty books. A wine specialist, he is a long-time contributor to La Revue du vin de France.
Reviews
"Skillfully navigates the line between detail-heavy fact listings and lightweight anecdotal reportage and the resulting read is something both full-bodied and approachable, complex and deep, a beautifully done thing."
— Comicon
"Surprisingly comprehensive and just a lot of fun."
— Food & Wine
"The history of wine is, in large part, the history of humanity and the spread of trade and empires, and as such this presentation succeeds admirably in both educating and entertaining the reader."
— Slings & Arrows