Les Secrets du vin

How did the Avignon popes once promote the vineyards of the Rhône Valley? Why did Empress Joséphine's cellar contain so many wines from the Médoc region? Were foreign wines, such as those from the Canary Islands revered by George Washington, or those from the Caucasus region praised by Alexandre Dumas, appreciated in France? Wine is also a story of landscapes, soil, and sun, of voyages between continents, with the rolling seas, the river transport, and the carting of barrels along rocky roads. Yves-Marie Bercé teaches us that taste is a matter of changing trends influenced by politics and power rivalries. The secrets of wine are finally revealed on the tables of kings and in the atmosphere of cabarets, from London to Paris, in the ports of Boston or Buenos Aires. Overflowing with stories and anecdotes, this book will delight the palate and imagination of wine connoisseurs and novices alike. Yves-Marie Bercé, Emeritus Professor of Modern History at the Sorbonne, is the author of numerous books on ancient rural societies. Here, he presents a personal and meticulously researched book.