Italy in a Wineglass: The Taste of History by Marc Millon

The world is enamoured with Italy: its culture, art, food and fashion, its beautiful landscapes and famous cities—and, of course, its wine.

From the ancient Greeks to the Medici, and from fascism to feminism, writer and wine expert Marc Millon reveals how the story of Italy has always been entwined with that of wine. Through the millennia, it has been a celebratory libation at great events, given solace in times of despair and fortified warriors before battle. Whether Possessioni Rosso, still made by descendants of Dante; Barolo ‘Lazzarito’, from a wine estate founded by the son of Italy’s first king; or Terre Rosse di Giabbascio, pressed from grapes grown on ex-Mafia land, the peninsula’s wines provide an intoxicating insight into the ideas, events and personalities that shaped Italy.

If history can sometimes be throat-achingly dry, Millon serves up a delightfully fresh take on Italy’s past, present and future, best enjoyed with a glass in hand.

Reviews

‘The product of Marc Millon’s lifelong passion for Italy, this fascinating account of the place of wine in Italian life over the centuries is an utterly absorbing read. Enjoy it with a good glass of vino to hand!’ — Fiona Beckett, Wine Writer, The Guardian

‘Marc Millon has blended history with wine in a highly original format. This is a scholarly yet accessible work imbued with love for its subjects—a truly excellent book and a must-read for any lover of Italy or wine in general.’ — Susy Atkins, Wine and Drinks Correspondent, The Daily Telegraph

‘What a brilliant idea! Marc Millon takes us on a breezy, boozy tour through Italy’s past, serving up bite-sized historical summaries with wine pairings to reveal how wine flavours history, and history flavours wine. Bring your corkscrew!’ — Tom Standage, author of A History of the World in 6 Glasses

‘It’s not often that a wine writer can engross and enthrall you with the history of a culture where wine merely plays its part along with many other players. Marc Millon does this absorbingly and impressively, telling the intriguing, exasperating, but ultimately optimistic story of Italy and its wines.’ — Oz Clarke, broadcaster, wine writer and author of The History of Wine in 100 Bottles and Wine by the Glass

‘An extraordinary and breathtaking book, Italy in Wineglass is a crowning achievement! Not only is it an enthralling journey with an exceptional guide, it is an irresistible invitation by a great host to taste 8,000 years of Italian wine history and culture, bottle by bottle, glass by glass.’ — Rachel Roddy, food writer and author of An A–Z of Pasta and My Kitchen in Rome

‘Marc Millon is a true Italian wine ambassador, and no one is better equipped to tell this story. His mouth-watering history had me drooling from the very first chapter! Packed full of personal observations and insights, it is essential reading for anyone interested in Italian wine, its past, present and future.’ — Stevie Kim, Managing Director of Vinitaly International

‘Appreciation of wine is always enriched with a story and Marc Millon is a master storyteller. In pairing fascinating histories with expertly chosen bottles, he takes on a unique journey through Italy’s cultural past. Here, you get to share a glass with Ancient Greek philosophers, sip with Roman legionnaires and make a toast with intellectual revolutionaries. This is a book in which you really can taste a place and its history.’ — Dan Saladino, broadcaster and author of Eating to Extinction

‘Millon is a great storyteller with decades of experience of Italy’s wines, wineries and winemakers. Read it for an insider’s view of the Italian winemaking tradition, and a richly entertaining account of the country’s history seen through the bottom of a wine glass.’ — Helena Attlee, author of Lev’s Violin: An Italian Adventure and The Land Where Lemons Grow

‘Marc Millon has a gift for blending wine and travel together, bringing to life the history and sense of place, and revealing where these wines’ characteristics originated. I’ve shared that passion over many a meal, often cooked by Marc and frequently accompanied by wines from Italy, all served up with his incredible depth of knowledge. Bravo, Marc.’ — Michael Caines MBE, Michelin-starred chef

‘It is no negligible task to wander through the meanders of Italian culture, with which wine is so intertwined, and to grasp such an extensive history of radical transformations. Marc Millon juggles this venture with enviable mastery.’ — Piero Mastroberardino, President of the Mastroberardino winery

‘An intriguing and clever way to view Italy’s history. Italy in a Wineglass is full of curious facts and historical diversions. Best of all it helps me to make sense of the wine aisle in my local supermarket here in Genoa.’ — Nicholas Walton, author of Genoa, ‘La Superba’

‘A delectable, Epicurean celebration of the profound role wine has played, and continues to play, in Italian society. Millon’s history is hedonistic and thought-provoking in equal measure.’ — Jamie Mackay, author of The Invention of Sicily 

‘Anyone curious about the history of Italian wines could find no better guide than Marc Millon. Italy in a Wineglass brilliantly recounts Italy’s history through its wines and, with an academic’s erudition and a bon vivant’s verve, offers a refreshing draught that can be savoured by novice and connoisseur alike.’ — Jessica B. Harris, author and culinary historian

‘Italy in a Wineglass gathers a multitude of small stories and anecdotes from which the enchantment of the richest land of vineyards arises. An excellent literary work, an innovative contribution to wine writing.’ — Sandro Boscaini, President of the Masi Agricola winery

Marc Millon has been learning and writing about wine, food and travel for over forty years. He is the author of fourteen books and writes for the Food & Travel Magazine. A certified Italian Wine Ambassador, he also has a weekly podcast, Wine, Food & Travel with Marc Millon. He regularly lectures and