There are countless anecdotes, stories and legends about wine. Even in ancient writings and religious works, wine is a very popular and central theme. A good example is the Bible, which contains countless quotations about and in connection with wine. One of the most beautiful is the one in Psalm 104/15: Wine gladdens the heart of man. Wine and love are a wonderful combination and quite a few people probably owe their existence to a few glasses of enjoyed wine. The vernacular expresses it aptly like this: Where Bacchus stokes the fire, Mrs Venus sits at the stove. Anecdotes and quotations about wine exist from many famous personalities. A true declaration of love for champagne comes from Madame Lily Bollinger (1899-1977), the famous boss of the champagne house. One of the most beautiful anecdotes comes from the French statesman Prince Charles Maurice Talleyrand-Périgord (1754-1838).
The glossary is a monumental achievement and one of the most important contributions to wine knowledge. Of all the encyclopaedias I use on the subject of wine, it is by far the most important. That was the case ten years ago and it hasn't changed since.
Andreas Essl
Autor, Modena