An excellent bottle of wine can be the spark that inspires a brainstorming session. Such was the case for Ian Tattersall and Rob DeSalle, scientists who frequently collaborate on book and museum exhibition projects. When the conversation turned to wine one evening, it almost inevitably led the two; one a palaeoanthropologist, the other a molecular biologist—to begin exploring the many intersections between science and wine. This book presents their fascinating, freewheeling answers to the question “What can science tell us about wine?” And vice versa.
Conversational and accessible to everyone, this colorfully illustrated book embraces almost every imaginable area of the sciences, from microbiology and ecology (for an understanding of what creates this complex beverage) to physiology and neurobiology (for insight into the effects of wine on the mind and body). The authors draw on physics, chemistry, biochemistry, evolution, and climatology, and they expand the discussion to include insights from anthropology, primatology, entomology, Neolithic archaeology, and even classical history. The resulting volume is indispensible for anyone who wishes to appreciate wine to its fullest.
Editiorial Review by Neil deGrasse Tyson, Astrophysicist and Frederick P. Rose Director, Hayden Planetarium, American Museum of Natural History: “Wine is art. Wine is ritual. Wine is culture. Wine is romance. But in the hands of Tattersall and DeSalle, who are boundlessly curious naturalists, we learn that wine is also science. And that enhanced awareness serves only to magnify your appreciation of this timeless beverage.”—Neil deGrasse Tyson.
Author: Ian Tattersall
Hardcover: 256 pages
Publisher: Yale University Press Nov. 2015
Dimensions: 5.9"W x 8.9"H x 1.1"D.
