A drink to your health!

摘要

In a mildly puritanical culture, where indulgence in alcohol causes twinges of guilt, there is a particular delight in finding that a much-used recreational drug may confer health benefits. The critical evaluation of the beneficial and possible deleterious effects of wine and alcohol consumption on humans is one theme of this multi-authored compilation on wine. The second theme is the scientific basis and evolution of viticulture and wine production. The tale of the infection of European vines by the American phylloxera aphid and the reluctance of the French central authorities to accept the findings of compatriots from the Midi region, as well as the continuing problems with this infestation, make fascinating and instructive reading.