The Shape of Wine
It’s Packaging Revolution
Grape wine has been produced for at least 4,000 years, having been aged, stored and transported in every conceivable type of vessel. Its seductiveness has been enhanced by this packaging; primarily three strikingly different containers - amphorae, wooden barrels and glass bottles. Additionally, the book explores upstart packaging such at plastic bottles, aluminium cans, and cardboard wine casks. It considers the pros and cons of all these vessels and their visual and environmental impact on us as the consumers of their liquid.
Reviews
'This book combines my favourite things: packaging, history, archaeology, wine and adventure. It explores centuries of packaging technology, from ancient amphorae and barrels - to bottles and pouches. We visit sites like Mount Testacio, Heidelberg Tun and the Kyrenia shipwreck. Peppered with archaeology and tourism, The Shape of Wine is highly recommended to anyone interested in the history of wine packaging.'
Professor Diana Twede, Michigan State University, USA
'For most of our ancestor's time on Earth, humans probably made do with porous and perishable containers made of natural materials - leather, woven grass, wood, or a hollowed-out gourd. Then, they invented pottery, metal glass, and most recently plastic, and the rules of the game changed dramatically. Henry H. Work brings this exciting and compelling story back to life, drawing upon archaeology and allied sciences, history and modern industry.'