English literature, wine in

References to specific wines in English literature are relatively common, and provide a useful record of fashions in wine styles and the history of wine imports to the British Isles, from the time of Chaucer to the present day. Literary references to wine drinking are legion, presumably because it encouraged conversation, civilized, bawdy, or sometimes nonsensical. Generic ‘wine’ is mentioned too often to report, and more detailed and revealing references specifying wine type or provenance are scarce in English literature before the 17th century.