Petrus de Crescentiis (1230–1310), Italian author whose writings on wine were much read in the Middle Ages (see literature of wine). Petrus de Crescentiis finished his Liber ruralium commodorum (‘Book on agriculture’) c.1304. Only part of his book, Book 4, is concerned with wine. He knows and quotes from the classical writers on agriculture (mainly pliny, columella, and varro) but he is no mere slavish follower of his authorities, for he has a great deal to say about medieval winemaking practice and his advice is reliable.
