In Vinum et Bellum: Wine and War with Jasper Humphreys
The relationship between wine and war spans centuries, uncovering remarkable stories that offer a unique perspective on both the history of conflict and the culture of wine.
The connections are as varied as they are fascinating. Wine has been the spoils of war, most notably through the systematic plundering of French cellars by the Germans during the Second World War. It has served as a bargaining tool in diplomatic negotiations between England and France during the Middle Ages, fostered uneasy collaboration between French vineyard owners and occupying forces in wartime, and acted as an essential morale booster for soldiers, from the French Army in the First World War to German troops in the Second. Vineyards have also provided refuge for those fleeing conflict, as seen with Irish settlers in Bordeaux, while many of Europe’s most celebrated wine regions—particularly in northern and eastern France—have themselves been the battlegrounds of history.
To all this can be added a plethora of quirky anecdotes such as the drinking habits of the French Foreign Legion, Eleanor of Aquitaine’s wine supply on Crusade, Napoleon’s favourite wine as exile on St Helena, and champagne ‘sabrage’ with the French Hussars.
