Cognac
The Seductive Saga of the World's Most Coveted Spirit
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Buy for $30.11
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Paul Boehmer
-
By:
-
Kyle Jarrard
About this listen
Called the brandy of the gods by Victor Hugo, Cognac is a universal symbol of refinement and quality. In the first comprehensive history of this celebrated drink, Kyle Jarrard charts Cognac's birth in the 1500s and its transformation into the world's most coveted brandy. Along the way, he reveals how Cognac distillers weathered vineyard die-offs, the German occupation, and other challenges over the years - and offers a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at Hennessy, Remy-Martin, Courvoisier, Martell, and other legendary brands.
©2008 Kyle Jarrard (P)2020 Dreamscape Media, LLCListeners also enjoyed...
-
Whiskey Master Class
- The Ultimate Guide to Understanding Scotch, Bourbon, Rye, and More
- By: Lew Bryson, Bill Lumsden - foreword
- Narrated by: Lew Bryson
- Length: 7 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Over the past three decades, Lew Bryson has been one of the most influential voices in whiskey. In Whiskey Master Class, Lew shares everything he's learned on his journey through the worlds of bourbon, Scotch, rye, Japanese whiskey, and more (yes, there are tasty Canadian and Irish whiskeys!).
-
-
Awesome
- By SEB24 on 11-03-24
By: Lew Bryson, and others
-
And a Bottle of Rum
- A History of the New World in Ten Cocktails
- By: Wayne Curtis
- Narrated by: Mike Chamberlain
- Length: 10 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
And a Bottle of Rum tells the raucously entertaining story of America as seen through the bottom of a drinking glass. With a chapter for each of 10 cocktails, Wayne Curtis reveals that the homely spirit once distilled from the industrial waste of the exploding sugar trade has managed to infiltrate every stratum of New World society. Curtis takes us from the taverns of the American colonies, to the plundering pirate ships off the coast of Central America, to the watering holes of pre-Castro Cuba, and to the kitsch-laden tiki bars of 1950s America.
-
-
A nice intersection of history and rum
- By Garshom L. Arkoff on 05-10-23
By: Wayne Curtis
-
Wine Simple
- A Totally Approachable Guide from a World-Class Sommelier
- By: Aldo Sohm, Christine Muhlke
- Narrated by: Aldo Sohm
- Length: 6 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Wine Simple is full of an unbeatable depth of knowledge, effusive encouragement, and, most important, strong opinions on wine so you can learn to form your own. Imbued with Aldo's insatiable passion and eagerness to teach others, Wine Simple is accessible, deeply educational, and lively and fun, both in voice and visuals. This essential guide begins with the fundamentals of wine in easy-to-absorb hits of information and pragmatic, everyday tips - key varietals and winemaking regions, how to taste, when to save and when to splurge, and how do a wine tasting at home.
-
-
As promised.
- By Anonymous User on 07-16-21
By: Aldo Sohm, and others
-
The Drunken Botanist
- The Plants That Create the World's Great Drinks
- By: Amy Stewart
- Narrated by: Coleen Marlo
- Length: 10 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Every great drink starts with a plant. Sake began with a grain of rice. Scotch emerged from barley. Gin was born from a conifer shrub when medieval physicians boiled juniper berries with wine to treat stomach pain. The Drunken Botanist uncovers the surprising botanical history and fascinating science and chemistry of over 150 plants, flowers, trees, and fruits (and even a few fungi).
-
-
No more cheap tequila!
- By Cynthia on 03-23-13
By: Amy Stewart
-
Wine for Normal People
- A Guide for Real People Who Like Wine, But Not the Snobbery That Goes with It
- By: Elizabeth Schneider
- Narrated by: Elizabeth Schneider
- Length: 14 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This is a fun but respectful (and very comprehensive) guide to everything you ever wanted to know about wine from the creator and host of the popular podcast Wine for Normal People, described by Imbibe magazine as "a wine podcast for the people". More than 60,000 listeners tune in every month to learn a not-snobby wine vocabulary, how and where to buy wine, how to read a wine label, how to smell, swirl, and taste wine, and so much more!
-
-
When they want 5 star wine knowledge but ur 22 y/o
- By Alexia L. on 05-06-21
-
Doctors and Distillers
- The Remarkable Medicinal History of Beer, Wine, Spirits, and Cocktails
- By: Camper English
- Narrated by: Joanna Carpenter
- Length: 9 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Alcohol and Medicine have an inextricably intertwined history, with innovations in each altering the path of the other. The story stretches back to ancient times, when beer and wine were used to provide nutrition and hydration, and were employed as solvents for healing botanicals. Over time, alchemists distilled elixirs designed to cure all diseases, monastic apothecaries developed mystical botanical liqueurs, traveling physicians concocted dubious intoxicating nostrums, and the drinks we’re familiar with today began to take form.
-
-
Informative and fun
- By Renee Walker on 06-09-24
By: Camper English
-
Whiskey Master Class
- The Ultimate Guide to Understanding Scotch, Bourbon, Rye, and More
- By: Lew Bryson, Bill Lumsden - foreword
- Narrated by: Lew Bryson
- Length: 7 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Over the past three decades, Lew Bryson has been one of the most influential voices in whiskey. In Whiskey Master Class, Lew shares everything he's learned on his journey through the worlds of bourbon, Scotch, rye, Japanese whiskey, and more (yes, there are tasty Canadian and Irish whiskeys!).
-
-
Awesome
- By SEB24 on 11-03-24
By: Lew Bryson, and others
-
And a Bottle of Rum
- A History of the New World in Ten Cocktails
- By: Wayne Curtis
- Narrated by: Mike Chamberlain
- Length: 10 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
And a Bottle of Rum tells the raucously entertaining story of America as seen through the bottom of a drinking glass. With a chapter for each of 10 cocktails, Wayne Curtis reveals that the homely spirit once distilled from the industrial waste of the exploding sugar trade has managed to infiltrate every stratum of New World society. Curtis takes us from the taverns of the American colonies, to the plundering pirate ships off the coast of Central America, to the watering holes of pre-Castro Cuba, and to the kitsch-laden tiki bars of 1950s America.
-
-
A nice intersection of history and rum
- By Garshom L. Arkoff on 05-10-23
By: Wayne Curtis
-
Wine Simple
- A Totally Approachable Guide from a World-Class Sommelier
- By: Aldo Sohm, Christine Muhlke
- Narrated by: Aldo Sohm
- Length: 6 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Wine Simple is full of an unbeatable depth of knowledge, effusive encouragement, and, most important, strong opinions on wine so you can learn to form your own. Imbued with Aldo's insatiable passion and eagerness to teach others, Wine Simple is accessible, deeply educational, and lively and fun, both in voice and visuals. This essential guide begins with the fundamentals of wine in easy-to-absorb hits of information and pragmatic, everyday tips - key varietals and winemaking regions, how to taste, when to save and when to splurge, and how do a wine tasting at home.
-
-
As promised.
- By Anonymous User on 07-16-21
By: Aldo Sohm, and others
-
The Drunken Botanist
- The Plants That Create the World's Great Drinks
- By: Amy Stewart
- Narrated by: Coleen Marlo
- Length: 10 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Every great drink starts with a plant. Sake began with a grain of rice. Scotch emerged from barley. Gin was born from a conifer shrub when medieval physicians boiled juniper berries with wine to treat stomach pain. The Drunken Botanist uncovers the surprising botanical history and fascinating science and chemistry of over 150 plants, flowers, trees, and fruits (and even a few fungi).
-
-
No more cheap tequila!
- By Cynthia on 03-23-13
By: Amy Stewart
-
Wine for Normal People
- A Guide for Real People Who Like Wine, But Not the Snobbery That Goes with It
- By: Elizabeth Schneider
- Narrated by: Elizabeth Schneider
- Length: 14 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This is a fun but respectful (and very comprehensive) guide to everything you ever wanted to know about wine from the creator and host of the popular podcast Wine for Normal People, described by Imbibe magazine as "a wine podcast for the people". More than 60,000 listeners tune in every month to learn a not-snobby wine vocabulary, how and where to buy wine, how to read a wine label, how to smell, swirl, and taste wine, and so much more!
-
-
When they want 5 star wine knowledge but ur 22 y/o
- By Alexia L. on 05-06-21
-
Doctors and Distillers
- The Remarkable Medicinal History of Beer, Wine, Spirits, and Cocktails
- By: Camper English
- Narrated by: Joanna Carpenter
- Length: 9 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Alcohol and Medicine have an inextricably intertwined history, with innovations in each altering the path of the other. The story stretches back to ancient times, when beer and wine were used to provide nutrition and hydration, and were employed as solvents for healing botanicals. Over time, alchemists distilled elixirs designed to cure all diseases, monastic apothecaries developed mystical botanical liqueurs, traveling physicians concocted dubious intoxicating nostrums, and the drinks we’re familiar with today began to take form.
-
-
Informative and fun
- By Renee Walker on 06-09-24
By: Camper English
-
A Sense of Place
- A Journey Around Scotland’s Whisky
- By: Dave Broom
- Narrated by: Dave Broom
- Length: 5 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this beautifully crafted narrative, award-winning writer Dave Broom examines Scotch whisky from the point of view of its terroir—the land, weather, history, craft and culture that feed and enhance the whisky itself. Travelling around his native Scotland and visiting distilleries from Islay and Harris to Orkney and Speyside, Dave explores the whiskies made there and the elements in their distilling, and locality, which make them what they are. Along the way he tells the story of whisky's history and considers what whisky is now and where it is going.
-
-
For lovers of Single Malt and Scotland itself
- By Anonymous User on 10-06-22
By: Dave Broom
-
The Mezcal Rush
- Explorations in Agave Country
- By: Granville Greene
- Narrated by: Kevin Free
- Length: 8 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Mezcal. In recent years, the oldest spirit in the Americas has been reinvented as a pricy positional good popular among booze connoisseurs and the mixologists who use it as a cocktail ingredient. Unlike most high-end distillates, most small-batch mezcal is typically produced by and for subsistence farming communities, often under challenging conditions.
-
-
Wow! Just Wow!
- By Si saben cómo me pongo ¿pa' qué me invitan? on 09-25-17
By: Granville Greene
-
Proof
- The Science of Booze
- By: Adam Rogers
- Narrated by: Sean Runnette
- Length: 8 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In Proof, Adam Rogers reveals alcohol as a miracle of science, going deep into the pleasures of making and drinking booze—and the effects of the latter. The people who make and sell alcohol may talk about history and tradition, but alcohol production is really powered by physics, molecular biology, organic chemistry, and a bit of metallurgy—and our taste for those products is a melding of psychology and neurobiology.
-
-
Great listening to all about booze
- By Atila on 08-02-14
By: Adam Rogers
-
Pappyland
- A Story of Family, Fine Bourbon, and the Things That Last
- By: Wright Thompson
- Narrated by: Chris Abernathy
- Length: 5 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The story of how Julian Van Winkle III, the caretaker of the most coveted cult Kentucky Bourbon whiskey in the world, fought to protect his family's heritage and preserve the taste of his forebears, in a world where authenticity, like his product, is in very short supply.
-
-
Is Pappyland about fathers ..or bourbon ?
- By Hank on 11-11-20
By: Wright Thompson
-
Drink
- A Cultural History of Alcohol
- By: Iain Gately
- Narrated by: Matthew Lloyd Davies
- Length: 21 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Drink investigates the history of this Jekyll and Hyde of fluids, tracing mankind's love/hate relationship with alcohol from ancient Egypt to present day. Drink further documents the contribution of alcohol to the birth and growth of the United States, taking in the War of Independence, Pennsylvania Whiskey revolt, slave trade, and failed experiment of national Prohibition. Finally, it provides a history of the world's most famous drinks - and drinkers. Packed with trivia and colorful characters, Drink amounts to an intoxicating history of the world.
-
-
Amazing!
- By Ben on 02-23-22
By: Iain Gately
-
Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey
- An American Heritage
- By: Michael R. Veach
- Narrated by: Travis
- Length: 2 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Its history stretches back almost to the founding of the nation and includes many colorful characters, both well known and obscure, from the hatchet-wielding prohibitionist Carry Nation to George Garvin Brown, who in 1872 created Old Forester, the first bourbon to be sold only by the bottle.
-
-
Nice review
- By Joseph C Wood on 04-28-23
By: Michael R. Veach
-
The Book of Gin
- A Spirited World History from Alchemists' Stills and Colonial Outposts to Gin Palaces, Bathtub Gin, and Artisanal Cocktails
- By: Richard Barnett
- Narrated by: Richard Shelton
- Length: 7 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In The Book of Gin, Richard Barnett traces the life of this beguiling spirit, once believed to cause a new kind of drunkenness. In the 18th century, gin-craze debauchery (and class conflict) inspired Hogarth's satirical masterpieces "Gin Lane" and "Beer Street". In the 19th century, gin was drunk by Napoleonic War naval heroes, at lavish gin palaces, and by homesick colonials, who mixed it with their bitter anti-malarial tonics.
-
-
Great history on my favorite drink
- By Lucas Samples on 10-18-20
By: Richard Barnett
-
The United States of Beer
- A Freewheeling History of the All-American Drink
- By: Dane Huckelbridge
- Narrated by: Corey Snow
- Length: 6 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Huckelbridge shows how beer has evolved along with the country - from a local and regional product (once upon a time, every American city had its own brewery and iconic beer brand) to the rise of global megabrands, like Budweiser and Miller, that are synonymous with US capitalism. We learn of George Washington's failed attempt to brew beer at Mount Vernon with molasses instead of barley and of the 19th-century "beer barons", like Captain Frederick Pabst, Adolphus Busch, and Joseph Schlitz.
-
-
History Humanized
- By Dave on 06-25-16
-
A History of the World in 6 Glasses
- By: Tom Standage
- Narrated by: Sean Runnette
- Length: 7 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Throughout human history, certain drinks have done much more than just quench thirst. As Tom Standage relates with authority and charm, six of them have had a surprisingly pervasive influence on the course of history, becoming the defining drink during a pivotal historical period. A History of the World in 6 Glasses tells the story of humanity from the Stone Age to the 21st century through the lens of beer, wine, spirits, coffee, tea, and cola.
-
-
Fun and Informative
- By Stoker on 09-09-11
By: Tom Standage
-
The Alchemy of Air
- A Jewish Genius, a Doomed Tycoon, and the Scientific Discovery That Fed the World but Fueled the Rise of Hitler
- By: Thomas Hager
- Narrated by: Adam Verner
- Length: 10 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
At the dawn of the 20th century, humanity was facing global disaster. Mass starvation, long predicted for the fast-growing population, was about to become a reality. A call went out to the worlds scientists to find a solution. This is the story of the two enormously gifted, fatally flawed men who found it: the brilliant, self-important Fritz Haber and the reclusive, alcoholic Carl Bosch. Together they discovered a way to make bread out of air, built city-sized factories, controlled world markets, and saved millions of lives.
-
-
Great Book Thoroughly Researched
- By Terry A. Gray on 10-21-11
By: Thomas Hager
-
The Dreamt Land
- Chasing Water and Dust Across California
- By: Mark Arax
- Narrated by: Mark Arax
- Length: 25 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Mark Arax is from a family of Central Valley farmers, a writer with deep ties to the land who has watched the battles over water intensify even as California lurches from drought to flood and back again. In The Dreamt Land, he travels the state to explore the one-of-a-kind distribution system, built in the 1940s, '50s and '60s, that is straining to keep up with California's relentless growth. The Dreamt Land weaves reportage, history and memoir to confront the "Golden State" myth in riveting fashion.
-
-
Damn Near Perfect!
- By Charlie Morton on 12-08-19
By: Mark Arax
-
The Germans and Europe
- A Personal Frontline History
- By: Peter Millar
- Narrated by: Damian Lynch
- Length: 15 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Based on a lifetime living in and reporting on Germany and Central Europe, award-winning journalist and author Peter Millar tackles the fascinating and complex story of the people at the heart of our continent. Focussing on nine cities (only six of which are in the Germany of today), he takes us on a zigzag ride back through time via the fall of the Berlin Wall through the horrors of two world wars and the patchwork states of the Middle Ages to the splendour of Charlemagne and the fall of Rome.
-
-
One of the best books I have listened to on here
- By Shaun on 05-17-18
By: Peter Millar
Related to this topic
-
The United States of Beer
- A Freewheeling History of the All-American Drink
- By: Dane Huckelbridge
- Narrated by: Corey Snow
- Length: 6 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Huckelbridge shows how beer has evolved along with the country - from a local and regional product (once upon a time, every American city had its own brewery and iconic beer brand) to the rise of global megabrands, like Budweiser and Miller, that are synonymous with US capitalism. We learn of George Washington's failed attempt to brew beer at Mount Vernon with molasses instead of barley and of the 19th-century "beer barons", like Captain Frederick Pabst, Adolphus Busch, and Joseph Schlitz.
-
-
History Humanized
- By Dave on 06-25-16
-
Bourbon Empire
- The Past and Future of America's Whiskey
- By: Reid Mitenbuler
- Narrated by: Brian O'Neill
- Length: 10 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Unraveling the many myths and misconceptions surrounding America's most iconic spirit, Bourbon Empire traces a history that spans frontier rebellion, Gilded Age corruption, and the magic of Madison Avenue. Whiskey has profoundly influenced America's political, economic, and cultural destiny, just as those same factors have inspired the evolution and unique flavor of the whiskey itself.
-
-
Great whiskey history great American history
- By Larry G. on 06-16-15
By: Reid Mitenbuler
-
Judgment of Paris
- California vs. France and the Historic 1976 Paris Tasting That Revolutionized Wine
- By: George M. Taber
- Narrated by: Sean Runnette
- Length: 13 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Smithsonian's National Museum of American History houses, amid its illustrious artifacts, two bottles of wine: a 1973 Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon and a 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay. These are the wines that won at the now-famous Paris Tasting in 1976, where a panel of top French wine experts compared some of France's most famous wines with a new generation of California wines. Little did they know the wine industry would be completely transformed as a result....
-
-
Only for the wine-obsessed
- By History on 12-01-11
By: George M. Taber
-
The Widow Clicquot
- The Story of a Champagne Empire and the Woman Who Ruled It
- By: Tilar Mazzeo
- Narrated by: Susan Ericksen
- Length: 9 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In The Widow Clicquot, Tilar J. Mazzeo brings to life for the first time the fascinating woman behind the iconic yellow label: Barbe-Nicole Clicquot Ponsardin. A young witness to the dramatic events of the French Revolution and a new widow during the chaotic years of the Napoleonic Wars, Barbe-Nicole defied convention by assuming---after her husband's death---the reins of the fledgling wine business they had nurtured.
-
-
A painful listen
- By Anne on 04-29-09
By: Tilar Mazzeo
-
Drink
- A Cultural History of Alcohol
- By: Iain Gately
- Narrated by: Matthew Lloyd Davies
- Length: 21 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Drink investigates the history of this Jekyll and Hyde of fluids, tracing mankind's love/hate relationship with alcohol from ancient Egypt to present day. Drink further documents the contribution of alcohol to the birth and growth of the United States, taking in the War of Independence, Pennsylvania Whiskey revolt, slave trade, and failed experiment of national Prohibition. Finally, it provides a history of the world's most famous drinks - and drinkers. Packed with trivia and colorful characters, Drink amounts to an intoxicating history of the world.
-
-
Amazing!
- By Ben on 02-23-22
By: Iain Gately
-
The Juice
- Vinous Veritas: Essays
- By: Jay McInerney
- Narrated by: Jay McInerney
- Length: 8 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For more than a decade, Jay McInerney’s vinous essays, now featured in The Wall Street Journal, have been praised by restaurateurs (“Filled with small courses and surprising and exotic flavors, educational and delicious at the same time” —Mario Batali), by esteemed critics (“Brilliant, witty, comical, and often shamelessly candid and provocative” —Robert M. Parker Jr.), and by the media (“His wine judgments are sound, his anecdotes witty, and his literary references impeccable” — The New York Times).
-
-
eye opener
- By FlGatorsGuy on 11-16-15
By: Jay McInerney
-
The United States of Beer
- A Freewheeling History of the All-American Drink
- By: Dane Huckelbridge
- Narrated by: Corey Snow
- Length: 6 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Huckelbridge shows how beer has evolved along with the country - from a local and regional product (once upon a time, every American city had its own brewery and iconic beer brand) to the rise of global megabrands, like Budweiser and Miller, that are synonymous with US capitalism. We learn of George Washington's failed attempt to brew beer at Mount Vernon with molasses instead of barley and of the 19th-century "beer barons", like Captain Frederick Pabst, Adolphus Busch, and Joseph Schlitz.
-
-
History Humanized
- By Dave on 06-25-16
-
Bourbon Empire
- The Past and Future of America's Whiskey
- By: Reid Mitenbuler
- Narrated by: Brian O'Neill
- Length: 10 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Unraveling the many myths and misconceptions surrounding America's most iconic spirit, Bourbon Empire traces a history that spans frontier rebellion, Gilded Age corruption, and the magic of Madison Avenue. Whiskey has profoundly influenced America's political, economic, and cultural destiny, just as those same factors have inspired the evolution and unique flavor of the whiskey itself.
-
-
Great whiskey history great American history
- By Larry G. on 06-16-15
By: Reid Mitenbuler
-
Judgment of Paris
- California vs. France and the Historic 1976 Paris Tasting That Revolutionized Wine
- By: George M. Taber
- Narrated by: Sean Runnette
- Length: 13 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Smithsonian's National Museum of American History houses, amid its illustrious artifacts, two bottles of wine: a 1973 Stag's Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon and a 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay. These are the wines that won at the now-famous Paris Tasting in 1976, where a panel of top French wine experts compared some of France's most famous wines with a new generation of California wines. Little did they know the wine industry would be completely transformed as a result....
-
-
Only for the wine-obsessed
- By History on 12-01-11
By: George M. Taber
-
The Widow Clicquot
- The Story of a Champagne Empire and the Woman Who Ruled It
- By: Tilar Mazzeo
- Narrated by: Susan Ericksen
- Length: 9 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In The Widow Clicquot, Tilar J. Mazzeo brings to life for the first time the fascinating woman behind the iconic yellow label: Barbe-Nicole Clicquot Ponsardin. A young witness to the dramatic events of the French Revolution and a new widow during the chaotic years of the Napoleonic Wars, Barbe-Nicole defied convention by assuming---after her husband's death---the reins of the fledgling wine business they had nurtured.
-
-
A painful listen
- By Anne on 04-29-09
By: Tilar Mazzeo
-
Drink
- A Cultural History of Alcohol
- By: Iain Gately
- Narrated by: Matthew Lloyd Davies
- Length: 21 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Drink investigates the history of this Jekyll and Hyde of fluids, tracing mankind's love/hate relationship with alcohol from ancient Egypt to present day. Drink further documents the contribution of alcohol to the birth and growth of the United States, taking in the War of Independence, Pennsylvania Whiskey revolt, slave trade, and failed experiment of national Prohibition. Finally, it provides a history of the world's most famous drinks - and drinkers. Packed with trivia and colorful characters, Drink amounts to an intoxicating history of the world.
-
-
Amazing!
- By Ben on 02-23-22
By: Iain Gately
-
The Juice
- Vinous Veritas: Essays
- By: Jay McInerney
- Narrated by: Jay McInerney
- Length: 8 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For more than a decade, Jay McInerney’s vinous essays, now featured in The Wall Street Journal, have been praised by restaurateurs (“Filled with small courses and surprising and exotic flavors, educational and delicious at the same time” —Mario Batali), by esteemed critics (“Brilliant, witty, comical, and often shamelessly candid and provocative” —Robert M. Parker Jr.), and by the media (“His wine judgments are sound, his anecdotes witty, and his literary references impeccable” — The New York Times).
-
-
eye opener
- By FlGatorsGuy on 11-16-15
By: Jay McInerney
-
And a Bottle of Rum
- A History of the New World in Ten Cocktails
- By: Wayne Curtis
- Narrated by: Mike Chamberlain
- Length: 10 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
And a Bottle of Rum tells the raucously entertaining story of America as seen through the bottom of a drinking glass. With a chapter for each of 10 cocktails, Wayne Curtis reveals that the homely spirit once distilled from the industrial waste of the exploding sugar trade has managed to infiltrate every stratum of New World society. Curtis takes us from the taverns of the American colonies, to the plundering pirate ships off the coast of Central America, to the watering holes of pre-Castro Cuba, and to the kitsch-laden tiki bars of 1950s America.
-
-
A nice intersection of history and rum
- By Garshom L. Arkoff on 05-10-23
By: Wayne Curtis
-
A Guide to Wine
- By: Julian Curry
- Narrated by: Julian Curry
- Length: 5 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Actor and wine expert Julian Curry has devised a unique audiobook guide to wine. The whole subject is introduced and explained how wine is made, the different grapes, the different blends, vintages, wine-growing areas and types. In an entertaining and informal style, he also teaches how to taste wine, and how to choose and store it.
-
-
Comprehensive overview
- By Laurence on 09-26-03
By: Julian Curry
-
Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey
- An American Heritage
- By: Michael R. Veach
- Narrated by: Travis
- Length: 2 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Its history stretches back almost to the founding of the nation and includes many colorful characters, both well known and obscure, from the hatchet-wielding prohibitionist Carry Nation to George Garvin Brown, who in 1872 created Old Forester, the first bourbon to be sold only by the bottle.
-
-
Nice review
- By Joseph C Wood on 04-28-23
By: Michael R. Veach
-
Audacity of Hops
- The History of America's Craft Beer Revolution
- By: Tom Acitelli, Tony Magee - foreword
- Narrated by: Mike Chamberlain
- Length: 19 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Based on extensive archival research as well as interviews with the movement's key players going back to the 1960s, this acclaimed book is the most comprehensive chronicle yet of one of the most interesting and lucrative culinary trends in the US since World War II. Acitelli weaves the story of the rise of American craft beer into the tales of trends like Slow Food and the rebirth of America's urban areas, and paints an unforgettable portrait of plucky entrepreneurial triumph.
-
-
learned a lot of information
- By Derek b. on 05-19-24
By: Tom Acitelli, and others
-
Beeronomics
- How Beer Explains the World
- By: Johan Swinnen, Devin Briski
- Narrated by: Liam Gerrard
- Length: 8 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Beeronomics examines key developments that have moved the brewing industry forward. Its most ubiquitous ingredient, hops, was used by the Hanseatic League to establish the export dominance of Hamburg and Bremen in the 16th century. During the late 19th century, bottom-fermentation led to the spread of industrial lager beer. Industrial innovations in bottling, refrigeration, and TV advertising paved the way for the consolidation and market dominance of major macrobreweries during the 20th century.
-
-
Beer is our world.
- By thfiv on 02-04-20
By: Johan Swinnen, and others
-
A History of the World in 6 Glasses
- By: Tom Standage
- Narrated by: Sean Runnette
- Length: 7 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Throughout human history, certain drinks have done much more than just quench thirst. As Tom Standage relates with authority and charm, six of them have had a surprisingly pervasive influence on the course of history, becoming the defining drink during a pivotal historical period. A History of the World in 6 Glasses tells the story of humanity from the Stone Age to the 21st century through the lens of beer, wine, spirits, coffee, tea, and cola.
-
-
Fun and Informative
- By Stoker on 09-09-11
By: Tom Standage
-
Uncommon Grounds
- The History of Coffee and How It Transformed Our World
- By: Mark Pendergrast
- Narrated by: Matthew Boston
- Length: 16 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Uncommon Grounds tells the story of coffee from its discovery on a hill in ancient Abyssinia to the advent of Starbucks. In this updated edition of the classic work, Mark Pendergrast reviews the dramatic changes in coffee culture over the past decade, from the disastrous "Coffee Crisis" that caused global prices to plummet to the rise of the Fair Trade movement and the "third-wave" of quality-obsessed coffee connoisseurs.
-
-
Décent overarching review of coffee history digressing into its American commercialization
- By seajaywood on 05-23-19
By: Mark Pendergrast
-
Uncultivated
- Wild Apples, Real Cider, and the Complicated Art of Making a Living
- By: Andy Brennan
- Narrated by: Brett Barry
- Length: 11 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Long before the advent of conventional farming methods - which have focused on constant growth, human intervention, and genetic homogeneity - the apple had already grown to become the ubiquitous all-American symbol it is today. Known for their hardiness, ability to adapt to new environments, natural diversity, and plentiful bounty, wildly grown apples were once known as “America’s fruit” throughout the trading world.
-
-
Really good narrator
- By Landon & Sarah on 03-28-24
By: Andy Brennan
-
Coffeeland
- One Man's Dark Empire and the Making of Our Favorite Drug
- By: Augustine Sedgewick
- Narrated by: Jason Culp
- Length: 14 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Coffee is an indispensable part of daily life for billions of people around the world - one of the most valuable commodities in the history of global capitalism, the leading source of the world's most popular drug, and perhaps the most widespread word on the planet. Augustine Sedgewick's Coffeeland tells the hidden and surprising story of how this came to be, tracing coffee's 500-year transformation from a mysterious Muslim ritual into an everyday necessity.
-
-
Unfortunately
- By Brian on 06-06-20
-
Wine Wars
- The Curse of the Blue Nun, the Miracle of Two Buck Chuck, and the Revenge of the Terroirists
- By: Mike Veseth
- Narrated by: Clinton Wade
- Length: 8 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Writing with wit and verve, Mike Veseth (a.k.a. the Wine Economist) tells the compelling story of the war between the market trends that are redrawing the world wine map and the terroirists who resist them. Wine and the wine business are at a critical crossroad today, transformed by three powerful forces. Veseth begins with the first force, globalization, which is shifting the center of the wine world as global wine markets provide enthusiasts with a rich but overwhelming array of choices.
-
-
Narration Tanks an Otherwise-Interesting Book
- By Gian on 02-21-14
By: Mike Veseth
-
The Taste of Conquest
- The Rise and Fall of the Three Great Cities of Spice
- By: Michael Krondl
- Narrated by: Todd McLaren
- Length: 10 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this engaging, anecdotal history of food, world conquest, and desire, a chef-turned-journalist tells the story of three legendary cities, Venice, Lisbon, and Amsterdam, that transformed the globe in the quest for spice.
-
-
Not that bad.
- By EmperorTab on 10-19-08
By: Michael Krondl
-
A Bite-Sized History of France
- Gastronomic Tales of Revolution, War, and Enlightenment
- By: Stephane Henaut, Jeni Mitchell
- Narrated by: Derek Perkins
- Length: 11 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From the cassoulet that won a war to the crêpe that doomed Napoleon, from the rebellions sparked by bread and salt to the new cuisines forged by empire, the history of France is intimately entwined with its gastronomic pursuits. A witty exploration of the facts and legends surrounding some of the most popular French foods and wines by a French cheesemonger and an American academic, A Bite-Sized History of France tells the compelling and often surprising story of France from the Roman era to modern times.
-
-
Great stories, but...
- By David on 01-12-20
By: Stephane Henaut, and others