The British Food Journal Volume 60 Issue 8 1958

Abstract

The cultivation of the vine, and the making and drinking of wine date back into unrecorded past history of the human race, occurring in many parts of the world; as soon as the Flood was subsided, the Scriptures tell us, Noah planted a vineyard, and the Psalmist refers to wine making glad the heart of man. But this country of ours is not a place where the vine can grow, at least with any degree of comfort; as a consequence the drinking of wine has never been a typically British habit, and up to comparatively recent times it was mainly confined to the “ upper ” classes. It used to be customary, however, among some of less elevated rank and station, particularly when it was desired to show some signs of aspiration toward, or pretence of, gentility, to keep the odd decanter of wine on or in the sideboard, for production on particular occasions and for special visitors. There had been much hard drinking in the “ good old days ”, both of spirits and malted liquors by the lower orders, and of wine by their betters, and one of the early manifestations of the Victorian conscience was a reaction against this lamentable tendency of our forebears, leading to the formation of a strong temperance movement, which has remained with us to this day, labouring with varied success. That “ wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging ”, was accepted as an awful truth in certain circles, and in them the use of wine was proscribed. But the word “ wine ” still retained a sort of cachet, having been so long associated with high life and social eminence, and the blue ribbon hostess still felt the need to remain fashionable, and to be able to offer to the occasional caller the customary glass of something genteel and comme il faut. Here was a commercial opportunity which led to the appearance on the market of “ non‐alcoholic” wines, and the Non‐conformist madam could now still say her polite “ A glass of wine?” with no qualms of conscience or straining of her temperance principles.

Citation

(1958), "The British Food Journal Volume 60 Issue 8 1958", British Food Journal, Vol. 60 No. 8, pp. 81-90. https://doi.org/10.1108/eb011557