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Wine, Politics, and Markets

A Global History of Regulation

Giulia Meloni (Author), Johan Swinnen (Author),

Paperback
Epub
PDF

Category: Economy, History, Policy, Governance and Public Administration

Language: English

DOI: 10.11116/9789461668110

ISBN: 9789462705494

Publication date: November 2, 2026

€35.00 (including 6% VAT)

COMING SOON
Available to pre-order two weeks before date of publication.

Size: 234 x 156 x mm

Funded by: KU Leuven Fund for Fair Open Access
Open Book Collective

Standard delivery time for print books:

For Belgium: 5 to 8 working days

For EU: 2 to 3 weeks

For other countries: 4 to 5 weeks

Category: Economy, History, Policy, Governance and Public Administration

Language: English

DOI: 10.11116/9789461668110

ISBN: 9789461668110

Publication date: November 2, 2026

COMING SOON

Funded by: KU Leuven Fund for Fair Open Access
Open Book Collective

Category: Economy, History, Policy, Governance and Public Administration

Language: English

DOI: 10.11116/9789461668110

ISBN: 9789461668103

Publication date: November 2, 2026

COMING SOON

Funded by: KU Leuven Fund for Fair Open Access
Open Book Collective

Summary
About the Author
Reviews

Comprehensive analysis of global wine regulations across history, geography, and discipline.

Wine has been at the heart of human civilization for thousands of years, and for centuries governments around the world have regulated wine production, consumption, and trade for reasons ranging from consumer protection and quality assurance to tax revenue and the protection of vineyard owners’ rents. The European Union (EU) alone has introduced more than two thousand wine regulations. Some of today’s regulations date back hundreds of years; others are more recent; and there is considerable variation over time.

The rich history of wine regulation offers fascinating insights into the political economy of public policy and the ways in which such policies persist and evolve. This book examines specific historical developments involving wines that are well known today, such as Champagne, Port, Chianti, and Burgundy. Drawing on original historical sources and multilingual archival research, it provides the first comprehensive analysis of global wine regulations from an integrated political, economic, and historical perspective.

It will appeal to a wide range of readers, including academics and students across disciplines, and anyone interested in wine and wine markets around the world.

Giulia Meloni

Giulia Meloni holds a PhD in Economics from KU Leuven and is currently a research associate at KU Leuven, a lecturer at the Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB), and a policy officer at the European Commission.

Johan Swinnen

Johan Swinnen is Director General of the International Food Policy Research Institute. He was previously Professor at KU Leuven and Director of the LICOS Centre for Institutions and Economic Performance.

If terroir affects the study of wine and trade, Leuven, Belgium seems to impart the most valuable characteristics. Over the past decade, Meloni and Swinnen have established a foothold in the political economy of wine regulations. This book will be required reading for scholars and policymakers concerned about the future of wine, trade, culture, and politics. - Stephen T. Ziliak, Roosevelt University

Drawing on years of collaborative research on the economic history and political economy of wine regulation, Giulia Meloni and Jo Swinnen have produced a volume that is far greater than the sum of its parts. It is an invaluable resource for scholars and all those interested in this fascinating subject. - Julian M. Alston, Distinguished Professor Emeritus and Director of the Robert Mondavi Institute Center for Wine Economics, University of California, Davis.

A fundamental contribution to the history and political economy of government intervention in wine production and trade. It stands out for the breadth of its spatial and temporal coverage and for its in-depth analysis. It offers valuable insights into public intervention in agriculture, grounded in solid economic analysis. Highly relevant for fields such as economics, history, agricultural economics, and political science. - Vicente Pinilla, University of Zaragoza

This work provides a rich tapestry of various countries’ wine regulations spanning centuries. Both history and geography are shown to contribute to the formation, consolidation and occasional reform of complex regulations affecting grape growing plus national wine production, consumption and international trade. Anyone interested in the what, when, how or why of wine regulations will find this non-technical volume fascinating. - Kym Anderson AC, Executive Director, Wine Economics Research Centre