Information on sociological and historical wine research and current research projects of the Wine Studies Research Network at the University of Newcastle

Wine Studies Research Network

Research

Why humanities and social science-based wine research?

Wine drinking is not just an ordinary activity of daily life, but an extraordinary one. As opposed to food, for which we have a fundamental biological drive, wine is a matter of choice, of taste, and often denotes a cultured, not just cultural, identity.

As such its history is studied in Europe, even Britain, as a trade commodity and a value-laden drink. Yet trade and consumption are dependent on production, which is under-researched historically and sociologically.

The 2014 John Turner Memorial Lecture, presented by Dr Julie McIntyre. Entitled, The World in a Glass of Hunter Valley Wine, the lecture explored the Hunter's long history of wine production dating back to the 1820s.

Current projects

Vines, Wine and Identity

Supported by the ARC Linkage Project scheme, this project focuses on Australia's oldest wine region, the Hunter Valley NSW, to understand how a product that 50 years ago was considered 'unAustralian' has become a lifeblood of some regions and a new national drink... read more.