«Honest Claret»: The Social Meaning of Georgian Ireland’s Favourite Wine

In the eighteenth century, Ireland’s elite could choose from a wide range of wines, but their favourite was claret – the red wine of Bordeaux. Whereas Britain’s wine drinkers turned to port in this period, and America’s elite filled their glasses with Madeira, in Ireland, claret flowed in the social world of the privileged classes. This book looks back to earliest times to trace the story of how and why a French wine became what Jonathan Swift fondly called «Irish wine». Exploring the social life of claret in Georgian Ireland through a range of period sources reveals the social meanings attached to this wine and expands our knowledge of Ireland’s fascinating food history.