‘The definitive Christmas present for wine lovers’ recreated

About the Compleat Imbiber – Kathleen Burk (2013)

Published intermittently in Britain from 1957 to 1992, the Compleat Imbiber was the quintessential late-evening or bedtime book for those who liked wine. It comprised short essays, both fictional and autobiographical, occasional limericks and poems, and wonderfully drawn illustrations (and less good photographs) from journalist contributors, including wine specialists and a number of the best-known writers of the period… It appealed to members of the public who shared the growing interest in wine that manifested itself in the postwar period. It was often witty, it was easy to read, it was occasionally instructional, and it could give the reader the impression of being part of a literary and gastronomic culture shared by a knowledgeable few.