He did not make wine; he made readers of it. Hugh Johnson turned a subject cloaked in snobbery and mystery into something anyone could understand, love, and explore — and became the best-selling wine writer in history.
If you have ever read a wine book, you owe a debt to Hugh Johnson. The English writer (born 1939) more or less invented modern wine literature — approachable, elegant, and grounded in history — and his books have sold more copies than those of any other wine author.[1]
Mapping the wine world
Johnson’s masterpiece is The World Atlas of Wine, which made publishing history when it first appeared in 1971.[1] For the first time, the world’s wine regions were mapped with the care of an atlas, showing readers exactly where great wine came from and why. It remains the single most important reference in wine, now co-authored with Jancis Robinson.
The everyman’s guide
Johnson also understood that most wine lovers wanted a friend in their pocket, not a lecture. His annual Pocket Wine Book, first published in 1977, sells hundreds of thousands of copies a year and has guided generations of drinkers.[1] And in The Story of Wine (1989) he told wine’s sweeping human history with a novelist’s flair — exactly the spirit of intersecting wine and civilization that we chase in our own Wine History Timeline.
He took wine down from the pedestal and handed it to everyone.
A writer of the good life
A man of wide passions, Johnson was also a celebrated garden writer — his love of the cultivated landscape informing his feel for the vine. More than any critic or scorekeeper, he shaped how ordinary people think and feel about wine, with warmth, curiosity, and an unfailing sense of pleasure.[1]
| Who | English wine writer (b. 1939); the best-selling of all[1] |
|---|---|
| His masterwork | The World Atlas of Wine (1971)[1] |
| The bestseller | The annual Pocket Wine Book (from 1977)[1] |
| The history | The Story of Wine (1989)[1] |
The great communicators
Johnson’s closest peer — and now co-author of the Atlas — is Jancis Robinson. Together they are the two writers who have done the most to explain wine to the world.
Related reading: Jancis Robinson · why place makes the wine · the Wine History Timeline
Frequently asked questions
Who is Hugh Johnson?
An English wine writer, born 1939, widely considered the best-selling wine author in the world. He created The World Atlas of Wine (1971) and the annual Pocket Wine Book (from 1977), among many other titles.
What is The World Atlas of Wine?
Hugh Johnson’s landmark 1971 book that mapped the world’s wine regions for the first time. Now co-authored with Jancis Robinson, it remains the single most important reference work in wine.
Sources
- “Hugh Johnson (wine writer)” (English wine writer born 1939; the best-selling wine author; The World Atlas of Wine, first published 1971; the annual Pocket Wine Book from 1977; The Story of Wine, 1989; also a noted garden writer), Wikipedia. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugh_Johnson_(wine_writer)
Want to read more?
Books we drew on and recommend — starting with Johnson’s own masterwork.
The World Atlas of WineHugh Johnson & Jancis Robinson
The Wine BibleKaren MacNeil
Judgment of ParisGeorge M. TaberAs an Amazon Associate, Wine History Tours earns from qualifying purchases. This supports our research at no extra cost to you.
