May 25 is National Wine Day and in honour of that, I think it's worth exploring how wine, as a beverage, has influenced our culture. Wine has been an integral part of human history from ancient civilizations right through to the modern day. It has become deeply associated with culture, power and prestige in a way that no other beverage has.

Most of what I'm going to share with you today is based on a magazine piece about wine and civility that I wrote two months after 9/11. However, the search for civility in everyday life has more resonance than ever, with the seemingly daily mass shootings in various places around the world, the ongoing threat of ISIS, and the aggression that many women and others face daily on social media.

I'm going to break this topic up into two episodes, with today's show being part one, and part two will be published on May 29. I welcome your thoughts on this audio essay!

To learn more about the resources mentioned in this episode, visit the show notes.