Few wine books can be called classic but the first edition of The World Atlas of Wine made publishing history when it appeared in 1971. It is recognized by critics as the most essential and authoritative wine reference work available. This seventh edition will bring readers, both old and new, bang up to date with the world of wine.

Much has changed since the last edition of the Atlas in 2007. Changes in climate, in winemaking technique, in fashion, and in where wine is grown over the past years are all reflected in this new edition. The move away from more predictable international grapes and towards less familiar, local varieties is a noticeable trend. Wine that expresses its precise location is once more to the fore, meaning that an Atlas that allows the reader to understand a region's geography is more necessary than ever. The increasing importance of cooler-climate regions as the effects of climate change become more apparent and the growth of China, not just as a consumer of wine but also as a grape-grower and wine producer, are just two of the many other developments covered.

The Atlas is renowned for its superb cartography and this seventh edition has 215 unique maps. Dynamic wine regions such as coastal Croatia, Khaketi in Georgia, Canterbury in New Zealand, Swartland in South Africa, Northern Virginia in the US , and Ningxia in China are examples of just some that are covered in detail for the first time. Hugh Johnson and Jancis Robinson, the world's most respected wine-writing duo, have again joined forces to create a classic that no wine lover can afford to be without.