Famous Wine Quotes in English with Images

Here are some famous wine quotes, each with a detailed meaning and example. Wine has often been used as a metaphor for life, pleasure, aging, and wisdom.

1. "Wine is bottled poetry." — Robert Louis Stevenson

• Meaning: Stevenson suggests that wine, like poetry, is complex, expressive, and evokes deep emotions and memories. Every sip can be a sensory experience that speaks to the soul.

• Example: At a wine tasting, Sarah said, “Wine is bottled poetry. Each glass tells a different story of the land, the grape, and the season.”

2. "In wine, there is truth." — Latin Proverb ("In vino veritas")

• Meaning: This ancient proverb implies that people often reveal their true selves when under the influence of wine. It suggests that wine can lower inhibitions and bring out honesty.

• Example: During a heartfelt dinner with friends, Michael joked, “Well, in vino veritas! I guess it’s time to share the truth about how I really feel!”

3. "Age appears best in four things: old wood to burn, old wine to drink, old friends to trust, and old authors to read." — Francis Bacon

• Meaning: Bacon believed that age adds value and depth. Just as old wine is more refined, so are seasoned friendships, knowledge, and experiences more valuable.

• Example: Toasting to her longtime friends at a reunion, Lisa said, “As Bacon said, old friends and old wine are the best. Here’s to many more years of both.”

4. "A meal without wine is like a day without sunshine." — Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin

• Meaning: Brillat-Savarin, a French gastronome, believed wine adds joy and warmth to a meal, much like sunshine brightens a day. It highlights the pleasure of wine as a part of dining.

• Example: At a family dinner, Tom poured a glass of red wine and remarked, “A meal without wine is like a day without sunshine. This makes our dinner complete.”

5. "Wine improves with age. The older I get, the better I like it." — Anonymous

• Meaning: This quote humorously compares wine aging gracefully with a person’s growing appreciation for it over time. It suggests that both wine and life can be enjoyed more fully with maturity.

• Example: Celebrating her 50th birthday, Janet joked, “Wine improves with age, and so do I. The older I get, the more I appreciate a good vintage!”

6. "Men are like wine—some turn to vinegar, but the best improve with age." — Pope John XXIII

• Meaning: Pope John XXIII draws a humorous comparison between men and wine, suggesting that, like wine, some people mature beautifully while others may lose their charm.

• Example: At a friend’s birthday party, Angela quoted Pope John XXIII, saying, “Here’s to you—one of the rare men who, like a fine wine, only gets better with age.”

7. "Wine makes daily living easier, less hurried, with fewer tensions and more tolerance." — Benjamin Franklin

• Meaning: Franklin saw wine as a calming and civilizing influence, suggesting that it can help people slow down, unwind, and be more understanding in their daily lives.

• Example: After a busy week, Robert poured himself a glass and remembered Franklin’s words, thinking, “Wine really does make life a little easier and more enjoyable.”

8. "I cook with wine; sometimes I even add it to the food." — W.C. Fields

• Meaning: This humorous quote suggests that wine can be enjoyed as much in the glass as in the dish. It plays on the idea of using wine liberally in life, both as an ingredient and a source of enjoyment.

• Example: While preparing a rich pasta sauce, Carol poured herself a glass and said, “Like W.C. Fields, I cook with wine, and sometimes, it even makes it into the recipe!”

9. "Wine is sunlight, held together by water." — Galileo Galilei

• Meaning: Galileo poetically describes wine as the embodiment of nature—sunlight and water merging to create something beautiful. It reflects the natural elements that make wine special.

• Example: At a vineyard tour, the guide quoted Galileo, saying, “Wine is sunlight, held together by water. Every glass is a product of the earth and sky.”

10. "The discovery of a wine is of greater moment than the discovery of a constellation. The universe is too full of stars." — Benjamin Franklin

• Meaning: Franklin humorously suggests that finding a good wine is more exciting than discovering something in the vast cosmos. Good wine offers immediate pleasure and brings people together.

• Example: At a wine launch, the winemaker said, “As Franklin said, a good wine is a special discovery. We hope this new vintage will be as exciting to you as a new constellation.”

11. "Life is too short to drink bad wine." — Anonymous

• Meaning: This quote encourages living fully and not settling for less than quality experiences, starting with good wine. It’s about appreciating life’s pleasures and making the most of our time.

• Example: Browsing a wine list, Julia opted for a more expensive vintage, smiling as she said, “Life’s too short for bad wine. Let’s make this meal special.”

12. "Wine is the most healthful and most hygienic of beverages." — Louis Pasteur

• Meaning: Pasteur, a pioneering microbiologist, saw wine as a safe and beneficial drink, especially compared to untreated water of his time. He believed it to have health properties when enjoyed moderately.

• Example: At a wine-and-health seminar, Dr. Evans quoted Pasteur, adding, “In moderation, wine has been seen as healthful for centuries, even by the great Louis Pasteur.”

13. "Wine is constant proof that God loves us and loves to see us happy." — Misattributed to Benjamin Franklin

• Meaning: This playful quote suggests that wine, as a gift of nature, is a sign of divine goodwill. It’s often used to convey that life’s simple pleasures are worth enjoying.

• Example: Toasting at a wedding, Uncle Joe raised his glass, saying, “Wine is proof that life is good, and we should savor it. Cheers to the happy couple!”

14. "Accept what life offers you and try to drink from every cup. All wines should be tasted; some should only be sipped, but with others, drink the whole bottle." — Paulo Coelho

• Meaning: Coelho uses wine as a metaphor for life’s experiences. Not every experience will be memorable, but some should be cherished deeply, like a fine wine.

• Example: Reflecting on his adventurous year abroad, Matt quoted Coelho, saying, “I drank deeply from every experience and tasted life in all its flavors.”

15. "Wine brings to light the hidden secrets of the soul." — Horace

• Meaning: This ancient quote implies that wine can unlock emotions and truths people might usually keep hidden. It’s associated with the idea of wine revealing the inner self.

• Example: At a dinner with old friends, where everyone shared personal stories, Karen said, “Horace was right. A little wine, and the secrets of the soul come out!”

16. "Quickly, bring me a beaker of wine, so that I may wet my mind and say something clever." — Aristophanes

• Meaning: This humorous quote from the ancient Greek playwright suggests that wine can help free up one’s creativity or wit, often loosening up thoughts and words.

• Example: Toasting his friends at a poetry reading, David raised his glass and joked, “As Aristophanes said, bring me wine so I can say something clever!”

17. "Wine is life." — Petronius

• Meaning: Petronius saw wine as a central element of existence, representing joy, celebration, and vitality. Wine is associated with some of the most cherished aspects of living fully.

• Example: At a lively dinner, Maria raised her glass and said, “Here’s to wine—because as Petronius said, it’s life!”

18. "Let us celebrate the occasion with wine and sweet words." — Plautus

• Meaning: Plautus suggests that special moments are best enjoyed with wine and kind words. This quote emphasizes the importance of toasting to joy and good company.

• Example: At an anniversary dinner, Sam toasted his wife, saying, “As Plautus advised, let’s celebrate with wine and sweet words. Here’s to many more years together.”

19. "Wine is like the incarnation—it is both divine and human." — Paul Tillich

• Meaning: Tillich, a theologian, describes wine as something that connects the earthly and the spiritual. Like humanity, wine is born from nature and enriched by human hands.

• Example: During a discussion on art and wine, Anna mentioned, “Wine, like great art, is both human and divine, connecting us to something larger.”

These quotes highlight the various ways wine has been cherished as a symbol of joy, wisdom, and life itself. They remind us of the richness that wine brings to both ordinary and special moments.

• Water for oxen, wine for kings. - Spanish Proverb Sayings of Spanish Origin Quotes Download or Share

  Nothing equals the joy of the drinker, except the joy of the wine in being drunk. - Wine quotes by French Saying Download or Share

  It is a maudlin and indecent verity that comes out through the strength of wine. - Wine quotes by Joseph Conrad Download or Share

  Wine gives a man nothing. It neither gives him knowledge nor wit; it only animates a man, and enables him to bring out what a dread of the company has repressed. It only puts in motion what had been locked up in frost. - Wine quotes by Samuel Johnson

  Wine makes a man better pleased with himself. I do not say that it makes him more pleasing to others… This is one of the disadvantages of wine, it makes a man mistake words for thoughts. - Samuel Johnson Quotes

  You know, my friends, with what a brave carouse I made a Second Marriage in my house, favored old barren reason from my bed, and took the daughter of the vine to spouse. - Omar Khayyam Quote

  If you have a grateful heart (which is a miracle amongst you statesmen), show it by directing the bearer to the best wine in town, and pray let not this highest point of sacred friendship be performed slightly, but go about it with all due deliberation and car, as holy priests to sacrifice, or as discreet thieves to the wary performance of burglary and shop-lifting. Let your well-discerning palate (the best judge about you) travel from cellar to cellar and then from piece to piece till it has lighted on wine fit for its noble choice and my approbation. - Earl Rochester Quote

  I may not here omit those two main plagues, and common dotages of human kind, wine and women, which have infatuated and besotted myriads of people. They go commonly together. - Wine quotes by Robert Burton

  Wine is a part of society because it provides a basis not only for a morality but also for an environment; it is an ornament in the slightest ceremonials of French daily life, from the snack to the feast, from the conversation at the local caft to the speech at a formal dinner. - Wine quotes by Roland Barthes

  It’s a naive domestic Burgundy without any breeding, but I think you’ll be amused by its presumption. - James Thurber Quotes

  For those who do not drink wine, may God take away their water. - Anonymous

  This wine is too good for toast-drinking, my dear. You don’t want to mix emotions up with a wine like that. You lose the taste. - Wine quotes by Ernest Hemingway