The introduction sets out the main themes and provides a historical background to the core of the book. There is, firstly, a discussion of how the planting of the vine was shaped by larger imperial dynamics under the Dutch East India Company and subsequently under British rule. It addresses the transition from slavery to a form of labour that was nominally free. Secondly, there is an analysis of the relative importance of the domestic and imperial markets and the manner in which British duties shaped the Cape wine industry. And thirdly, the chapter provides an account of the increased importance of wine science concerned with managing the fermentation process and dealing with diseases. The phylloxera crisis is shown to be a turning point, not least with respect to South Africa’s engagement with international scientific opinion. The career of A.I. Perold unfolds as part of that story. The chapter concludes by identifying some of the challenges that were faced during the research and how the project evolved to take account of what was possible. The introduction alludes to work that deploys Pierre Bourdieu’s conception of fields, and justifies its decision not to go down that route.