The contract for the first edition was signed in 1988, and after a five year writing process it was published in 1994.[2] The second edition was published in 1999 and the third edition was released in 2006. The third edition contains nearly 4,000 entries over ca. 800 pages with contributions of 167 people. Entries concerning individuals are limited to a strict criteria of "a long track record" and "global significance", hence French worldwide consulting oenologistMichel Rolland and even Soviet premier Mikhail Gorbachev have an entry, while California oenologist Helen Turley is omitted.[3] Also, there is no entry on Jancis Robinson herself.