Because wine is a staple of so many cultures all over the world, it can be difficult to imagine a time when this prized potable was not widely available, but of course, that was the case at some point in the past.
Wine is loved by many people these days, but how many are actually aware of the origin story of this particular drink?
It’s actually a story worth knowing. Wine lovers such as Denis Mackenzie are already well aware of how wine came from humble beginnings and then gradually took over the world.
This article will serve to give a brief overview of wine’s history and how it has managed to become as popular as it is today.
The Roots of Winemaking Are Entrenched in the Neolithic Period
Take a quick guess of how old wine is. You probably know that it’s been around since the days of some prominent historical figures, but what you may not be aware of is that there’s evidence suggesting wine was made way back in the Neolithic Period.
According to The University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, winemaking as a human activity was first observed to be done sometime between 8500-4000 B.C. One of the reasons that apparently led to people making wine at that point was that they no longer had to move around all the time.
With established settlements to live in, people could put more time into trying out a variety of food making techniques, and somewhere along the way, they managed to make wine. During that time, people made use of clay jars to store their wine, and some findings even suggest that jars of wine were kept in rooms that acted similar to the kitchens of today.
What is unclear is how those wines tasted, though in all likelihood, they don’t bear much of a resemblance to modern products.
A winery from this era was also found by researchers last decade. According to VinePair, the world’s oldest winery was located in ancient Armenia. It was believed to be functional sometime around 4100 B.C.
A Kind of Wine Flowed in Ancient Egypt
The evidence for wine being prominently in the culture of ancient Egypt is abundant. Researchers have found what they believe to be winemaking scenes etched on the walls of tombs. There also bits of evidence which indicate that wine was made in the Nile Delta at some point during that era.
Interestingly enough however, it is unclear if this substance depicted in ancient Egyptian etchings is actually wine or just something close to it. In any case, this wine-like substance became frequently used by the Egyptians, and it even became an integral element of certain ceremonies.
Wine on the Move
Moving things forward a bit, it was sometime around 1200 to 539 B.C. when wine turned into something that became valued in trade. The Phoenicians adopted the habit of bringing wine with them as they traveled across the Mediterranean.
Their wine was kept in ceramic jars, and their trading partners included Jewish people and the Greeks.
The Greeks fell in love with this new drink that was introduced to them by the Phoenicians, and soon enough, they would spend resources and time further developing it. The Romans got in on the fun too, and they made a point of making a wine a central point of their culture.
As it turns out, the Romans getting involved in the business of wine was hugely important. Their love for wine led to them planting grapevines in several countries as the Roman Empire expanded. The Romans planted grapevines in countries such as France, Portugal, and Spain.
It’s safe to say that the wine industry would not be in the same shape if countries like France, Portugal, and Spain were not involved, so in a way, the Romans had a huge hand in molding the industry.
Wine’s Involvement in Religion Allows It to Continue Thriving
The fall of the Roman Empire is well-documented, but despite wine’s close link to it, the drink did not get lost to history, and that’s due in part to religion.
As noted by Britannica, wine being an important part of the Christian religion allowed it to live beyond the existence of the Roman Empire. Even today, wine continues to be used in mass, so that tradition from the olden days has clearly stuck.
World Explorers Bring Wine to Different Corners of the Globe
Since wine is firmly entrenched in religion, conquistadors, members of the military, missionaries, and traders brought wine with them during their travels as they interacted with people from all over the world.