THE HISTORY OF WINE

THE HISTORY OF WINE

Wine is old!

The earliest records of grape wine production have been traced back to ~7000 BC in what is modern day Georgia, in Eastern Europe. Archaeologists have also found evidence of wine production in Iran (5000 BC) and Armenia (4100 BC). In fact, the only alcoholic drink known to be older than wine is mead, made from fermented honey.

Wine was popular in ancient Egypt among the elites — pharaohs, high priests, and nobility — and was embraced as a symbol of affluence. Tomb paintings and hieroglyphics depict red wine being consumed as a symbol of blood and vitality, and pharaohs and high priests were often buried with wine for the afterlife.

In Egypt, wine was stored in amphorae, or large clay vessels, which are actually having a resurgence in wine production today as aging vessels. Amphorae impart a different body & mouthfeel to wine than an oak barrel or a stainless steel barrel.

The ancient Greeks also revered wine, where it permeated broader culture than in Egypt. Wine in Greece would often be diluted with water (drinking to excess was discouraged) and served during symposium events, where people would converse, debate, and enjoy themselves in a convivial atmosphere.

The Romans are credited with spreading viticulture throughout Europe. Romans introduced wine barrels, which allowed wine to be aged and transported more effectively than clay amphorae. Wine also transcended class boundaries in the Roman Empire, and became a drink of choice for all people.

When the Roman Empire collapsed, Benedictine monks became the custodians of wine-making. The precise terroir measurements and knowledge that we have of Burgundy and Champagne vineyards in France can be attributed to meticulous record-keeping by monks over many years.

During the Renaissance period, there was a renewed interest in the science of viticulture. As European explorers crossed the globe, they brought vines with them to North America, South America, South Africa, New Zealand, and Australia.

In the United States, European grape varietals struggled to survive amidst different pests and diseases. Grape growing didn’t truly take off until the discovery of native grape varietals (including Scuppernong).

Thomas Jefferson was a leading proponent of wine in the 18th century, and although he was unsuccessful in growing grapes at Monticello (he tried), his advocacy of wine culture brought wine to the forefront of American culture and left an indelible impact.

Missouri was the first successful wine region in the United States. German immigrants planted vineyards in the 1830s, and had a thriving wine region by 1850. In fact, the first “American Viticulture Area” established in the United States is not Napa, California — it is Augusta, Missouri (AVA c.1980).

Modern day wine culture in the United States is an even more complex story, and worthy of an entire newsletter on its own.