History of Wine

WINE

Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients.Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast consumes the sugars in the grapes and converts them into alcohol. Different varieties of grapes and strains of yeasts produce different types of wine.
Wines made from other fruits, such as apples and berries, are normally named after the fruit from which they are produced (for example, apple wine or elderberry wine) and are generically called fruit wine or country wine (not to be confused with the French term vin de pays). Others, such as barley wine and rice wine (i.e., sake), are made from starch-based materials and resemble beer and spirit more than wine, while ginger wine is fortified with brandy. In these cases, the term "wine" refers to the higher alcohol content rather than the production process.The commercial use of the English word "wine" (and its equivalent in other languages) is protected by law in many jurisdictions.
Wine has a rich history dating back thousands of years, with the earliest known production occurring around 8,000 years ago on the territory of modern-day Georgia. It first appeared in the Balkans at about 4500 BC and was very common in ancient Greece, Thrace and Rome. Wine has also played an important role in religion throughout history. The Greek god Dionysus and the Roman equivalent Bacchus represented wine, and the drink is also used in Christian Eucharist ceremonies and the Jewish Kiddush.




History of Wine
Archaeological evidence suggests that the earliest known production of wine, made by fermenting grapes, took place as early as 8,000 years ago in Georgiaand 6,100 years ago in Armenia. These locations are all within the natural area of the European grapevine Vitis vinifera.

Pressing wine after the harvest; Tacuinum Sanitatis, 14th century

Through an extensive gene-mapping project in 2006, Dr. McGovern and his colleagues analyzed the heritage of more than 110 modern grape cultivars, and narrowed their origin to a region in Georgia, where also wine residues were discovered on the inner surfaces of 8,000-year-old ceramic storage jars in Shulavari, Georgia. Other notable areas of wine production have been discovered in Greece and date back to 4500 BC.^] The same sites also contain the world's earliest evidence of crushed grapes. On January 11, 2011 in one of Armenia's Vayots Dzor province cave was found a wine making press dating to approximately 6,000 years ago Literary references to wine are abundant in Homer (9th century BC, but possibly composed even earlier), Alkman (7th century BC), and others. In Ancient Egypt, six of 36 wine amphoras were found in the tomb of King Tutankhamun bearing the name "Kha'y", a royal chief vintner. Five of these amphoras were designated as from the King's personal estate with the sixth listed as from the estate of the royal house of Aten.Traces of wine have also been found in central Asian Xinjiang, dating from the second and first millennia BC.
The first known mentioning of grape-based wines in India was in the late 4th century BC writings of Chanakya who was the chief minister of Emperor Chandragupta Maurya. In his writings, Chanakya condemns the use of alcohol while chronicling the emperor and his court's frequent indulgence of a style of grape wine known as Madhu.
A 2003 report by archaeologists indicates a possibility that grapes were mixed with rice to produce mixed fermented beverages in China in the early years of the seventh millennium BC. Pottery jars from the Neolithic site of Jiahu, Henan contained traces of tartaric acid and other organic compounds commonly found in wine. However, other fruits indigenous to the region, such as hawthorn, cannot be ruled out.If these beverages, which seem to be the precursors of rice wine, included grapes rather than other fruits, these grapes were of any of the several dozen indigenous wild species of grape in China, rather than from Vitis vinifera, which were introduced into China some 6000 years later.
One of the lasting legacies of the ancient Roman Empire was the viticulture foundation the Romans laid in the lands that today are world renowned wine regions. Areas with Roman garrison towns, like Bordeaux, Trier, and Colchester, the Romans planted vineyards to supply local needs and limit the cost of long distance trading.In medieval Europe, the Roman Catholic Church staunchly supported wine, since they required it for the Mass. Monks in France made wine for years, aging it in caves.An old English recipe that survived in various forms until the 19th century calls for refining white wine from bastard—bad or tainted bastardo wine.


-Cabernet Sauvignon

 

        This grape variety has a recent history – of less than 600years to be precise. Sauvignon grapes seem to have been first mentioned during the 18th century when one Baron De Brane is said to have planted a red wine grape called Vidure, French for ‘hardy vine.’ A popular vine that is grown in Australia, statistics tell us that in 2001 more than 28,000 hectares of Cabernet Sauvignon vines were planted there. Interestingly, whilst unripe Cabernet Sauvignon grapes produce a ‘grassy’ flavoured wine, ripe grapes of this variety yield a rich, ripe flavour.


-Pinot Noir
         This grape variety has a long history indeed since it dates back to the Romans and is affiliated to the noble Pinot family. It has religious connections in that it was used by Catholic monks in their sacraments. Thanks to the planting and replanting by these monks, Europe was enabled to develop specific varieties of grapes (and hence) wines to a particular region. By the 6th century barrels of Pinot Noir were being exported to the Pope. However, the French Revolution of 1789 proved a troublesome time and instead of landowners leaving plots of their land to monasteries of their choice, as had been the custom, vineyards were now seized and secularised and were given to the surviving members of the Pinot family to be managed independently. Predominantly grown in France, Pinot Noir has a rich full bodied flavour which compliments its soft, velvety texture. It is neither acidic nor tannic.


-Zinfandel
          A variety that produces abundant fruit, its first appearance was in the USA in the 1830s. By the 1860s it was being produced in Californian wineries and has been defined as being one of the oldest wine varietals in California. It is difficult to cultivate due to its tendency to ripen unevenly.

-Merlot
      

       Merlot grapes can be traced back to 1st century France. They are difficult to cultivate due largely to their being susceptible to early frosts. They are disadvantaged by their largeness and their thin skins, both of which makes them tempting targets for birds. However, this variety can thrive in cool climates and poor soil. The main French region for growing the Merlot variety is Bordeaux, and in similarity to Sauvignon Blanc grapes, Merlot is also successfully grown in north east italy.