You may think that wine originated in France or Italy since those are the two most famous countries for wine. What if I told you that wine originated thousands of years before the first grapes even touched Italian soil? Wine also tasted completely different than it does today. Read this brief history of wine to see how lucky we are that wine has come a long way from rotten grapes blended with sea water to the delicious wines we enjoy today. The wines might not have been great but these ancient civilizations are the reason we have wine at all. This is the Cliff notes version and a very brief history of wine in ancient times so don’t expect some crazy history lesson here.
The first grape vines
Vitis vinifera is the species of grape vine that makes wine. The first discovery of vitis vinifera grapes was over 8,000 years ago in the Caucasus mountain range. This mountain range separates Europe and Asia in what is modern day Republic of Georgia and Armenia. The history of wine started here. The ancient people of the region discovered that grape juice would transform over winter into a new beverage. They domesticated the wild grape vines and began to systematically make wine. They started burying their wines underground in large clay vessels called kvevris. To seal the clay vessels, they lined them with beeswax, topped with a wooden planks, and covered the kvervri (or qvevri in Armenian) with earth where they would stay for upwards of 50 years.
The wines likely tasted how you would imagine something buried underground with full exposure to oxygen and bacteria would. Let’s just say oxygen and bacteria is how we make vinegar. Though the wines are nothing we would want to drink today, the carbon dated grape sediment found in kvevris helped determine the journey the vine took throughout the world. Side note: The wines made in Georgia today follow some of these ancient traditions but taste MUCH better.
Brief History of Wine in Egypt
Humans took vines with them to wherever they migrated. The vine traveled south through the Middle East and across the north of Africa. The Egyptians were the cleverest people of the time. Hieroglyphics and tomb painting depict the winemaking process to pass on to future generations. These images show the steps from harvest to bottling to storage to shipping. They also added fruits other than grapes to their wines for sweetness. Ancient Egyptian wine probably tasted a bit better than previous wines but would still be unrecognizable to us as wine today.
Brief History of Wine in Greece
The Egyptians traveled by ship to Greece where they taught the Greeks how to make wine, too. The Greeks believed wine was a gift from the gods and worshiped Dionysus, the god of wine. This is the first time we see a culture around wine. Wine was a major component of religious rituals. They wrote poetry about wine and discussed its characteristics at length. Wine was never missing from any philosophical debates either. It was considered very civilized to drink wine, as opposed to drinking beer.
Ancient wine tasted much different than wine does today. The Ancient Greeks would flavor their wine with pine resin, herbs, and spices. This was to mask bad flavors and faults in the wine. Wine was a commodity that the Ancient Greeks traded with the rest of the world known to them. The Ancient Greeks brought vines with them on their travels and grapes eventually got into the hands of the Romans.
Brief History of Wine in Rome
Wine and grape growing really took off when the Romans got ahold of the vines. Roman soldiers received wine as payment for their services. Rumor has it that they would drink up to 3 liters of wine a day! Wherever the Romans went (pretty much all over southern Europe, the Mediterranean, and Middle East) they brought vines with them to plant to keep up with their demands. This is where we see vine plantings travel throughout the empire to all of the most famous European wine regions today. Previously, Greek wines were the most sought after and the most expensive until the Golden Era of Rome. Their vast trade, military, and settlements created a network and market for wines made under their empire.
The wines evolved a bit more under the Romans. They began to store wines in oak barrels instead of clay amphora. They still flavored their wines but with saltwater! Unfortunately, they also flavored their wines with lead for sweetness. Needless to say that didn’t work out to well for them and may have led to the end of the Roman Empire!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the birthplace of wine?
The first vitis vinifera grapes were found in Caucasus mountain region. The region is where the Republic of Georgia, Armenia, and Northern Iran are today. In Areni, Armenia, the oldest winery was found that dates back more than 6,000 years.
Who made the first wine?
Discoveries of wine making and grape sentiment dating back to thousands and thousands of years ago are found throughout the areas of Armenia, Georgia, and the Zagros mountains of Iran.
Fermentation of honey, fruit, and rice dates back to 7,000BC in ancient China.
Well-written! Concise but informative and full of good facts. I thought I knew a lot about wine but I definitely learned a lot by reading this. Thank you!