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The privilege to be called “the birthplace of grape alcohol” is disputed by several countries at once: Georgia, Turkey, Armenia, Iran, Azerbaijan, Abkhazia. The first finds, indicating the presence of early winemaking, were found on the territory of these ancient regions. They belong to the Neolithic era, namely to the VI millennium BC. e.
Disputes do not subside, the search continues, more and more new states join the championship race.
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Who is first
At the moment, the title of “the cradle of winemaking” is divided between several areas: Transcaucasia, Eastern Anatolia and the northern region of Mount Zagros.
Later finds in the form of wine presses and shards of ancient vessels date back to the XNUMXth-XNUMXnd millennium BC. e. and belong to Cyprus, Greece and Egypt.
In one of the Chinese tombs, the oldest surviving wine was found, which was bottled in the XIV century BC. e.
Winemaking in antiquity
The Phoenicians, Greeks and Romans made the greatest contribution to the process of making wine.
The first actively distributed the drink throughout the Mediterranean region, North Africa, Sicily and Spain.
The Greeks and Romans, having taken over the baton, continued what they had begun, significantly deepening and expanding the Phoenician traditions.
The ancient Hellenes turned wine drinking into a real art, experimenting with temperature, serving methods, and incorporating unusual additives into the drink in the form of a variety of spices and herbs.
The Greeks also own the invention of aged wine: they were the first who tried to extend the life of their favorite product.
It is curious that drunkenness among the inhabitants of Ancient Greece was not encouraged (on the contrary, moderation was welcomed), to reduce the strength, the drink was diluted with water. The exception was feasts and holidays, when the wine literally flowed like a river.
The Romans borrowed Greek traditions and gradually replaced the previously popular beer with a new drink that became universal and affordable.
Wine was consumed by everyone – from slaves to rulers. The inhabitants of the Roman Empire supplemented viticulture with useful improvements, for example, supports in the form of trellises (previously trees were used for this purpose). Wine was also used as offerings to the gods.
The ancient Egyptians, unlike the Greeks and Romans, considered wine to be a precious drink.
The most significant were the vineyards of the pharaoh, although the ruler himself could not drink strong drink: it was forbidden.
Alcohol was deified and brought as offerings to earthly and heavenly patrons.
The art of winemaking was passed down to posterity in the form of records of recipes and technologies for processing vines.
The ancient Egyptians knew at least 20 varieties of grapes.
From the Middle Ages to the present day
By the Middle Ages, vineyards spread to northern European, Asian and African regions. Drinks from France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Hungary and Portugal have gained the greatest popularity.
During this period, winemaking developed in several directions:
Monasteries played an important role: they owned huge vineyards, developed new varieties and produced large quantities of alcohol.
In Europe, the main wine-growing regions were formed, which formed the basis of the modern division into priority and less significant zones in the field of wine production.
The cultivation and processing of the vines improved and achieved high results, while the drinks themselves from the grapes were very mediocre.
Young wine was valued, since they had not yet learned how to store alcohol for more than a year: they tried to sell stale products as quickly as possible.
Grape drinks were available only to the upper strata of the population and were considered the privilege of the aristocracy.
Alcohol, in particular wine, helped in the fight against infectious diseases, not as a medicine, but as a substitute for contaminated water, which, when ingested, was often a source of infection.
New times have brought many discoveries and inventions to the European wine industry.
A long process of improving drinks and finding ways to extend their “life” began.
Until the XNUMXth century, aged wines were produced only in the Mediterranean countries.
The new period was marked by several “brilliant discoveries”:
Wines began to be poured into glass bottles and corked. Before that, only wooden barrels were used.
Fortified drinks appeared (madera, port wine, sherry), which quickly became popular.
The addition of alcohol to wines made it possible to increase the shelf life and transport alcohol to other continents.
The qualitative composition of wines has improved, new production methods have appeared (blending, flavoring with herbs, fruits, spices, etc.), aged products have become more valued.
In the XNUMXth century, the first champagne was invented. In the XVIII century, many eminent brands in the field of winemaking were formed.
The development of the territories of the New World began as plantations for laying vineyards.
In the XNUMXth-XNUMXth centuries, European varieties appeared in Mexico, Chile, Argentina, Peru, California and Australia.
The most difficult for European winemakers was the XNUMXth century, when many vineyards suffered due to the invasion of phylloxera and fungal diseases. A lot of effort, money and time was spent on their restoration.
For Russia, this period, on the contrary, turned out to be favorable. It was in the XNUMXth century that local winemaking acquired an industrial scale, the main wine-growing regions were formed.
Wine production reached a special scale in the Kuban, in the Crimea, Dagestan, in the Krasnodar and Stavropol Territories, the Rostov Region.
XX century of winemaking
The revival and active development of wine business in Europe.
Growth in the production of grape spirits in the New World.
The decline of the wine industry on the territory of the Soviet states, where huge plantations of vineyards and many unique varieties were destroyed as part of the anti-alcohol campaign.
Relevance: 29.10.2018
Tags: wine and vermouth