Whether or not you’re a history enthusiast, you must admit there’s something unique about knowing the story behind what you consume, drink, use, and wear– which consists of wine. Thinking about how it all started can stimulate your creative imagination and help put things in perspective. Making the connection from the world’s first wine grape to your latest bottle of wine adds more dimension to the experience, and provides you with much deeper gratitude and a feeling of enjoyment.
Keeping that in mind, join us as we tour the wine details, consisting of where it derived and how different cultures have generated and used it throughout the years.
When and Where Did Winemaking Start?
There’s no doubt that France, Italy, and Spain are identified with winemaking and wine society. Yet arguably it’s France that claims the world’s most famous wine appellations (a.k.a. wine areas), including Bordeaux– the “the wine capital of the world.” France is also home to the most popular varieties and white wines in the world.
However, the history of wine does not start with French wine (or Italian or Spanish wine). The archaeological report shows that wine was first produced in China around 7000 B.C., adhered to by Armenia and Georgia, around 6100 to 6000 B.C., specifically.
Researchers uncovered the world’s earliest vineyard (and the world’s oldest) in Armenia. There is also proof of early winemaking in ancient Iran, Egypt, Israel, Greece, and Sicily. There’s more to wine than you might have believed.
Ancient World Wine vs. Old World Wine vs. New World Wine
When talking about the history of wine, it’s helpful to understand a few terms– specifically, “Ancient World” white wines, “Old World” wines, and “New World” red wines. More than anything, these wine terms refer to geography.
Ancient World wine
As explained, today’s most well-known wine areas are not where the wine comes from. These ancient wine areas– including China, Armenia, Iran, and Egypt– are where the world’s initial winemakers created methods for fermenting grape juice into alcohol.
Old World Wine
Old World Wine comes from wine regions across Europe, and the Middle East, which is where viniculture ( wine growing) truly took off and produced. Old World wine production uses a typical grapevine, known as Vitis vinifera. This grape belongs to the Mediterranean region.
New World Wine
New World Wine comes from about any other area that isn’t considered ancient. For example, Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, Chile, South Africa, and Canada are New World wine regions. Certainly, there’s also the United States, with California, Oregon, and Washington being the most well-known wine-producing states.
