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                                                               Origin Of The Wine

It's hard to pinpoint the exact origins of wine because its history and production are veiled in myth. It is thought that wine was accidentally produced when a few grapes were left in a container and began to ferment on their own. Each place and culture, however, has its own version. 

Scientists have linked the species Vitis vinifera L. subsp. Silvestri, which is believed to be the progenitor of 99 percent of the wine grapevine species that are currently in existence, to the origins of wine based on evidence from archeological excavations. The first vineyards under human cultivation are believed to have been planted some 8,000 years ago. This date is associated with the Caucasus region's Georgian vineyards. Conversely, grape records go back around 20,000 years from an ancient site in Ohalo, which is today in Israel.

The most widely used varieties of wine grapes worldwide and in Brazil

The earliest known wine presses and related tools were discovered in Armenia and date to 4,000 BC. Records from 3,000 BC have been found in Egypt, describing the first villages centered around grape and olive orchards. Egypt is also where the earliest amphorae used for wine storage and transportation are documented. Wine logistics employed amphorae up until the Middle Ages. Greece, Italy, France, Spain, and Africa all adopted viticulture from Egypt.

Wine's significance to prehistoric societies

Wine was a significant part of daily life and religion in ancient Egypt. In addition to being consumed as a beverage by common people and pharaohs, it was offered to the gods and utilized in religious ceremonies.

Wine was intimately linked with intellectuals in ancient Greece. It was consumed at symposia, which were social events when men congregated to sip wine and converse about politics and philosophy. The Greeks created a sophisticated wine culture, enhanced wine production, and introduced new grape-growing methods.

Greek wine culture was passed down to the Romans, who increased wine production and trade across the Roman Empire. They developed viticulture and oenology methods and planted vineyards throughout Germany, France, Italy, and Spain, among other places. In addition to being drunk during opulent feasts, wine was also utilized as money.

Find out the history of the toasting ritual.

Christianity was crucial in the Middle Ages in conserving and disseminating winemaking expertise. In their monasteries, monks from monastic orders like the Benedictines cultivated grapes and made wine. During unstable and low-production times, they preserved wine expertise and enhanced winemaking practices.

The 14th and 16th centuries saw the Renaissance, which was characterized by a love of wine and a rediscovery of ancient knowledge. Kings, nobility, and courtiers enjoyed excellent wines, which became a sign of riches and rank. Well-known French wine areas like Champagne and Bordeaux started to become more well-known. At this point, the wines we are used to started to show up.

The development of wine quality

Grapes were not the only ingredient used to make wine in the past. A variety of ingredients, including water-diluted barley, honey, and grapes, were included in the beverage. This concoction helped extend the drink's shelf life and add flavor. Additionally, there is proof that wine was preserved using 

olive oil.

The goal of winemaking activity shifted to creating wines of greater quality starting in the 14th century. Producers were able to better regulate vine yield, choose their vineyard sites with more accuracy, and enhance their winemaking techniques as a result. During this time, the word "terroir" was first used.

With their enormous land holdings and unique perspectives of the variations among each plot and the ways in which the grapes from each location impacted the finished wine, the Benedictine and Cistercian monks from the Burgundy region of France were in a unique position to study these factors. With each plot designated as having a distinct terroir, the monks started drawing boundaries around it based on these features. Grand Cru and Premier Cru designations have been given to several of these designations, which are still in use in Burgundy.

The discovery of America ushered in the fifteenth century. Christopher Columbus' mission landed in the Antilles in October 1492, hoping to find a different path to the Indies. Wine was among the survival supplies on board the ships. The crew drank the beverage and exchanged it for goods during trade talks.

Wine was not able to survive the long voyages from Europe to the Americas, so the invaders chose to make the beverage where they had taken over. The history of wine in Brazil was similar: Portuguese colonial expeditions brought the grapes with them.