What Are Key Dates in Wine History?
Key Dates in Wine History
Wine is an ancient beverage that was introduced to the ancient Greeks by Phoenician traders. By the time of Alexander the Great, wine was an established industry throughout most of Western Europe. Alexander’s conquests led to the spread of winemaking and the introduction of viticulture to Asia.
what are key dates in wine history?
The first wine growing areas began to be established in the southern and northern regions of France. Later, the Roman Empire began to license regions of the south to produce wine. In the fourth century, St. Martin of Tours planted vineyards in the southern part of France. By the Middle Ages, winemaking spread throughout Europe, with the support of catholic monks. In addition to monasteries, the nobility expanded vineyards throughout the continent.
The first winery was established in 1805 by Spanish colonizers in Sonoma. It used the Mission grape, which was indigenous to the region, until the 1830s, when European settlers began to plant European grape varieties. James Busby, a British-born viticulturist and writer based in Australia, brought grapevine cuttings from Europe and planted them on the Australian continent.
What Are Key Dates in Wine History?
Christianity and the Catholic Church were major forces in the Roman Empire, and wine had a prominent role in religious rituals. Wine was often served at feasts and poured down special orifices in tombs. While the taste of Roman wine is not exactly known, it can be approximated through various grape varieties.
The ancient Egyptians believed that wine was a divine beverage and that it had divine properties. It was not only a drink, but also a medicinal substance, and was used to help women deliver babies. It was used as a medicine during the Middle Ages and is used extensively today.
Another key date in wine history is the invention of the Bordeaux wine classification. This classification was the first of its kind and made wine more valuable. With its introduction, people became more willing to pay the highest price for the best wines. As a result, wealthy people could now buy the best wines and tell their friends to buy the same.
The first official Bordeaux classification was introduced in 1855. This classified the best Bordeaux wines by region. This wine was praised by consumers around the world. Even today, consumers may not recognize the wines made in 1855, but the wines were highly prized and sold with the name “Bordeaux” on the bottles. Later, Bordeaux wine began to be sold under specific labels and specific appellations.
Before Prohibition, most of the wine produced in the United States came from outside France. This was a significant development, and it led to the introduction of mass production. Then, in the mid-1800s, the Hudson’s Bay Company made wine popular in the United States.