Wine - A Special Drink For Special Occasions

Wine is an alcoholic drink made of fermentedlikely used as a commodity for trade.In Ancient
grapes. Drinks similar to wine can also be made ofEgypt, wine was important in ceremonial life.
many other fruits or flowers but they need someAlthough wild grapes were never grown there, a
name to differentiate them from grape wine (likehighly valued winemaking industry was established
honey wine).Wine derives from the the Old Englishin the Nile Delta. The industry was probably the
word win, that comes from the Proto-Germanictrade result between Egypt and Canaan during
winam which came from the Latin word vinum,the Early Bronze Age, beginning from at least the
which can either mean "wine" or "vine".Some sayThird Dynasty (2650 - 2575 BC), the start of the
that the Republic of Georgia is the birthplace ofOld Kingdom period (2650 - 2152 BC). Winemaking
modern-day wine. Wine may probably have beenpictures on tomb walls, and the lists of offerings
made in the valleys of Georgia for over 7,000that came along with them, included wine that
years. According to a Georgian legend, wine waswas definitely produced in the vineyards of the
first fabricated between 7000 and 5000 BC, whendelta. By the end of the Old Kingdom, five wines
a Caucasian man found out that grape juiceproduced in the Delta, made part of a "menu," for
became joyful juice when buried during the winterthe afterlife. The culture of wine in Europe came
in a compartment in a shallow hole.Other earlyfrom the Greeks who spread the art of
known proof of a fermented drink similar to winegrape-growing and winemaking in Ancient Greece
is from a Chinese village called Jiahu dating fromand Roman times.Today, the regions that most
6000 to 7000 BC. The wine, discovered in 16produce wine worldwide are Europe, South
buried jars, had millet, rice, beeswax (from honey)America, California and New Zealand. The largest
and either hawthorn fruit or wild grape in it. Awine export nations are Italy, France, Spain,
3,000 year old bronze jar has also beenAustralia, Chile, USA, Germany, South Africa,
unearthed, still containing a similar liquidPortugal, Moldova, Hungary, Croatia and
wine.Ancient pottery jars discovered in IranArgentina.Wine history is very important for
indicate that grape wine was made as far back asfinding out why Europe has become such a wine
5,500 BC. It is the oldest wine ever found and it iscapital. The worldwide influences on the area, the
in the museum of Pennsylvania. This discovery islocal climate, the soil, the grape species and the
particularly significant, as Iran was not usually ataste for the beverage made this drink become
grape-growing area, the main crops were mostlyone of the most valuable foodstuffs in the world.
grains and beer was the favorite drink back then.A person who understands wine, understands the
As ancient Babylon was located on the Silk Roadland, and therefore understands class and the
from China to the Mediterranean, wine was mostarts.