History of wine Flashcards
What was the first civilisation to promote the drinking of wine?
The Sumer. Dating back to 5400BC in Shiraz, Iran, Royalty acknowledged wine as a prestigious drink
When and where does wine trace back to in Egypt?
3000BC - Centred around Abydos, near Louxor
What was the first civilisation to appoint a god to wine?
Ancient Egyptians - Osiris
When did wine arrive in Greece?
2000BC - via trade routes from Egypt and the middle east
Where is the earliest recorded wine growing region of Europe?
Crete
What was the first city in France to be established by the Greeks?
Marseilles
What was the first civilisation to create sweet wines?
Ancient greeks - drying out and over ripening grapes
When did the Greeks arrive in Italy? What did they name the area?
Around 800BC, named modern-day Sicily as “Oenotria”
Which Italian culture vastly improved winemaking after vines were introduced by the Greeks?
The Etruscans of Northern Italy
In which year did the Romans conquer Greece at the Battle of Syracuse?
146BC
Which Roman philosopher led the expansion of wine as an economic pillar of the empire?
Pliny the Elder
How did the Romans change their method of maturing and shipping wines?
Initially using clay amphoras, they discovered wooden barrels used by the celts of Northern France
What was the aftermath of the Mount Vesuvius eruption on the European wine trade?
After errupting in 79AD and destroying the Campania wine region, Emperor Domitius uprooted all vines outside of Italy in 92AD
Which Roman emperor reversed Domitius’s protectionist policy?
Emperor Probus, 280AD
In which year did the Roman empire fall? Which group established influence over European wine trade?
476AD. Catholic Church become the largest producers and purveyors of wine
By how much did French wine consumption increase when the pope arrived in Avignon in 1323?
2.5x
How did Champagne establish its reputation through the Catholic Church?
Wines of Champagne were served to royalty at coronations in Reims, starting 496AD
When did the Spanish conquer Mexico? What became the workhorse grape of the region?
- La Mission Grape
What was the Dutch East India Company?
Established in 1602, a trade route from Holland to India
When did the Dutch establish a colony in South Africa?
1652
How was Porto established?
England and Portugal established an agreement in the 16th Century, exchanging weapons for ownership of vineyards throughout Spains attempted take-over of Portugal. Porto is established by English wine industrialists
Who were the first to fortify wines?
Monks of Portugal. This would later be discovered by the English, and is now known as Port.
Who invented the glass bottle? When?
Sir Kenelm Digby, 1630s
Who pioneered the wine industry in Australia? When?
James Busby, 1833
