The document discusses the early history of wine trade in the Mediterranean region. It describes how viticulture began in ancient Egypt and Phoenicia, with the Phoenicians spreading the use of amphorae for wine storage and transport. Winemaking then developed further in ancient Greece and Gaul, with the Romans later conquering Gaul and adopting the use of wooden barrels from the Gauls. The Romans also helped establish France's prominence in the global wine industry by carrying grapevines with them as they conquered new lands.