1. PREHISTORY
“Wine is older than history. Humans didn't invent wine. We discovered
it.” (Seldon, P.)

2. CONTENTS
 In the Beginning
 Neolithic Civilisation
 Melting Pot of Wine Discovery
 Predynastic Period
 The Glory that was Greece
 Early Viticulture
 Early Winemaking
 Primitive Societies
 Styles of Wine

3. IN THE BEGINNING
 It was noted in Genesis 9:20-21, “and Noah began to be a
husbandman, and he planted a vineyard; and he drank of the wine
and was drunken”. (Amerine & Singleton, 1977)
 This biblical story was one of the first references to the existence
of wine, and its consumption.

4. NEOLITHIC CIVILISATION
 Grape growing was first seen in this time period (6000 to
4000BC), below the Caucasus Mountains, in the region of
Georgia. Archaeology has traced the roots of Georgian
viticulture back to at least 6000 BC, and there is also “proof
in this claim that is seen in many of the unearthed silver, gold
and bronze Georgian artefacts that have imprints of the vine,
grape clusters and leaves.” (Theroux, 2012)

5.  http://www.bbc.com/travel/feature/20121012-discovering-wine-in-georgia

6. MELTING POT OF WINE
DISCOVERY
 There are so many claims on the true founders of the vine
and its ability to produce wine. Apparently the vine is native to
Persia, but then there is also reference to wine in many
different languages including the Hittites (the dominant
linguistic group in the Middle East), Armenian, Georgian,
Hebrew, Latin, Sabaean, Arabic, and Ethiopian.
However…

7. PREDYNASTIC PERIOD
…The best records of the early wine industry came from Egypt.
They documented the process of wine making, descriptions of
harvesting grapes and drinking wine on clay tablets, which have been
discovered within the burial chambers of Egyptian royalty.
Image: (http://sacredmistsblog.com/archaeomagick-wine-%E2%80%93-the-history-and-mythology-of-
the-classic-ritual-drink)

8. (http://rmc.library.cornell.edu/ewga/exhibition/introduction/)

9. THE GLORY THAT WAS
GREECE
 “The wine industry reached a much higher degree of perfection,
with the detailed wine descriptions written by the famous Greek bard,
Homer.” (Amerine & Singleton, 1977)
 The wine industry also reached a much higher degree of sensuality
with the rise of Dionysus’ cult, in the 17th century, where wine-
induced celebrations of an orgiastic character were in full swing.

10. EARLY VITICULTURE
 The cultivation of the grape is a very ancient industry. Remnants
of grape seeds have been found in Georgian villages dating back
several thousand years B.C. where the grapes grew wild. (Amerine &
Singleton, 1977). Grapes were casually harvested. It was quite unlike
the viticulture that is seen today, where vines are now manipulated
and trained.

11. EARLY WINEMAKING
 Winemaking dates from at least 4000BC. Since yeasts are
everywhere, fermentation would have been no problem. So the elixir
of joyful times, wine, probably came about by accident one day.
 Archaeological evidence suggests that grape cultivation and wine
making began in Mesopotamia and areas surrounding the Caspian Sea
sometime between 6000 and 4000 BC. (Owen, 2008)

12. PRIMITIVE SOCIETIES
 In the Egyptian times wine was expensive and was only really
enjoyed “by priests and royalty, while commoners drank beer, mead,
and ale”. (Owen, 2008). Where wine was common, it was taxed.

13. STYLES OF WINE..
OR LACK OF
 The first wines would have been of very poor quality, but it was
apparent very early on that people knew of the effects that air had on
wine. The practise of adding herbs or other materials suggests the
intention of covering up undesirable odours associated with wine
spoilage. Greeks liked to have their wine with a meal, and more often
than not they diluted it with water.

14. AND THEN THERE WAS
HISTORY…
(http://www.wpwines.com/blog/news/38/)

15. REFERENCES
 Amerine, M.A., & Singleton, V.L. (1977). Wine (2nd ed.). USA: University of California Press.
 Johnson, H. (1974). Wine (1st ed.). London: Thomas Nelson Limited.
 Owen, D. (2008). Song of the Vine. Cornell University. Retrieved from
http://rmc.library.cornell.edu/ewga/exhibition/introduction/
 Owen, J. (2011). Earliest Known Winery Found in Armenian Cave. National Geographic Society.
Retrieved from http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/01/110111-oldest-wine-
press- making-winery-armenia-science-ucla/
 Seldon, P. (n.d). Notable Quotes. Wine Quotes. Retrieved from http://www.notable-
quotes.com/w/wine_quotes.html
 The Georgian Wine Society. (2013). About Georgian Wines. The Georgian Wine Society. Retrieved
from http://georgianwinesociety.co.uk/about-georgian-wines/
 Theroux, M. (2012). Discovering Wine in Georgia. Lonely Planet Traveller. Retrieved from
http://www.bbc.com/travel/feature/20121012-discovering-wine-in-georgia