some-history-of-wine
Some History Of Wine
Wine has been called the elixir of happiness - and not
without good reason. It is hard to imagine any party or
celebration without any representative from the vine. This
is probably why people have always assumed that wine was
born right next to man.
But how did wine really originate? Who came up with the idea
of fermenting fruits with the purpose of making the
alcoholic beverages?
Records of the use of wine go back all the way to ancient
Egypt in 2500 BC. But it is not implausible that wine was
used earlier than that. Evidence seems to point to the
Ancient Middle Eastern civilizations as the originators of
wine.
Early man probably stumbled upon the wonders that
fermentation did to fruits (especially grapes with its high
sugar content). Archaeological excavations have unearthed
ancient wineries and fermenting pools. This is a testament
to the popularity and early knowledge about wines.
Wine, for that matter, has been used for a startling variety
of purposes. In the early days, aside from being the choice
beverage for celebrations, wine was also used symbolically
in religious sacraments, and during taking vows. There is
even evidence that wine was used as medicine for frail
countenances, and as an antiseptic for wounds. That is why
wine has maintained an importance beyond that of making one
drunk.
The popularity of wine spread from the Old World and its
cultures to the newly found lands annexed by their empires.
From here the cultivation of grapes needed for winemaking
spread to the lands of South America and Australia.
The enology, or the study of wine making, of different
cultures has made for a dizzying variety of wine. The main
types of wine are Table Wines, Sparkling Wines, and
Fortified Wines.
Table Wines are pressed grape juice that is allowed to
ferment naturally - with or without a little addition of
sugar and yeast to aid the fermentation. These wines can be
sweet or dry, depending on the vinification (or fermentation
style), and they typically have a low alcohol content of 7
to 15 percent.
Fortified Wines have additional alcohol content in them and
are have typically 14 to 23 percent alcohol in them.
Sparkling Wine was first discovered in the 18th century by a
monk named Dom Pierre Perignon. Sparkling Wine is wine witch
has a bubbly texture to it lent by the carbon dioxide that
forms within it during the fermentation. Technically, it is
a doubly fermented wine, with the second fermentation
happening in the bottle itself. Extra yeast and sugar is
added to the wine to produce carbon dioxide that builds up
until the wine is uncorked.
Information on grape plants can be found at the Grape Facts
site.
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Wine has been called the elixir of happiness - and not
without good reason. It is hard to imagine any party or
celebration without any representative from the vine. This
is probably why people have always assumed that wine was
born right next to man.
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