|
 |
The history of the grape is at least as old as the history of mankind. The earliest grape consumers were probably hunter/gatherers who included the wild fruit in their diet along with such savory delicacies as woolly mammoth and wild boar. But grapes didn’t remain wild for very long. Archaeologists tell us that grapes were, in fact, one of the earliest cultivated fruits on Earth. The grape that became known as vitis vinifera originated in the Black Sea region and spread rapidly southward to the Middle East. According to the best estimates, grapes were being cultivated in Mesopotamia as early as 6,000 BC. From there, the vinifera grape spread eastward to Phoenicia and Egypt. And by 2,000 BC, Phoenician sailors were ferrying grapevines across the Mediterranean Sea to Greece and the world beyond. Winemaking was a primary use for grapes from the beginning, but the ancient Greeks were the first civilization to make a serious practice of grape growing and winemaking. The Greeks even had a god of the vine – Dionysus (later Bacchus). Early efforts to make a potable beverage out of grapes were mixed. With no refrigeration, uncontrolled fermentation, and lack of proper sanitation, ancient Greek wines were, at best, an acquired taste. Because of spoilage, the thick, dark, and syrupy Greek wines were usually diluted with water and "flavored" with herbs, honey, white barley, and even grated goat’s milk cheese. It was up to the Romans to refine the art of grape-growing and processing. They introduced pruning by knife and proper filtering and storage. The Romans also understood how much climate, soil, and pruning style could affect grape flavor. The art of grape-growing declined along with Roman civilization after 400 AD. Only the Church kept the practice alive through Medieval times, particularly the Benedictine and Cistercian abbeys of France and Germany. Their wines led to a gradual resurgence in viticulture. As knowledge of plant biology, grafting, and hybridization expanded over time, so did the varieties of grapes and their uses. Soon there were "table" grapes grown especially for eating. "Dessert" grapes. Raisin grapes. And of course, the many varieties of wine grapes, from Chardonnay to Zinfandel. However, it wasn’t until the advent of pasteurization and the pioneering work of Dr. Thomas Bramwell Welch in 1869 that unfermented grape juice became a popular beverage. |
