The enjoyment of Wine is intertwined with human history

Masses and masses has been written and discussed about all aspects of wine from time immemorial. There is evidence that wine was being made or at least drunk in the late Bronze Age. The ancient Greeks 500 years before the Christian era were quaffing wine and certainly one of the histories of discussions with Socrates, the philosopher, talked about watering down the wine at their meal to ensure all remained attentive to the discussions taking place.

It was certainly very early on that man discovered that crushed grapes turn alcoholic if allowed to ferment. Quite what the quality was like is impossible to say but the effect of alcohol was well known and loved. So wine permeates the entire history of the human race.

Within the 20th Century we have seen an explosion of wine producing regions in the world and some very successful marketing with jealousies and self interests jealously guarding certain cultivars and reputations. The French were particularly clever about improving the quality of their vinyards and then fiercely protecting the name so that Bordeaux wine comes from the Bordeaux region. This was particularly well done when they managed to ensure that no sparkling wine may be called "Champagne" unless it was from Champagne. They have even managed to suppress the use of the words "Method Champagnoise" which was initially used on sparkling wines cultivated in other countries.

There is also a huge industry built up around the appreciation of wine. What one tastes and how to savor it. The cultivation and training of a palate meant that certain connoisseurs can distinguish between various subtle differences in various years of the same vinyard depending on the amount of rainfall and hours of sunlight that the vines were exposed to,

Wine cellars are a great rage as certain wines improve with age and laying them down for a few years helps them mature and brings out the taste. But this storage needs to be kept at a constant temperature to have the greatest beneficiation to the wines themselves.

Then of course there is the cultivars themselves; Are they a pure grape strain or are some types of wine better if they are a blend or two or more grapes? Each wine master will tell you a different story but truly successful win makers enjoy a great reputation because they have maintained a consistency of taste over many years.

Wine is enjoyed to drink as a drink on its own but is usually associated with good food and fine living. There are plenty of cheaper, less refined wines for sale and there is a good reason for that. The taste is never that consistent so the wine maker blends from many different vinyards to try and get a steady taste which will suit the less disce
ing palate.

The market place in wines is vast and with the global village one can buy Chilean wines in Japan as easily as South African, Australian or Califo
ian wines in England. The Market tends to determine the price.