To hunt down the origins of winemaking, a researcher has to go back almost to the origin of humanity. Many modern winemaking countries, such as Greece, France, and Germany would like to lay claim to being the first to cultivate grapes and produce wine, but science is unable to prove any such claims. The best it can do is narrow down the likelihood of when and where the first wine was fermented.

Through archeological "digging" and carbon dating of artifacts, scientists believe the first wine was made in about 6000 BCE in the region known as Caucasia, an area south of Russia along the Black Sea, in and around the former Soviet state of Georgia – not quite the romantic location the master winemakers of today would like.

Early Cultures

Hunting further for the birthplace of winemaking clues can be culled from other sources, such as the Bible. The earliest mention of winemaking occurs in the Old Testament story of Noah, who is said to have planted a vineyard. That would place the origin of wine further south into the Middle East. There is further archeological evidence to support this.

During the 1990s, anthropological researchers in the Zagros Mountains of northern Iran found clay pots with an acid residue that was analyzed and found to be consistent with what could have been wine. Carbon-dating of charcoal at the dig site places it at between 5000 and 5400 BCE, which is consistent with other estimates. Evidence also has been found that the Egyptians and the Mesopotamians made wine.

Oldest Bottle

Certainly winemaking reached a new height by the time the Greeks got hold of the formula. Bacchus was their god of wine and Greek myths are full of drunken revelry. The Greek winemaking culture survives to this day, although it has been overshadowed by some of its European neighbors. Still, anyone on a tour seeking the roots of wine will find fertile ground in Greece.

The Romans also were known for their winemaking, in addition to their other influence on modern culture. The oldest existing bottle of wine is attributed to the Romans. The ancient bottle was unearthed in Germany, one of the regions their armies conquered. Today the greenish-yellow bottle is on display in the History Museum of Pfalz, in the town of Speyer, Germany, where it was found. Found inside a grave, the bottle was dated back to 325 CE. It was found unbroken.

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