White Grapes

Aligote Chardonnay Chenin Blanc Gewurztraminer Muscat Blanc Pinot Grigio Riesling Sauvignon Blanc Semillon Viognier

Red Grapes

Cabernet Gamay Grenache Malbec Merlot Nebbiolo Petit Verdot Pinot Noir Sangiovese Syrah/Shiraz Zinfandel

History of Wine

Table Wines Home

Ancient Beginnings

The first evidence of wine found in pottery dates from the Neolithic period (c.8000-4500 B.C.) when clay pottery was made and used to store wine in the Middle East. Winemaking scenes began to appear on the walls of Egyptian tombs later (c.2700 B.C.). Wine making was introduced to Europe when Greek civilization spread there (c.1600 B.C.). The Romans made great advances in wine grape cultivation in Europe (c.1000 B.C.).

Modern Proliferation

Since the time of Christ to the late 1800s, wine production increased gradually without major setbacks in the areas known today as Italy, France, Spain, Germany, and Portugal. Exploration brought wine vines to South Africa, South America, and Mexico in the 16th-17th centuries. European vines were tried and failed along the Atlantic coast of the United States in the 17 and 18th centuries. Mexican vines, however, made their way to California in the late 1700s. European vines were eventually transplanted in California in the 1800s. Wine vines were tranplanted to Australia by the British in the late 1700s, as soon as they established a penal colony there. Commercial wine production in Australia began in the 1800s.

Recent Troubles

In the mid-1800s vines from the United States were also taken to Europe. Unfortunately, the American vines carried a vine root parasite (Phylloxera Vastatrix) that devastated most of Europes vineyards. Since native American vine roots were immune to the parasite, a laborious process of grafting European vines onto American roots was commenced. The resulting shortage of European wines fostered the growth and trade of American wines from California, New York, Ohio and other states. America's wine industry suffered its own disaster when the production of alcoholic beverages was prohibited, first state by state then natioanlly in 1920. The recovery of the American wine industry proceeded slowly from the repeal of Prohibition in 1933 until the 1960s. Since then, American wines (particularly from California) have become a force to be reckoned with on the international market.