The Invention
of Wine

Before writing. Before the wheel. Before cities rose and empires fell. Humanity discovered the magic of fermentation—and nothing was ever the same.

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Wild grapes, crushed and forgotten

In clay vessels across the Caucasus, wild Vitis vinifera grapes were left to their own devices. Natural yeasts on the skins began their ancient work, converting sugars to alcohol. The first winemakers discovered their creation by accident—and recognized its power immediately.

The Magic of Fermentation

Yeast consumes sugar. Alcohol and CO₂ are born. This transformation— invisible to the ancient eye—seemed nothing short of divine. The bubbling, the changing flavors, the warming effect: early humans attributed it to the gods.

The process remains essentially unchanged after 8,000 years. Wild yeasts still cling to grape skins. Fermentation still produces roughly 12-14% alcohol. Nature perfected the formula long ago.

14%

Max Natural Alcohol

2-4

Weeks to Ferment

8,000

Years of Tradition

6000 BCE

The First Vintage

In the hills of the South Caucasus, Neolithic farmers discover that crushed grapes left in clay jars transform into something extraordinary. The Eurasian grape vine (Vitis vinifera) is domesticated.

Georgia & Armenia

3150 BCE

Wine of the Pharaohs

Wine reaches Egypt. King Scorpion I is buried with 700 jars. Hieroglyphics document sophisticated cultivation. Wine becomes the drink of gods and kings.

Ancient Egypt

1500 BCE

Dionysus Rises

The Greeks worship Dionysus, god of wine and ecstasy. Symposia—drinking parties with philosophy—shape Western civilization. Viticulture spreads across the Mediterranean.

Ancient Greece

200 BCE

Bacchus and Empire

Rome perfects large-scale production. Wooden barrels replace amphorae. Grape varieties are classified. Vineyards spread across Gaul, Iberia, and Germania.

Roman Empire

1668 CE

Monks and Champagne

For centuries, monasteries preserve viticulture. Cistercian monks classify Burgundy terroir. Dom Pérignon advances sparkling wine. The great wine regions emerge.

Medieval Europe

700

Jars of Wine

Buried with King Scorpion I of Egypt in 3150 BCE—the largest collection of wine ever found in an ancient tomb. Each jar was sealed with clay and stamped with its origin.

325

CE: The Speyer Bottle

The oldest unopened wine bottle in existence. Sealed with olive oil and wax, it has survived 1,700 years in a Roman tomb in Germany. Scientists refuse to open it.