photo credit: Rowan of Ravara

To cover the complete history of wine, one would have to venture back thousands of years. The roots of wine are closely interwoven with agriculture, cuisine, civilization and human beings. Historical evidence suggests that wine finds its beginnings in places like Georgia and Iran and dates back between 6000 to 5000 BC. Some archaeological evidence points to grapevines being domesticated during the Early Bronze Age in the sites of Near East, Sumer and Egypt.

Some of the earliest history of wine being produced in Europe has been uncovered at archaeological digs sites in Macedonia. More than 1,500 years ago grapes were crushed and wine was being used during ceremonial rites in Egypt. Wild wines have also been traced in China from the 1st and 2nd millennium BC.

Wine was also quite common in Rome and Greece and many of the larger wine producing regions of Western Europe were established by Phoenician and Roman plantations. During the Roman Empire innovations such as the wine press, cultivation techniques and barrels used for storage and shipping were developed.

During medieval times in Europe, the country of Rome and wine production both experienced a decline, as a result the Christian Church became a strong supporter of wine because of its usage during the Catholic celebration of Mass. Although in some Islamic cultures the production of wine was forbidden, Muslim chemists were instrumental in the distillation of wine for cosmetics and medical use.

Much of the modern day culture surrounding wine comes from the Greeks. Though researchers cannot pinpoint exactly when wine made its appearance in ancient Greece, it was well known to both Minoan and Mycenaean civilizations. Many of the popular grapes used for wine production today are grown only in Greece, and are very similar to the types that were grown during ancient times.

Wine was a common drink consumed by all social classes during the Middle Ages. Some of the largest producers of wine in France and Germany were the Benedictine monks, soon other sects followed the trend and began to produce wine in other regions.

To provide the necessities for the Catholic Holy Eucharist, the Spanish conquistadors brought grapes and wheat to Latin America. The grapes were first planted at Spanish missions and one variety known as Mission grapes is still planted to date.

During periods of immigration, French, German and Italian grapes were first brought to America. The wines of America are closely associated with Argentina, California and Chile which range from inexpensive box wines to more high quality proprietary blends.

The first commercial winery in the United States was located in Cincinnati, Ohio. Founded by Nicholas Longworth in the mid 1830’s, the winery produced a sparkling wine made from Catawba grapes. During this time period, the Missouri wine industry centered around a Germany colony in Hermann, Missouri and this location was second only to California in total production.

Wine has only continued to grow in American popularity and with the advancements in research and development over the past several decades, American wines are better tasting and higher quality. Today, the production of wine is done in all 50 states with the predominant ones being California, Washington State, Oregon and New York. There are more than 3,000 commercial wineries in America and the number continues to grow every year.

From: DrinkMo.Com the Missouri Wine Club

Post from: Doctor Drink

photo credit: nessguide

Looking, smelling and tasting are all important facets, to the art of wine taste. Learning how to correctly taste wines is an adventure that will broaden your palate and expand your appreciation for fine wines. Though human beings can smell thousands of unique bouquets, the perception of taste is limited to sour, sweet, salty and bitter. It is when smell and taste are combined that one may distinguish flavors.

The first step is actually “looking” at the wine prior to tasting. Check out the color and clarity of the wine and then pour it into a glass. Next, take a good look at the wine and then tilt the glass and look at the color from the edges of the rim to the middle of the glass. If the wine is red in color, notice if it is ruby, garnet, maroon, purple, brick or a brownish color. If it is a white wine in question, note if the color is clear and pale, yellow, amber, light green, gold or brown.

Now move on the opacity of the wine. Is the wine watery or dark, opaque or dull, cloudy, clear or brilliant? Do you see any sediment in the glass? Then tilt your glass again and take another look, are the sediment pieces of cork or other debris?

Your sense of smell is integral in knowing how to correctly taste wine. You get a better appreciation of a wines bouquet by gently swirling the glass; this allows some of the alcohol to evaporate and releases more natural scents. Still using your sense of smell, now stick your nose into the glass and take a deep whiff and inhale. The aroma of is a good indicator of the quality and characteristics of the wine you being served.

Now it is time to actually “taste” the wine. Starting with a small sip, allow the wine roll around on the back of your tongue. Here you will experience the three stages of taste: the Attack phase, the Evolution phase and the Finish.

The Attack Phase is the initial impression the wine makes on your palate. The Attack Phase is composed of four different things: alcohol content, tannin levels, acidity and residual sugar. The components should be well balanced, with one not overpowering the other.

The Evolution Phase refers to the actual taste of the wine on the mid-palate. In this phase a person can discern the flavor profile of a wine and experience the varying bouquet. In this phase you may notice hints of berries, citrus, vanilla, apple, pear, tropical notes, pepper, clove, cinnamon, honey, butter or herbs and several other combinations.

The Finish is the final phase of wine tasting and the finish is how long the impression of the wine lasts after it is swallowed. This phase is where the flavors of the wine culminate together and the aftertaste comes into effect.

Once you have taken the time to learn how to correctly taste wines, you may want to record some of your experiences. How was the taste of your wine? Was it sweet, sour, tart or bitter? Did it have a pleasing aftertaste? What foods did it pair well with? Was it something you would like to purchase? If so, take a moment to write the information down and keep the information for future reference.

Post from: Doctor Drink

Seriously, the great folks at the Missouri Wine Club have given us a 6 month membership to their wine club to give away to a lucky reader here at Drink Doctor!

All you need to do is follow us on Twitter at @drinkdoctor.
Or leave a comment here in this post.

With the 6 month membership you get two bottles of Missouri Wine shipped right to your door each month for the next 6 months. Along with the bottles you get a monthly newsletter, recipes, and more all valued at a total of $236.00!

The Rules: (you knew that there had to be some)

• You must be 21 years old
• You must live in one of the states that it is legal for the Missouri Wine Club to ship to. (California, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, New Mexico, Oregon, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin)
• We promise to never sell your information or spam your twitter stream with useless tweets.
• We reserve the right to not award the prize to twitter bots.
• Giveaway starts Monday, Feb. 9, 2009 and ends Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2009.
• Winner will be notified by Twitter and must respond within 48 hours.

Post from: Doctor Drink