History of Wine

The history of wine spans thousands of years and is closely intertwined with the history of agriculture, cuisine, civilization and humanity itself. Archaeological evidence suggests that the earliest known wine production occurred in Georgia around 6,000 BC, with other notable sites in Iran and Armenia dated 5,000 BC and 4,000 BC, respectively. The archaeological evidence becomes clearer and points to domestication of grapevine in Early Bronze Age sites of the Near East, Sumer and Egypt from around the third millennium BC.

 Evidence of the earliest wine production in Europe has been uncovered at archaeological sites in northern Greece (Macedonia), dated to 6,500 years ago. These same sites also contain remnants of the world's earliest evidence of crushed grapes. In Egypt, wine became a part of recorded history, playing an important role in ancient ceremonial life. Traces of wild wine dating from the second and first millennium BC have also been found in China.


 Wine, tied in myth to Dionysus/Bacchus, was common in ancient Greece and Rome, and many of the major wine-producing regions of Western Europe today were established with Phoenician and later Roman plantations. Wine-making technology, such as the wine press, improved considerably during the time of the Roman Empire; many grape varieties and cultivation techniques were known and barrels were developed for storing and shipping wine.


In medieval Europe, following the decline of Rome and its industrial-scale wine production for export, the Christian Church became a staunch supporter of the wine necessary for celebration of the Catholic Mass. Whereas wine was forbidden in medieval Islamic cultures, its use in Christian libation was widely tolerated and Geber and other Muslim chemists pioneered its distillation for Islamic medicinal and industrial purposes such as perfume. Wine production gradually increased and its consumption became popularized from the 15th century onwards, surviving the devastating Phylloxera louse of the 1870s and eventually establishing growing regions throughout the world.


(Picture: Wine boy at a Greek symposium)
All information Courtesy of Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_wine

Walnut Creek Bevmo - Caymus Tastings:

I have always enjoyed tasting more expensive bottles of Wine. Unfortunately like a lot of people I can’t afford such bottles. The Walnut Creek Bevmo has an answer to this problem. They offer about once a month an exclusive wine tasting at their store. There is a $15 to $25 fee to attend the tasting. It is a great way to taste an exceptional bottle of wine without breaking your wallet. The most recent was Caymus Wineries. Please see below for my opinion of the 2 featured Wines. 

 

 

Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 ($68.00 Bottle):

This wine had a medium to Heavy Body with very thick tannins. Lots of oak with a nice fruit finish. I would say this is definitely an investment wine. This is a great wine to age for 4-6 years plus. This wine has lots of potential but definitely needs some time to mature. The cheese really helped this wine shine. Tasting this Cab after eating cheese really tamed the tannins and really let the fruit be the star of the show.

Caymus Cabernet Sauvignon Special Selection 2009 ($130.00 Bottle):

This wine was much more ready to drink. This was still a medium to heavy bodied wine. But the tannins were much less overwhelming. This wine had a beautiful bouquet. The aroma was much more pronounced and stronger than the previous. The oak and fruit had a great balance which made it easier pick up the fruit flavor. This wine had a very long lasting fruit finish. It had everything you would expect from a well-crafted bottle.

Red Wines From Light to Heavy

Red Wines	Aromas and Flavors	Body
Pinot Noir	Strawberry, berries, cherry	Light - medium
Sangiovese	Cherry, fruity, spice	Light to medium
Merlot	Blackberry, plum, current, chocolate, vanilla	Medium
Cabernet Franc	Raspberry, casis, herbacious	Medium
Barbera	Blackberry, Raspberry, Blueberries	Medium
Malbec	Cherry, strawberry, plum	Medium
Zinfandel	Berries, jammy, cherry, earthy	Medium to heavy
Syrah	peppery, spice, blackberry, cinnamon	Medium to heavy
Cabernet Sauvignon	Blueberries, black current, cassis, raspberries, oaky	Heavy
Petite Syrah	Blackberry, pepper, jammy	Heavy