In the modern world wine is enjoyed in all corners of the globe. From places such as Australia, North and South America, to Europe, wine has grown into a popular and much sought after beverage.

Old World Wines
Wine was consumed in Europe on a scale that we would find hard to believe. Before the advent of a safe supply of drinking water, wine was a necessary part of the diet. Wine was so widely accepted because individuals lacked other choices.

As the range of beverages increased, wine had to find ways of retaining its popularity. The ways through which wine was able to keep its position as a favoured drink in Europe are varied and differ slightly for various countries. The wine industry has seen many hardships and changes in the past few centuries. Despite these setbacks, the enjoyment of wine has remained popular even in modern times.

Although wine was enjoyed throughout all of western history, it has not always been popular. Wine has grown from being a drink enjoyed by a select few to something that can be appreciated by all.

Wine in the New World
The New World has also presented obstacles for wine's development. By the time the first Europeans arrived on the eastern shores of the Americas, wine was already a very popular and beloved drink in Europe. This value carried into the New World, and early settlers attempted to produce their own wine. Due to many different agricultural problems, wine in the New World was not to become widely known until the 19th and 20th centuries. In more recent times, wine cultivation has soared in the New World, helping to make wine accepted and loved throughout the Americas.

Wine in Ancient Times

Although wine was popular in Ancient cultures, it was only available for the enjoyment of a select few. Since the first people to inhabit these regions found it easier to cultivate grain and produce beer, there was not much common interest in the production of wine.
When the Ancient Egyptians began to trade with their eastern neighbours, they discovered wine and found it to possess many good side effects. They believed that wine was a gift from their gods, because it had the power to temporarily banish their daily troubles. The social elite of Egypt greatly enjoyed their wines and this pleasure from drinking was passed on to the Ancient Greek civilisation.

Like the Egyptians before them, the Greeks valued the consumption of wine. They traded different varieties with the Middle East and between the many Greek Islands. Wine was popular in Greece and Greek citizens spent much of their time discussing wine and finding ways of making it even more enjoyable. Wine was becoming more and more a part of daily life in the known world.

The Roman Empire is credited with the massive spread of wine throughout Europe. The Romans, it seemed, loved wine even more than the Greeks and pushed for its development in countries such as Spain, France and parts of Britain. The time of the Roman Empire also saw the general public's demand for wine soar to a new height. Many cities had wine bars on almost every street and festivals were held to ensure a good year's harvest of grapes. The Romans also recorded what they knew about the cultivation of wine, which was carried into the Dark Ages by the diligence of Christian monks.

Wine in Dark Times

After the collapse of the Roman Empire around 450AD, Europe was thrown into what we now refer to as the Dark Ages. These times had the potential to force wine into oblivion for centuries. Fortunately for wine drinkers, this was not to be the case.

The Christian monasteries are credited for the preservation of wine-making skills after the fall of Rome. The most detailed accounts of this process come from monasteries in Germany, France and parts of Northern Italy. Many of these monasteries are directly related to the development of some of the most popular wine regions in today's Europe, including Burgundy. The region of Bordeaux, however, is an exception to this and sprung up on its own as a commercial centre and producer of wine.

The Church first came to be associated with the production of wine through its use of wine in the Christian Eucharist. Eventually the production of wine was viewed as a luxury and comfort. With the spread of cathedrals and the Church's wealth, everyday citizens began to look at wine as a sign of opulence that they lacked in their lives. Wine was still a daily drink in Europe, but the production of fine wines was controlled by a select few.

Perhaps the most famous monks connected to wine are the Benedictines. These monks cultivated some of the finest vineyards in Europe. The Benedictines also earned a reputation for enjoying their agricultural endeavours slightly too much. It was not uncommon for people to think of the Benedictines as corpulent monks who passed their days in drunken stupor. Their way of life soon became notorious throughout Europe.

Eventually a monk by the name of St. Bernard split from the Benedictines and founded the order of the Cistercians. This order was immediately successful and it soon founded vineyards in Burgundy and Rheingau. Unfortunately, they became as noted for their gluttony as the Benedictines before them.

Old World Wine

Wine has always been prevalent in the Old World. The types of people it appealed to however, have differed greatly throughout the centuries. After the start of the Renaissance, wine began to become more available to all types of citizens, whether they were part of monastic life or not.

The enjoyment of wine in England really began to prosper during the time of Shakespeare. Wine was available to all levels of society and almost everyone seemed to partake of it. Depictions of Elizabethan banquets show gentlemen and ladies consuming wine in great amounts. This changed in the 17th century with the introduction of several new beverages including safe and reliable drinking water. Religious values in England also forbade the consumption of too much alcohol. Britain's strained political relations with France caused them to turn to Spain and Portugal to provide their wine. It was the British who made Port and Sherry famous drinks. In today's England, wine drinking is still widespread and scientific studies have indicated that moderate consumption of red wine will help reduce heart and other medical problems.

The consumption of wine was also enjoyed throughout all parts of Europe. The creation of the cork and corkscrew in the 17th century was a great asset to Europe's wine industry. Wine was then easier to store and consume. In 17th century Holland drinking was an especially favoured pastime. Dutch taverns ranged from the upscale establishment to gloomy hovels filled with empty bottles and incapacitated patrons. Eventually the Dutch expanded their love of drink to harder liquors and placed less of a focus on wine.

Germans also enjoyed their wines, but their 30-year war in the 17th century ravaged their vineyards. It wasn't until much later that Germans were able to enjoy wine on a national scale.

Russia also played a role in the development of wine's popularity. Some individuals believe that if it were not for the Russian love of Champagne, that industry never would have reached its full potential.

Wine is enjoyed throughout the world today, despite its many hardships throughout the centuries. Some French wines are still viewed as a model for wine production in all parts of the world. It seems that like fine wines, the popularity of this beverage only gets better with time.

New World Wine

As explorers and colonists moved to different regions of the world, they also brought with them the knowledge necessary for the cultivation of grapes and the production of wine.

Today wine is produced worldwide, but several areas are of special interest. These regions are as follows: Australia, Eastern United States, California, Chile, France, South America, and South Africa.
Each of these regions has a different story behind the evolution of their individual wines. The unique political and agricultural landscapes of these areas have served to influence their wine and even how we, as consumers, view these wines. Today's wine market offers us many different choices that were not always available to the civilised world.