Wine is
Culture

During the biblical times, Noah was known to enjoy wine on a frequent basis. In Rome, the emperors were known to have wine with every single meal. In ancient Greece, there was often a lot of money allocated to finely selected wines and vines to be planted on Greek lands. In Greece, Iran and Italy, evidence of wine dates back around 6000BC, and the oldest vines to still stand today are almost 400 years old .So it stands without reason, that wine has been, and always will be, part of all cultures in many different forms.

Wine was never just an accompaniment to a meal – but was always viewed as a necessity for a balanced diet. The ancient Romans believed wine was as important as bread and milk. In ancient times, it was a symbol of status and affluence. And throughout the years, the role of wine has shifted – but these stories and these histories created a tradition and culture. Wine today, in many cultures, is still considered a necessity of life – whether it be to accompany a meal; form part of a social event; or form the basis of a history lesson.

Popping open a bottle of wine is the equivalent to visiting a museum, or attending an art show. We invest so much time in understanding the artists; the artists’ mindset and the history behind it. Similarly, we seem to invest so much of our time and interest in the wine; the production; the winemakers and the history of the country’s winemaking. Every culture has a story of how the vines were planted, grown, formed, and transformed into its specific craft. Every culture has their own unique history about how wine has played a part in their society – and how that role has changed throughout time. So every culture and every society makes wine in a similar way today – but their story and how it got that point forms part of an important culture. It is transformed from being a simple drink – to being an expression our civilization – and the years of civilization before us. A glass of wine in today’s society is so much more than just a glass of wine. It’s a taste of centuries of perfecting. It’s hundreds of years of culture and tradition, poured down from generation to generation. With every varietal; with every bottle – comes a unique story of tradition to be enjoyed.

“Culture” is defined as behaviours and ideas of a society. So there is no doubt, that wine today, is just that – a culture. A culture of festivity. A culture of celebration. A culture of society passed down from hundreds of years. Wine has never just been just “a glass of wine,” but instead, a celebration and reminder of thousands of years of tradition. And definitely, a culture.