Much of modern wine culture can be traced back to the wine traditions of Ancient Greece. Although the exact time of wine's introduction to Greek soil is unknown, it was undoubtedly known to both the Minoan and Mycenaean civilizations.
Many grape varieties grown in modern Greece are very similar or identical to those grown in ancient times. Indeed, the most common modern Greek type, Renesia, an aromatic white wine, is considered a transitional type between the wines of the times when wine jugs were coated with tree resin, which gave the wine a distinct flavor. A 6,500-year-old archaeological site in Greece dates back to the earliest known period of wine production in Europe. "Festival of Wine" is a festival in Mycenae, Greece, dedicated to the "new month of wine". Some ancient authors, such as the Roman writer Pliny the Great, described the ancient Greek method of using dehydrated gypsum before fermentation and using a special type of lime after fermentation to reduce the acidity of wine. The Greek writer Theophrastus gives the most famous description of this aspect of Greek winemaking.
The ancient Greeks loved wine so much that they even had a special god of fun and wine, Dionysus, whose name was often mentioned in the works of Homer and Aesop. Dionysus was also known as Bacchus.
Greek wine was widespread and exported to many Mediterranean countries, as Greek-style bipedal jugs were found in various parts of Europe. They were also loved by the Scythians who lived in what is now Ukraine and south of the Black Sea.
The Roman Empire had a great influence on the development of viticulture and winemaking. Wine was an integral part of the Roman diet, and winemaking became a profitable business as the demand for wine was constant among both the nobility and the common people. During the expansion of the Roman Empire, wine production in the conquered provinces increased to such an extent that the provinces soon began to compete with Roman wines. Almost all wine regions of Western Europe were founded by the Romans. Winemaking technology improved significantly during the Roman Empire. Many grape varieties and growing methods were developed, and barrels created by the Gauls and later glass bottles created by the Syrians began to compete with flint jars for storage and transportation. After the invention of the screw by the Greeks, wine presses became common in Roman mansions.
When in 500 BC. e. The Western Roman Empire collapsed, Europe entered the so-called “Dark Ages”, which were accompanied by significant social upheavals. At that time, the Roman Catholic Church became the only stable social structure. Through the church, the methods of growing grapes and winemaking necessary for the Catholic masses were preserved.

27 January 2024, Saturday | 2055