Wine has existed on our planet for more than 8000 years. Of course, during such a long existence, the process of making an alcoholic beverage has undergone many changes and improvements more than once. And how many variations have been invented? We can't count it.

But how did this drink come about, and was the word "wine" first heard?

Unfortunately, wine historians disagree here.

One of the most common opinions is that this ancient drink was invented completely by accident.

Historians believe that one day too many grapes were harvested and an excessive amount of juice fermented and spoiled, leading to the formation of alcohol. Of course, neither the date nor the place of such an event is known. It is therefore safe to say that such discoveries have been made for hundreds of years and centuries, in completely different places and under different circumstances. This is evidenced by the fact that historians have found evidence that numerous peoples living in the early Neolithic period invented wine.

It is believed that wine appeared in Ancient China 7000 years BC. Wine was then described as a drink made from fermented grape juice and rice. There is also information that the wine appeared a few thousand years later in the areas we now know today as Georgia, Iran, Greece and the island of Sicily.

It is known that the first winery was established in 4000 BC. It was located in Armenia and was housed in the Areni-1 cave. This is confirmed by the fact that archaeologists have found artefacts that they believe were used for the permanent production of wine. The equipment found resembled a wine press, vats for fermentation and drinking.

After studying the findings, historians concluded that the equipment was too advanced for the time and that mankind had probably been familiar with wine-making techniques for centuries.

This is confirmed by the fact that, as early as 3000 BC, urns of ancient wine inside were found in the tombs of ancient Egypt. And on the territory of Persepolis (Iran), on the walls of the «Apadana» Palace, built back in 4000 BC, historians found a drawing of the Persian king with a vat of scarlet drink (probably wine) in his hands. As its known, he received this vat as a gift from the conquered peoples.

There are many other theories about the invention of wine that have not been confirmed by science in any way and are more fabulous than rational.

There is a religious story that says that Noah invented wine and drank it after the Great Flood. This event is described in the book of Genesis of the Old Testament.

Deonis is the ancient Greek god of winemaking. The Greeks were certain that wine was invented by God after he invented the grapes grown on Mount Nysa. The deity pardoned ordinary mortals and transferred all his knowledge and skills in the wine industry to the people of central Anatolia, insisting that his skills be passed on.

The ancient Persians believed that the appearance of wine was associated with the reign of King Jamshid. It is said that one of the tsar's subjects angered him so much that she was sent into exile. Not expecting such a punishment, the woman saw her forgiveness only in her own death. In the walls of the palace, in one of the rooms, a woman found a bottle marked “poison". She actually found a drink from rotten grapes. Without thinking for a long time, the woman drank the contents of the bottle, but this did not lead to grief, but to joy. The death wish left her mind in an instant. Hoping for a mercy, the woman offered the King a "healing" drink. King Jamshid liked the wine so much that he not only mercies her, but also ordered to leave all the grapes in the kingdom to ferment, so that everyone would be treated to an alcoholic drink.

Whatever the true history of wines appearance, in whatever country this drink was invented, we can say with confidence that it deserves to be legendary.