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Featured Wines Featured Wines Chianti Classico Riserva Chianti Classico Riserva Villa Cerna (Tuscany) 1998 Villa Cerna (Tuscany) 1998 This ten year old Chianti is a blend of This ten year old Chianti is a blend of Sangiovese, Canaiolo, and Colorino, Sangiovese, Canaiolo, and Colorino, which produces a balanced wine with which produces a balanced wine with soft tannins and ripe red fruits, ideal soft tannins and ripe red fruits, ideal with pasta with red sauce. 34.00 with pasta with red sauce. 34.00 Montepulciano D’Abruzzi Montepulciano D’Abruzzi Reserva “Vittoriale” Galasso Reserva “Vittoriale” Galasso (Abruzzi) 1997 (Abruzzi) 1997 This wine is very well balanced with This wine is very well balanced with soft tannins, hints of ripe plum, and a soft tannins, hints of ripe plum, and a velvety mouth feel that only a well aged velvety mouth feel that only a well aged wine can bring. 36.00 wine can bring. 36.00 Mongrana, Querciabella Mongrana, Querciabella (Tuscany) 2005 (Tuscany) 2005 This organically grow baby Super This organically grow baby Super Tuscan is a blend of Sangiovese, Merlot, Tuscan is a blend of Sangiovese, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon, medium and Cabernet Sauvignon, medium bodied, with flavors of black cherry and bodied, with flavors of black cherry and currents Perfect with hearty pastas, currents Perfect with hearty pastas, and grilled meats. 38.00 and grilled meats. 38.00 Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, “Tre Rose” Tenimenti Angelini “Tre Rose” Tenimenti Angelini (Tuscany) 2003 (Tuscany) 2003 Aged 24 months in Slavonia oak, this Aged 24 months in Slavonia oak, this blend of Sangiovese, Canaiolo, and blend of Sangiovese, Canaiolo, and Cabernet produces a well balanced Cabernet produces a well balanced wine with soft tannins, garnet red color wine with soft tannins, garnet red color and delicate aromas of violet. 38.00 and delicate aromas of violet. 38.00 Rosso, “Le Serre Nuove” Rosso, “Le Serre Nuove” Bolgheri Dell Ornellaia Bolgheri Dell Ornellaia (Tuscany) 2005 (Tuscany) 2005 A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot make Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot make this a beautifully well balanced wine. this a beautifully well balanced wine. It is full bodied with soft tannins. It is full bodied with soft tannins. This wine is yummy! 85.00 This wine is yummy! 85.00 .

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Clemente VII Factsheets
Toscana CLEMENTE VII The Castelli del Grevepesa (Castelgreve) is the largest producer of Chianti Classico, producing 15% of all Chianti Classico in the world. Castelli del Grevepesa is actually a cooperative, owned by 160-170 grape growers in the Classico area, who bring only the best grapes to the sight for production. The grapes are meticulously selected from the rugged hills at the optimum altitude of 300-350 meters. The aging facility of this cooperative is truly extraordinary. The fine grapes are grown in a nearly perfect season and the use of modern techniques, along with aging in allier barrique, results in a superb Chianti Classico. Chianti Classico is one of the most well-known wines from Italy. There are several different types of Chianti, these being Chianti, Chianti Classico, and Chianti Classico Riserva. Chianti comes from seven different regions in Tuscany, whereas Chianti Classico and Chianti Classico Riserva come from only a very small area in Tuscany. Chianti Classico has stricter guidelines as to the percentage of Sangiovese, Canaiolo, Malvasia and Trebbiano grapes in the wine, the yield from the vineyard and the grapes, and the aging requirements, therefore creating a wine which is softer, fuller, warmer, and of a higher quality, the riserva even bigger. CHIANTI CLASSICO "Clemente VII" REGION: Toscana GRAPE TYPE: Sangiovese (75% - 90%), Canaiolo (5% - 10%), Malvasia & Trebbiano (2% - 5%) COLOR: Intense, ruby red with orange reflections BOUQUET: Wonderful aromas of violets and wild cherries TASTE: Rich, dry and full-bodied. Aging in barrique gives this wine smooth flavors of vanilla and spice and a long, lingering finish.
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WINE LIST ARE NOT PERMITTED to BE OPENED, THANK YOU Wines by the Glass Sparkling N.V
Corkage fee $35 BOTTLES OF WINE THAT ARE ON OUR WINE LIST ARE NOT PERMITTED TO BE OPENED, THANK YOU Wines By The Glass SpArKlInG N.V. JAUME SERRA CRISTALINO ROSÉ CAVA Spain 187ml 14 N.V. MIONETTO PROSECCO BRUT Veneto 187ml 14 N.V. MOËT & CHANDON "IMPERIAL" BRUT CHAMPAGNE Epernay 187ml 30 RoSé N.V. SUTTER HOME WHITE ZINFANDEL CA 11 2020 NOTORIOUS PINK France 14 WhItE 2020 CK MONDAVI CHARDONNAY CA 11 2019 MARCHESI ANTINORI SANTA CRISTINA PINOT GRIGIO Venezie, Italy 11 2020 TRULLO RIESLING Rheinhessen, Germany 12 2020 PINE RIDGE CHENIN BLANC, VIOGNIER Yolo County, CA 12 2018 TRIMBACK PINOT BLANC "Smooth, Medium Bodied With Good Fruit Acidity" Alsace, France 12 2020 KIM CRAWFORD SAUVIGNON BLANC Marlborough, New Zealand 15 2018 DEFAIX FRÈRES BOURGOGNE Burgundy, France 15 2020 SANTA MARGHERITA PINOT GRIGIO Alto Adige, Italy 18 2017 FRANK FAMILY VINEYARS CHARDONNAY Carneros, Napa 20 ReD 2019 CK MONDAVI CABERNET SAUVIGNON CA 11 2019 FESTIVO MALBEC Mendoza, Argentina 12 2019 URGENCY PINOT NOIR Lake County, CA 13 2016 FRESCOBALDI CHIANTI RÚFINA RISERVA Tuscany, Italy 14 2018 VIÑA MAYOR CRIANZA TEMPRANILLO Ribera del Duero, Spain 14 2018 VILLA ANTINORI "SUPER TUSCAN" Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah Tuscany, Italy 16 2018 ROUTE STOCK CABERNET SAUVIGNON Napa, CA 18 2016 THREE MONKEY’S & PAT LAFONTAINE "PINOT LINE" PINOT NOIR Russian River, CA 22 2019 ORIN SWIFT "ABSTRACT" Grenache, Petit Sirah, Syrah Napa, CA 25 Half Bottles ChAmPaGnE 100 N.V. MOËT & CHANDON "IMPERIAL" BRUT Epernay 50 101 N.V. MOËT & CHANDON "ROSE IMPERIAL" BRUT Epernay
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By Jim Clarke Chianti 101
BY JIM CLARKE CHIANTI 101 However, it’s important to distinguish be- homas Jefferson, World War II soldiers, Hannibal Lecter: tween the Chianti DOCG and the Chi- all appreciated a good Chianti. While Chianti has long anti Classico DOCG; the latter, home to been popular in the U.S.—Americans drink more than higher quality wines and a longer pedi- a quarter of Chianti’s annual production—it sometimes gree, is smaller, confined to a set of hills Tfaces a Rodney Dangerfield-like lack of respect. between those two cities. The larger Chianti zone is sub-divided into seven other zones, which are begin- It’s their own fault. The question that WHERE IT’S MADE ning to distinguish themselves. Chianti has never settled on is whether it’s Tuscany; the bulk of the Chianti region a brand, or a region. Many large producers stretches from Florence down past Siena. GRAPES: push for the easy brand recognition to move Sangiovese reigns supreme; Chianti, cheaper, often rustic wine; more premium alongside Brunello di Montalcino and producers, particularly in Chianti Classico, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, is the argue for a terroir-based wine, as shown by grape’s most famous home. Chianti the recent push to officially recognize the DOCG wines must contain a minimum DOCG’s subzones. It’s a hard slog—getting of 70% Sangiovese; international variet- lazy Americans to simply remember to say FLORENCE ies (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, “Classico” is challenge enough—but many etc.) are permitted, as are local varieties top producers are forging ahead. CHIANTI like Canaiolo Nero, Colorino, and nota- In any case, Chianti continues to DOCG work on the shelf, and at the table.
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Retail Wine List
RETAIL WINE LIST Dear Friends, Guests & Wine Lovers: If you’re looking for a silver lining during these challenging times, well here it is! All wines on our extensive wine list are now available for takeout at retail prices! That means you save 50% on average, and a great bottle of wine makes a perfect pairing for your la Spiga meal at home. But, how to choose from so many?? Our awesome wine steward & sommelier, Dominic DeFilippo, is here to help! You may contact him in the following ways: T: 206.323.8881 (la Spiga)* C: 206.618.5667 (call or text)* E: [email protected] * Tues-Sat, 3pm to 6pm “anni e bicchieri d i vino non si contano ma i ” age and glasses of wine should never be counted Vini Frizzanti e Spumanti Bortolomiol “Prior” Prosecco Superiore ‘19 19 Glera, Veneto Contratto Millesimato Extra Brut ‘12 35 Pinot Nero, Chardonnay (Bottle Fermented, Natural Fermentation), Piedmont Ferrari Trento DOC Brut NV 28 Chardonnay Franciacorta 1701 Brut NV (Biodynamic, Organic) 30 Chardonnay, Pinot Nero, Lombardia Palinieri “Sant’Agata” Lambrusco Sorbara ’18 17 Lambrusco, Sorbara Rosa Luna Lambrusco ’19 19 Lambrusco, Emilia-Romagna Vini Spumanti Dolci (Sweet) Marenco Brachetto d’Acqui (.375) ‘17 16 Brachetto Spinetta Moscato d’Asti (.375) ‘17 16 Moscato Vini Bianchi ALTO ALDIGE Abazzia Novacella ‘18 24 Kerner Terlano Terlaner ‘17 30 Pinot Bianco, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay Terlano Vorberg Riserva ‘17 46 Pinot Bianco FRIULI Damijan “Kaplja” (Orange) 45 Chardonnay, Friulano, Malvasia Istriana I Clivi Verduzzo ‘15 26 Verduzzo Ronchi di Cialla
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Wine List 8.15
Sparkling Glass Bottle NV La Marca Prosecco (Veneto, Italy) 9 35 NV De Salici Prosseco Rose´ Brut (Veneto, Italy) 42 NV Moet & Chandon Imperial Reserve (Epernay, France) 52 NV Veuve Clicquot Brut ‘Yellow Label’ (Reims, France) 68 2004 Dom Perignon, Moet & Chandon (Epernay, France) 225 White Pinot Grigio, Benvolio (Friuli Grave Venezia, Italy) 2012 9 36 Pinot Grigio, Santa Margherita (Valdadige, Italy) 2012 50 Vermentino, Costamolino (Sardegna, Italy) 2012 10 35 Sauvignon Blanc, Momo (Marlborough, New Zealand) 2013 9 36 Sauvignon Blanc, Duckhorn (Napa Valley, California) 2012 55 Sauvignon Blanc, Cakebread (Napa Valley, California) 2012 60 Sauvignon Blanc, Kim Crawford (Marlborough, New Zealand) 2013 44 Sauvignon Blanc, ‘Champs Royaux’,William Fevre Chablis (Burgundy, France) 2012 60 Rose´, Sauvion Rose´ D’ Anjou (Gamay, Groslot) (Loire Valley, France) 2013 9 36 Chardonnay, Silver Palm (Steel Aged) (Mendocino Coast, California) 2013 10 40 Chardonnay, La Crema (Sonoma County, California) 2012 11 44 Chardonnay, Frescobaldi Pomino Bianco (Tuscany, Italy) 2012 48 Riesling, Friederich (Spatlese) (Valwig, Germany) 2012 9 30 Riesling, Chateau St. Michelle (Columbia Valley, Washington) 2012 9 30 Ugni Blanc & Seibel, Inniskillin Vidal Ice Wine (Niagara, Ontario) 2006 (2.5oz) 12 70 Caymus Conundrum (California) 2012 50 Moscato di Asti, Saracco (Piedmont, Italy) 2011/12 (2.5oz) 7 30 ** “Vin Especial” (Exquisite Wine at an Amazing Value: Limited Availability) Red Glass Bottle Merlot, Noble Vines “181” (Lodi, California) 2011 10 36 Merlot, Kenwood ‘Jack London’ (Sonoma County, California) 2010 50 Zinfandel, Cline ‘Ancient Vines’ (Contra Costa Country, California) 2013 36 Zin, P. Syrah, Carignane, Mataro, A. Bouchet - Ridge ‘Three Valleys’ (Sonoma Country) 2011 60 Meritage – “Entycement” Zin, P.
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Wine Spirits
WINE SPIRITS “il vino fa buon san gue ” literal: good wine makes good blood English equiv: an apple a day keeps the doctor away Vini Frizzanti e Spumanti Ferrari Trento DOC Brut NV 55 VAL D’ AOSTA Chardonnay Grosjean Vigne Rovettaz ‘16 62 Franciacorta 1701 Brut NV (Biodynamic, Organic) 60 Petite Arvine Chardonnay, Pinot Nero, Lombardia Chateau Feuillet Traminer ‘17 60 Gianluca Viberti Casina Bric 460 Gewurztraminer Sparkling Rose Brut 52 Nebbiolo, Piemonte PIEMONTE Contratto Millesimato Extra Brut ‘12 68 La Scolca Gavi Black Label ‘15 92 Pinot Nero, Chardonnay (Bottle Fermented, Cortese Natural Fermentation), Piedmont Vigneti Massa “Petit Derthona” ‘17 48 La Staffa “Mai Sentito!” (Frizzante) ’17 39 Timorasso Verdicchio (Certified Organic, Pet’Nat, Bottle Fermented) Marche VENETO Palinieri “Sant’Agata” Lambrusco Sorbara ’18 32 Suavia “Massifitti” ‘16 55 Lambrusco Sorbara Trebbiano di Soave Quaresimo Lambrusco (Frizzante) NV 36 Pieropan Soave Classico “Calvarino” ‘16 58 Lambrusco (Biodynamically farmed in Garganega Emilia Romagna!) EMILIA ROMAGNA Ancarani “Perlagioia” ‘16 42 Vini Spumanti Dolci (Sweet) Albana Ancarani “Famoso” ‘16 42 Spinetta Moscato d’Asti (.375) 2017 23 Famoso di Cesena Moscato Ca Dei Quattro Archi “Mezzelune” (Orange) 50 Marenco Brachetto d’Acqui (.375) 2017 23 Albana Brachetto MARCHE Vini Bianchi San Lorenzo “di Gino” Superiore ‘17 42 Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi ALTO ALDIGE CAMPANIA Abazzia Novacella ‘17 42 Benito Ferarra Terra d’Uva ‘17 45 Gruner Veltliner Ribolla Gialla Abazzia Novacella ‘17 42 Ciro Picariello BruEmm ‘17 45 Kerner Falanghina Terlano Terlaner ‘17 60 San Giovanni “Tresinus” ‘15 45 Pinot Bianco, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay Fiano Terlano Vorberg Riserva ‘17 90 Pinot Bianco SICILIA Terlano Rarity 2005 250 Planeta “Eruzione” ‘16 68 Pinot Bianco Carricante, Riesling Tieffenbrunner “Feldmarschall” ‘15 75 CORSICA Müller Thurgau Dom.
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Top 10 Mediterranean Winegrape Cultivars to Consider for Foothills Vineyards
Top 10 Mediterranean Winegrape Cultivars To Consider for Foothills Vineyards Glenn McGourty, Viticulture and Plant Science Advisor, UCCE Mendocino and Lake Counties The International Varieties n Cabernet Sauvignon n Merlot n Sauvignon Blanc n Pinot Noir n Chardonnay Why International Varieties? n Long modern history of export production n Perceived quality n Tradition European Viticulture n Climate is more continental—more rain, overall cooler in many areas compared to California n Grapes are grown from 38-50th parallel n Vintage years happen when grapes become fully ripe California Has A Mediterranean Climate n Most wine growing occurs between Latitude 33-38 degrees (vs. 41-50 degrees) n Climate is characterized by warm dry summers and cool (but not freezing) winters n One percent of the earth’s surface n One of six areas on the planet Why Consider Planting Something Different? n Niche Market n Vines adapted to your climate n Wine Styles n Direct Sales Market Realities n Wine drinkers are more adventurous than wine distributors! n Many wine writers don’t understand lesser known varieties n It is hard to sell wines with names that consumers can’t pronounce (Viognier, Montepulciano, Cieliegolo, etc.) Other Considerations for Novel Varieties n Not everyone likes what you like n New wines require a hand sell n You are pretty much on your own for information on how to grow things! (Could require extended trips to where the winegrape originated from) The Mendocino and Lake County Mediterranean Winegrape Cultivar Trials n UC Hopland Research
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Montenidoli Vigneron: Elisabetta Fagiouli Varietals
Winery: Montenidoli Vigneron: Elisabetta Fagiouli Varietals: 75% Sangiovese & 20% Canaiolo - red grapes 3% Trebbiano gentile & 2% Malvasia Bianca - white grapes Region: San Gimignano, Tuscany, Italy Name of wine: il Garrulo "it was the harvest of 1989, following a cold rainy summer and the grapes hung sadly from the vines, unripe and waterlogged. They really were a mess… what to do with them? We collected the best bunches and set them to dry on trellises, then pressed the remaining unblemished grapes in the cellars, racked the must off after a brief maceration on the skins, and refermented the must with the grapes we'd dried on the trellises, using the traditional “governo alla toscana” technique. The result was a huge success: a pale ruby, richly perfumed wine that was light, fresh, and extremely pleasant to drink. It was barely 12 % alcohol and was therefore especially suited to those "adhering rigidly to diets" and the abstentious who fled the notion of alcohol. It needed a name, and became IL GARRULO: in part from the noisy chirping of the birds, which brings to mind the happy talk that rises up around the table after a few good glasses of wine, and in part to honor the GARRULUS, the mischievous bird that struts about the roofs of Montenidoli during the winter months" Soil: calcareous & marine sediments Vinification/ Maturation: two red grapes and the two white grapes specified in the old Chianti regulations - the formula developed by Barone Ricasoli fermented on the skins, with a long maceration in cement tank 12 months aging before bottling Tasting Notes: cherries with some aged balsamic richness dancing around the edges spice & peppery tannins balance the bright, red berry acidity a classic Chianti that will delight anyone seeking shying away from the modern, overdone Chianti and looking for a more traditional approach.....
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CAPEZZANA Carmignano, Prato, Tuscany
WINERY NAME: CAPEZZANA WINERY LOCATION: Carmignano, Prato, Tuscany VINEYARD LOCATION: Carmignano, Tuscany VINEYARD LAND: 197 acres (80 ha) Estate: 670 acres (271 ha) FARMING PRACTICES: Certified Organic GRAPE VARIETIES: Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Canaiolo, Merlot, Syrah, Chardonnay, Trebbiano, San Colombano WINE STYLES: Dry red still, Dry Rosato, Sweet still WINE REGIONS: Barco Reale di Carmignano DOC, Carmignano DOCG, Toscana IGT TOTAL WINE PRODUCTION: 400,000 - 450,000 bottles per year YEAR FOUNDED: 804 OWNER(S): Contini Bonacossi Family WINEMAKER(S): Benedetta Contini Bonacossi Few wineries in the world possess the stature, respect and devotion that the Contini Bonacossi family has cultivated and maintained over five generations with their Tenuta di Capezzana winery. The estate is located 12 miles west of Florence in the Carmignano sub-zone, one of the oldest recognized wine producing areas in Tuscany. Ancient Etruscan artifacts have shown that grapevines were cultivated in the area for wine production over 3,000 years ago. The first reference to Capezzana dates to 804 A.D. An ancient parchment stored at the Florentine state archives shows the granting of a lease of vineyards and olive groves for the cultivation of wine and olive oil to a place called Capezzana. Over the centuries, the estate passed through several families. But the story of today's Capezzana started when the Count Alessandro Contini Bonacossi and his family returned to Italy after living in Spain and purchased the estate from Raimondo Franchetti's widow, Sara de Rothschild, in 1920. Not content with this original holding, Count Alessandro acquired the two neighboring farms, "The Poggetto" and "Trefiano," dividing the property into three distinct estates with more than 120 poderi.
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Sparkling White
Sparkling Glass Bottle ½ Btl. NV ***Antica Fratta Brut, Franciacorta (Lombardia, Italy) ***28 NV La Marca Prosecco (Veneto, Italy) 9 35 NV Moet & Chandon Imperial Reserve (Epernay, France) 52 NV Veuve Clicquot Brut ‘Yellow Label’ (Reims, France) 68 2004 Dom Perignon, Moet & Chandon (Epernay, France) 225 White Pinot Grigio, Benvolio (Friuli Grave Venezia, Italy) 2012 9 36 Pinot Grigio, Santa Margherita (Valdadige, Italy) 2012 50 Vermentino, Costamolino (Sardegna, Italy) 2012 10 35 Sauvignon Blanc, Momo (Marlborough, New Zealand) 2013 9 36 Sauvignon Blanc, Duckhorn (Napa Valley, California) 2012 55 Sauvignon Blanc, Cakebread (Napa Valley, California) 2013 60 Sauvignon Blanc, ‘Champs Royaux’,William Fevre Chablis (Burgundy, France) 2012 60 Rose´, Sauvion Rose´ D’ Anjou (Gamay, Groslot) (Loire Valley, France) 2013 36 ***Viognier, Stags’ Leap, (Napa Valley, California) ***46 Chardonnay, La Crema (Sonoma County, California) 2012 11 44 Chardonnay, Frescobaldi Pomino Bianco (Tuscany, Italy) 2012 48 Riesling, Jose Friederich (Spatlese) (Valwig, Germany) 2012 9 30 Ugni Blanc & Seibel, Inniskillin Vidal Ice Wine (Niagara, Ontario) 2006 (2.5oz) 12 70 Caymus Conundrum (California) 2012 50 Moscato di Asti, Saracco (Piedmont, Italy) 2011/12 (2.5oz) 7 30 ***Vin Especial: Absolutely Fantastic Wine at an Amazing Value -Vintages May Be Subject To Change Red Glass Bottle ½ Btl. Merlot, Noble Vines “181” (Lodi, California) 2011 10 36 Merlot, Kenwood ‘Jack London’ (Sonoma County, California) 2010 50 Zinfandel, Cline ‘Ancient Vines’ (Contra Costa Country, California)
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Aglianico from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia
Aglianico From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Aglianico (pronounced [aʎˈʎaːniko], roughly "ahl-YAH-nee- koe") is a black grape grown in the Basilicata and Campania Aglianico regions of Italy. The vine originated in Greece and was Grape (Vitis) brought to the south of Italy by Greek settlers. The name may be a corruption of vitis hellenica, Latin for "Greek vine."[1] Another etymology posits a corruption of Apulianicum, the Latin name for the whole of southern Italy in the time of ancient Rome. During this period, it was the principal grape of the famous Falernian wine, the Roman equivalent of a first-growth wine today. Contents Aglianico from Taurasi prior to veraison Color of Black 1 History berry skin 2 Relationship to other grapes Also called Gnanico, Agliatica, Ellenico, 3 Wine regions Ellanico and Uva Nera 3.1 Other regions Origin Greece 4 Viticulture Notable Taurasi, Aglianico del Vulture 5 Wine styles wines 6 Synonyms Hazards Peronospera 7 References History The vine is believed to have first been cultivated in Greece by the Phoceans from an ancestral vine that ampelographers have not yet identified. From Greece it was brought to Italy by settlers to Cumae near modern-day Pozzuoli, and from there spread to various points in the regions of Campania and Basilicata. While still grown in Italy, the original Greek plantings seem to have disappeared.[2] In ancient Rome, the grape was the principal component of the world's earliest first-growth wine, Falernian.[1] Ruins from the Greek Along with a white grape known as Greco (today grown as Greco di Tufo), the grape settlement of Cumae.
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Basic Winemaking and Enology - 1 Winemaking Predates Recorded History
Basic Winemaking and Enology - 1 Winemaking predates recorded history. During the Cro-Magnon era, 45 thousand years ago, surely some family neglected some grapes they had collected. When they rediscovered the grapes, they found that the grapes had broken down and grape juice had escaped. They ate and drank the cracked grapes and drank the “juice”. An hour or so later, some family members got giggly and soon they all got sleepy and took a nap. The juice had naturally fermented into wine. They had been introduced to a new beverage. Winemaking has been known to be part of the diet of man since he settled in the Tigris- Euphrates basin several thousand years ago. It is widely accepted that Vitis vinifera grapes originated in Asia Minor in an area between and south of the Black and Caspian Seas. This area of the Caucasus and northern Mesopotamia (present day Syria) is where grapes were first cultivated. Men found these wild grapes growing into the treetops. They then took cuttings and planted vines and found certain varieties to their liking. As early human groups traveled, these domesticated grapes were carried with them for planting in their new homes. Over the past ten thousand years many different empires have dominated the lands in and around the Mediterranean. After they occupied new lands, the victors planted the grapes they were familiar with at home. When they found new grapes in the occupied territories, they brought them back for planting in their homelands. The oldest evidence of wine production is residues found in ancient Neolithic wine jars (amphora) found in the Iranian Z agros Mountains and dated to about 5,000 B.C.
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