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THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE: OLDEST WINERY IN ARMENIA
My San Antonio
http://www.mysanantonio.com/life/food/article/Through-the-Grapevine-Oldest-winery-in-Armenia-968802.php
Jan 26 2011
A prologue to wine history was discovered this month when
archaeologists from the Cotsen Institute of Archaeology at the
University of California, Los Angeles found what is believed to be
the world's oldest winery in Armenia.
The site dates to 4,000 B.C. and proves that grape domestication
and wine production and distribution existed at least 1,000 years
earlier than previously believed. Before this discovery, the oldest
known winery dated to 1650 B.C. in Israel, according to researchers.
The find, which was reported in the Journal of Archaeological Science,
had been preserved by a collapsed roof inside a cave for an estimated
6,000 years. Inside were clay pots, a 15-gallon vat with residue,
a wine press and remnants of grapes and seeds. The archaeologists
believe the wine was probably ceremonial because the winery is near
a gravesite. It may have tasted similar to merlot.
This discovery is the biggest wine news since July, when 30 or so
bottles of Champagne were found at a 1780s shipwreck site between
Sweden and Finland.
Cups runneth over
Judges, ready your taste buds for the 2011 San Antonio Wine
Competition, scheduled for Saturday.
A panel of judges, including yours truly, will taste through more than
500 national and international wines to select bronze, silver and gold
medal winners to be tasted during the San Antonio Wine Festival, Feb.
18-20, which benefits KLRN-TV. It may sound fun, but that's a lot
of wine.
Winning wines will be published in the Feb. 13 Taste section. Tickets
are still available; details are listed in the accompanying wine
calendar.
Jennifer McInnis is the wine columnist for the Express-News
From: A. Papazian
My San Antonio
http://www.mysanantonio.com/life/food/article/Through-the-Grapevine-Oldest-winery-in-Armenia-968802.php
Jan 26 2011
A prologue to wine history was discovered this month when
archaeologists from the Cotsen Institute of Archaeology at the
University of California, Los Angeles found what is believed to be
the world's oldest winery in Armenia.
The site dates to 4,000 B.C. and proves that grape domestication
and wine production and distribution existed at least 1,000 years
earlier than previously believed. Before this discovery, the oldest
known winery dated to 1650 B.C. in Israel, according to researchers.
The find, which was reported in the Journal of Archaeological Science,
had been preserved by a collapsed roof inside a cave for an estimated
6,000 years. Inside were clay pots, a 15-gallon vat with residue,
a wine press and remnants of grapes and seeds. The archaeologists
believe the wine was probably ceremonial because the winery is near
a gravesite. It may have tasted similar to merlot.
This discovery is the biggest wine news since July, when 30 or so
bottles of Champagne were found at a 1780s shipwreck site between
Sweden and Finland.
Cups runneth over
Judges, ready your taste buds for the 2011 San Antonio Wine
Competition, scheduled for Saturday.
A panel of judges, including yours truly, will taste through more than
500 national and international wines to select bronze, silver and gold
medal winners to be tasted during the San Antonio Wine Festival, Feb.
18-20, which benefits KLRN-TV. It may sound fun, but that's a lot
of wine.
Winning wines will be published in the Feb. 13 Taste section. Tickets
are still available; details are listed in the accompanying wine
calendar.
Jennifer McInnis is the wine columnist for the Express-News
From: A. Papazian