17 Times Wine Changed the World

Wine spoils if you do not store it correctly; it fails to age properly.It goes bad.Early wine makers either drank quickly or figured out how to keep the wine. In China, dating back to around 7,000 BC, they began making fermented fruit and honey wine and stored it in earthenware jars. These jars became pots, amphoras, and later, the bottles we see now. People also used this storage for other foods, keeping them fresh longer.Around 7,000 BC, the need to store wine drove people to make early storage devices.People started making fermented fruit and honey wine and storing it in earthenware jars. These jars became pots, amphoras, and eventually the bottles we see today. This storage method also let people keep food fresh longer.

If the ancient Greeks thought you were cool, you probably were. Giving them wine works best. The Greeks believed making wine was a fine art; they had a god focused on drinking it.focused on drinking it.If you could make wine, the Greeks saw you as civilized, not backward or barbaric, at least according to Thucydides. Many alliances formed because the Greeks respected other 'civilized' societies. The ancient world looked this way because the Greeks respected other winemakers.Thucydides says wine determined if the Greeks believed you were civilized.Many alliances formed when the Greeks respected other 'civilized' societies. The ancient world looked this way because the Greeks respected other winemakers.

If you were rich in Egypt back around 1,500 BC, you drank wine. If you were not, you did not. Pharaohs drank wine, offered it to the gods, and even buried wine with them from multiple wineries. Because Egypt favored slaves, using wine for status kept the rich ahead and the poor behind, where they only drank beer.Around 1,500 BC, the Pharaohs used wine to act like incredibly powerful gods.Pharaohs drank wine and offered it to the gods; they also had wine buried with them from multiple wineries. The use of wine as status kept the rich on top and the poor on the bottom, where they only drank beer.The Pharaohs buried wine with them.Given Egypt was a slave-loving country, using wine for status kept the rich on top and the poor on the bottom, where they only drank beer.They drank beer..

By around 900 BC, the Romans mastered wine science. They grew grapes, made different wine types, and stored them in amphora.They stored the wine in amphorae..The next step was trade. Some early cross-continent trading involved wine, and that trade grew into the huge industry we see today. This led to political alliances, trading of information and techniques, and more wine varieties.cross-continent trading

During Greek and Roman winemaking, people thought they needed a new wine storage method. They already used glass for beads, cups, and jewelry, but the full range of glass use appeared when Romans started making glass containers for wine around 100 BC. Using glass better to store wine started new uses in art and science.Wine led to beads, cups, and small jewelry pieces.the Romans started making glass containers for wine around 100 BC. The full range of glass use appeared then.Glass containers for wine followed.Around 100 BC, uses for glass appeared in art and science. Wanting to store wine better started this, and glass started it all.

Wine served as a tool for greatness. She used drinking to meet Julius Caesar and allegedly had wild drunken parties with her guests. Her main use of alcohol was winning over Marc Antony and forming one of history's most famous romances.Cleopatra used wine to win a bet, though she likely cheated, at wild drunken parties with her guests.She used alcohol to win over Marc Antony and form one of the most famous romances in history.

Wine kept people happy. The Romans believed this. In 200 BC, they started ordering all soldiers to drink it.Romans required soldiers drink 2-3 liters of wine for their health and morale.This wine, called posca, might sound crazy but it served a purpose.The wine was posca.Posca actually had medicinal properties.It possessed medicinal properties.It contained antioxidants and vitamin C. Because it was very acidic, it killed bacteria in the water, keeping soldiers active.It contained antioxidants and vitamin C. Its high acidity killed water bacteria, keeping soldiers moving. Around this time, posca helped Rome defeat Carthage.Posca helped Rome defeat Carthage.Rome defeated Carthage using posca.Rome defeated Carthage.Carthage held a strong grip on the Mediterranean, which strengthened Rome's empire.

The existence of Jesus in religious lore matters to the world. The Bible shows Jesus liked wine through his water into wine miracle.Jesus liked wine, as shown by his water into wine miracle.The Bible states that at the Last Supper.At the Last Supper, Jesus gave his disciples wine and called it his blood.When these words were written down, they became part of religious ceremonies still used today. During Prohibition in the United States, only wineries claiming to make sacramental wine stayed open.Wineries claimed to make sacramental wine.We thank the Lord for that.

Around 1295, England grew too large, causing worry. France and Scotland focused on stopping England from expanding. The two countries formed the Auld Alliance treaty to stop them.England grew too large around 1295, causing nervousness. France and Scotland focused on stopping England from expanding. The two countries formed the Auld Alliance treaty.The Auld Alliance treaty stopped England's expansion.The Scots gained first pick of the best French wines through the Auld Alliance, leaving England with a lesser selection.The Scots got first pick of French wines, leaving England with a lesser selection.The Scots' wine love kept England from becoming a major power and kept France strong.

Süleyman the Magnificent grew the Ottoman Empire large, reaching Somalia under their control. His predecessor...Selim II preferred drinking wine over expanding his empire.Selim II preferred getting drunk to expanding his empire.Selim II preferred getting drunk to expanding his empire.Selim II's favorite drink was wine, and he sought out Cyprus, the maker of his favorite wines.Cyprus fought back against Selim II, killing 90% of his navy and 30,000 sailors.As Selim II fought, the rest of the empire fell into disrepair, starting the empire's fall.The rest of the empire began to fall into disrepair.This began the empire's fall.

Magellan loved wine but poorly managed priorities. He spent more money on wine than weapons or food during his voyage.Magellan spent more money on wine than on weapons or food.Magellan ran out of water before he ran out of wine during his travels.Magellan ran out of water before he ran out of wine.Magellan ran out of wine. This killed most of his shipmates and caused most of his travel party to be destroyed. Only one ship survived, and that ship likely had extra wine.

Most Americans think the Constitution signed in 1787, but they miss the wine. Founding fathers loved wine. During the convention, Franklin had people follow him to stop him from visiting taverns and getting drunk.Franklin's favorite was Madeira.A wine festival happens every year to celebrate wine's role in this signing.Franklin favored Madeira.This drink made people more creative.Wine inspired Beethoven to create some of the most beautiful music known today. However, it also killed him. At 56, Beethoven died from health issues. Autopsies showed severe liver cirrhosis, likely from drinking too much wine late in life.Louis Pasteur developed pasteurization to make milk and juice safe by heating them to kill bacteria and microbes. This improved society's health. Louis Pasteur started this process.

Louis Pasteur used his knowledge of bacteria to develop vaccines, some of which remain in use today.Rasputin was a mystic and an amazing lover, especially by the Czar's wife. Enemies sought to kill him. They first tried poisoning his wine with enough poison to kill five men. Rasputin liked wine; he swallowed it without harm.His enemies then murdered him: they shot him many times, cut off his penis, wrapped him in a rug, threw him in a river, buried him, dug him up, and finally burned his remains.He drank wine while performing symphonies, 32 piano sonatas, one opera, five piano concertos, and many chamber works. This drink, shown to make you more creative, was what he drank.Wine helped inspire Beethoven to create some of the most beautiful and memorable music. However, it also killed him. At age 56, he died with health problems. Autopsies showed severe liver cirrhosis, likely brought on by the large amount of wine he drank near the end.Louis Pasteur studied how to prevent illness using wine. People use pasteurization now to make milk and juice safe by heating them to remove germs. This made society healthier, starting with Pasteur.Louis PasteurPasteur heated some wine to stop the French wine industry from collapsing. Pasteur did not use pasteurization for wine anymore, but one man changed the food industry. He tried to help people drink wine safely by using his knowledge of bacteria.

He used that knowledge to develop vaccines, some of which remain in use today.Rasputin was a mystic and an amazing lover, especially to the Czar's wife. Playing with the Czar's wife brought him many enemies who sought his death. They first tried poisoning his wine with enough poison to kill five men.Rasputin liked wine, and he swallowed it without problems.His enemies determined to kill him. They shot him many times unsuccessfully, cut off his penis, wrapped him in a rug, threw him in a river, buried him, dug him up, and eventually burned his remains.Churchill greatly liked sparkling wine. He claimed to drink 42,000 bottles of Champagne in his life. Churchill also gave encouraging words to his troops during World War II. Besides saying, "Never was so much owed by so many to so few," he reminded troops they fought for wine.

Rasputin was known as a mystic and an amazing lover, particularly by the wife of the Czar at the time. Playing around with the Czar's wife also earned him a lot of enemies, and they set out to kill him. The first thing they tried was poisoning his wine with a dose of poison large enough to kill five men. It could have ended there, but apparently he really, really liked wine, and swallowed it down with no ill effects. From there, it just gets grisly: determined to kill him, his enemies shot him numerous times (with no luck), cut off his penis, wrapped him in a rug, threw him in a river, buried him, dug him up, and eventually burned his remains.

Churchill was such a huge fan of sparkling wine that he claimed to have drunk 42,000 bottles of Champagne in his lifetime! He's also famously known for his encouraging words to his troops during the Second World War. But besides saying "Never was so much owed by so many to so few," he also tried to get his troops excited by reminding them they were fighting for wine. That's right! He's reported as saying Before British soldiers fought the Germans in France during WWI, Churchill told them, “Remember, gentlemen, it's not just France we are fighting for, it's Champagne!”A salute followed this.Champagne made in his honor.You can still buy that today.

The international wine community did not take the US seriously until the Judgment of Paris.The Judgment of Paris.In 1976, some small, unknown vintners from Napa, California, entered a blind taste test with big French wineries. Everyone laughed at the Californians.Then they won.They won in both the red and white categories.After that, American wines, not just Napa wines (now a household name), took the spotlight.American wines generally gained attention, building the successful, money-making industry we have now. If you like a Napa Cab, thank the French for it. (They are still angry, by the way.)