Localised production vs importation

1. Pre-History
Localised Productio
Vs
Importation

2. History Of wine
 The development of viticulture is inextricably
linked with the birth of European civilisation
 It is likely that Nomadic people were
fermenting grapes as far back as 6000 –
7000BC
 Wine was one of the first cultivated wild fruit
 Wine production first flourished in Pharaonic
Egypt

3. Localised Production
 As man began settled civilisation, production was
for his/her family
 People became known in their village for a decent
wine
 They then would sell to other villagers for trade
goods

4. Exporting Regions
 As person (or village) became well known for the
produce of wine
 Travellers would spread the word
 Settlements would begin mass production of a
certain produce (wine) and would then export
 Wine became a feasible trading commodity
immediately after the ability to store liquids (about
5000BC)

5. Egypt
 The Nile Delta (Egypt) witnessed the first
explosion of the wine trade
 Would use long caravans or fast ships to bring
wine to the most important trading centers of the
Mediterranean

6. Ancient Greece
 From Egypt the process of wine making travelled
to Ancient Greece where it flourished
 As the wine culture developed, regions became
well known for their wine
 E.g. the region of Lesbos was well known for the
mature flavours arising from the wine maturing
under a thin layer of Flor yeast
 The region of Cos was known for its sour wine

7. Importing Regions
 During the late 2nd century BC and early 1st
century BC there was a massive increase in wine
sxports from places like Ancient Greece and
Rome to places as far as modern day Russia
 Cities that could not produce their own wine, or
wine of high quality were large importers E.G
Daha (modern day Syria)
 The roman city of Pompeii imported thousands of
liters of wine for the growth of the roman empire

8. England
 In the middle ages, almost the entirety of England
was unsuited to produce grapes of good quality
and therefore basically all wine that was
consumed was imported
 The English craved wines from Roman facilities in
Gaul (possibly where Bordeaux is now) and
imported thousands of liters a year
 The ability to send wine such long distances is
one reason why Roman culture was able to travel
so far

9.  There is a (not uncommon) view that the
foundations of modern economy find their root in
the mediterraenean wine trade:
 Money contracts
 Payment systems
 Courts
 Accounting procedures
 Commercial professions

10. Differences between Importing and
Exporting regions
 Early wine exporting regions were found
wherever the vine naturally grew and could be
cultivated
 This was usually country estates instead of near
cities
 The expansion of wine follows the rise of Egypt
who brought the vine to Ancient Greece who in
turn showed the Romans
 Wine exporting regions developed where viable
land for viticulture appeared
 As viticulture knowledge grew vineyards were
selected by “terroir” and climate

11.  Wine exporting regions were often chosen by
distance to the sea, due to the difficulty of
exporting over land
 Wine importing regions were developed where
local wine was insufficient
 As the roman empire grew, they brought
viticulture and wine-making to the new
settlements
 When a wine was found to be of excellent quality
in a certain region it would be imported into all
main trading centers of the Mediterranean

12.  Wine importing regions were often where many
differing cultures resided and many different
wines could be found
 Regions throughout northern Europe were large
importers of wine due to the climate
 Cities were usually large importers of wine due to
their size and inability to produce wine

13.  Exporting regions were often poor and generally
slaves were used
 Importing regions were often large and rich, the
trade of wine generated large amounts of money
for importing regions
 Importing regions were often centres for wine
knowledge as the rich and powerful traded in
many differing cultures of wine

14. References
 Domine, A. (2000). Wine: Konneman
 Seward, D. (1973). Monks and Wine. London, England: Mitchell Beasley
Publishers Limited
 Stilo, A. (n.d.). Wine and Rome. Retrieved 2nd August, 2013, from
http://penelope.uchicago.edu/~grout/encyclopaedia_romana/wine/wine.html
 Agis, L. (2004). History of Ancient Wine: The Beginnings of the Wine Trade.
Retrieved 2nd August, 2013, from http://www.ancientworlds.net/aw/Article/433249
 Unwin, T. (1996). The 8,000 Year Old Story of the Wine Trade. New York, USA:
Thunders Mouth Press Wine and the Vine. London: Rou
 ThinkQuest. (2000). Trade in the Mediterranean. Retreived August
8th, 2013, from http://library.thinkquest.org/C004203/economic/economic02.html