History of wine

   We know nothing about the origin of winemaking because a written language, direct evidence left by the civilisation, appeared long after the man had discovered the natural fermenting ability of grape juice.   Moldova has been producing wine since the ancient time. Wild grapes were known in that region in the Eneolithic Age or seven thousand years ago. The cultivated wine-growing had already existed in the Tripoli period from where there were found two clear imprints of grape seeds – one of which was obviously of a cultivated variety – on the fragments of the earthenware made between 2700 – 3000 BC. Wine-making or grape processing (fermenting) was the most ancient occupation of the population on that territory.

   About 2500 years ago, the Greek colonists got the local population acquainted with cultural wine-making (the archeological excavations carried out in the Region prove this fact) that was one of the most important sectors of the economy of ancient Greece. It was the time of begining of an “industrial” (respective to that time) type of wine production for the household consumption and exchange for other goods.

   A new impulse to the wine-making development was made in the golden age of the Roman Empire when the territory of modern Moldova was invaded by the Romans. You can guess how much was that influence by comparing the survived terminology used by people even nowadays.

      In the medieval centuries a specific “wine cult” existed within the Moldovan nobility and that in its turn created an additional impulse to wine-making development, namely : large land properties are taken under the vineyards, the wine-making technology is being improved, the cellarage is developing on a large scale.

   At the Hospodar’s court there was a special staff supervising the vineyards and wine-making houses. It should be mentioned that the First Cupbearer (Paharnic) answered for quality of the wine served at the Hospodar’s table with his life literally.