People who love both literature and wine, there must have been times when you would have wanted to try the wines mentioned in famous works of classic literature. For instance, Shakespeare&rsquos Portia&rsquos fine Rhenish Wine from Belmont.
What if we told you that it you could see the world&rsquos oldest winery Researchers from the University of California Los Angeles&rsquos Cotsen Institute of Archaeology have discovered the world&rsquos oldest winery, which dates back to 4100 BC, in a cave in Armenia.
Surrounded by Azerbaijan, Iran, Turkey, and Georgia, Armenia is the land of fast-flowing rivers and the spectacular Caucasus Mountains. Known as the cradle of wine, it is the land which is believed to be home to Noah&rsquos hand-planted vineyard after his Ark washed up on Mount Ararat.
The one we are talking about was Armenia&rsquos first vineyard which is 6,100 years old. Armenia&rsquos Areni-1 cave in Vayots Dzor has fermentation vats, jars, and cups, a wine press and V. vinifera seeds and vines, suggesting the existence of a winery in the cave. A shallow basin of three feet was also discovered inside the cave, which could have been used to drain into a deep vat.
Archaeologists said that the winemaking process was advanced and developed back then, and the wine could be compared to the contemporary red wine and could have tasted like merlot.
Withered grape seeds, leather moccasins which were 5500 years old, wine presses, and fermentation vessels were found in Areni-1 cave, where the world&rsquos oldest leather shoe, the Areni-1 shoe, was found as well. Archaeologists also found that wine drinking was a part of ceremonial practices, especially during funerals, as the cave served as a cemetery as well.
For all wine lovers, this can be the perfect reason to visit Armenia and experience their distinctive pilaf varieties with a glass of fine wine.
