Changes

Pips from wild grape varieties have been found in Greece about 12,000 years ago. However, domesticated grapes and wine making arrived by 4000 BCE. By this time, platforms for crushing grapes have been found. Wine from Byblos and other Phoenician cities in the eastern coast of the Mediterranean began to spread widely by the 3rd millennium BCE, traded across the region. Wine made from domesticated grapes began to spread throughout the Mediterranean most likely due to Phoenician traders. Wine now became spread to North Africa and Southern Europe. With the spread of wine, specific regions began to be associated with better quality wine. Armenia, in particular, began to be associated with high quality wine, where gifts of wine from Armenia were renown. In the Achaemenid period, in the 5th century BCE, gifts of wine were shown to be given to the Persian king.