No-one is quite certain just when people discovered that they could crush grapes and make a delicious and intoxicating drink called wine. There are signs that wine was around in ancient Egypt and we know that grapes were grown in Asia around 5000 BC and there are records of wine drinking from 6000 BC. There are also many references to wine and grapes in the Bible, suggesting an ancient history.
Wine was a big part of social life in Roman times and since the Romans traveled all over Europe and to parts of Africa, it's not surprising that winemaking emerged around the world. France, Germany and Austria were notable winemaking sites of the day. When Europe entered its age of exploration, in the 16th and 17th centuries, Europeans took grapes (and wine) with them to the US, South America, South Africa and other continents and countries.
Grapes are now produced commercially in the US, France, Spain, Italy, Argentina, Australia, Germany, Portugal, Romania and South Africa, among others. Many people also make home-made wine out of other fruit such as apples, blackberries and blueberries.
