Greeks say wine was invented by their god Dionysus. Others disagree. The Book of Genesis says Noah planted the first vineyard just after the flood. Egyptians say it was their god Osiris. Romans credit Bacchus.
Archaeologists, using carbon-dating, trace the oldest winery to a cave in Armenia, near its border with Iran, dating back 6,000 years to the Copper Age. Possibly inspired by locals observing birds flying tipsily after eating grapes that fermented naturally on the vine.
No matter. The Greeks deserve credit for one of wine’s early uses in polite society. Historian James Davidson describes Plato’s Symposium as a “classic moderate drinking party” at which Socrates and other intellectuals were fueled by wine as they debated the meanings of life.
The Greeks also came up with the idea of preserving the easily spoiled beverage with pine tar, creating a wine called “retsina” — which to many, including me, tastes like Pine Sol.
They’ve been trying to live it down ever since.
It’s not fair. Retsina today makes up only a small percentage of Greek wines, clearly labeled and drunk mostly by traditionalists and old-timers. Greece today makes regular chardonnays, cabernet sauvignons and others that are excellent, and well within international taste standards.