The role of the Church in the production and marketing of wine declined with the Reformation, particularly in northern Europe, but this did not convulse the wine world half as much as the discovery of the usefulness of corks about a century later. For the first time since the Roman empire, wine could now be stored and aged in bottles. Throughout the Middle Ages wine had been kept in casks which had presented a dual handicap: first, too long kept in wood could rob a wine of all its fruit; second, once the cask was opened the wine inevitably deteriorated unless drunk within a few days. The bottle, with its smaller capacity, solved the former problem by providing a neutral, non-porous material which allowed wine to age in a different subtler way and removed the latter problem by providing sealed containers of a manageable size for a single session's drinking.

However, the cork and bottle revolution was not an instant success; bottles were then so bulbous they would only stand upright which meant the corks eventually dried out and as a consequence let in air. But, by the mid 18th century, longer, flat-sided bottles were designed which would lie down, their corks kept moist by contact with the wine. As a result wine making now took on a new dimension. It became worthwhile for a winemaker to try and excel, wines from particular plots of land could be compared for their qualities, and the most exciting could be classified and separated from the more mundane plot wines. As a result today's great names of Bordeaux, Burgundy and the Rhine first began to be noticed.

In the early 19th century, Europe seemed one massive vineyard. In Italy 80% of people were earning their living from wine and in France there were vast plantings rolling southwards from Paris. Also the vine had moved abroad thanks to explorers, colonists and missionaries. It went to Latin America with the Spaniards, South Africa with French Huguenots, and to Australia with the British. Could anything stop this tide of wine expansion?

Well, yes and it came in the form of an aphid called phylloxera, that fed on and destroyed vine roots. It came from America in the 1860's, and by the early 20th century, had destroyed all Europe's vineyards and most of the rest of the world's as well. The solution was to graft the vulnerable European vine, vitis vinifera, onto the phylloxera-resistant American rootstock, vitis riparia, naturally a very expensive effort. The most immediate effect in Europe was that only the best sites were replanted and the total area under vines shrank drastically as a result. Elsewhere the havoc wrought was comparable and vineyard acreage is only now expanding to old original sites destroyed over a century ago.

The 20th century brought further change as science and technology revolutionised viticulture and wine making. But despite the chemical formulae and computerised wineries, the grape retains its magic and allure that attracts wine enthusiasts from all over the world.

About the Author

James Pendleton is a lover of the better things in life. For more information on wine visit Wine Capital

Another short Wine Reviews review

A Guide To Wine and Glass Racks


Wine and glass racks are an essential addition to any wine drinker's home. With housing prices skyrocketing, smaller homes are becoming a way of life....


Click Here to Read More About Wine ...

Wine Reviews Items For Viewing

The FTD Petals & Branches Arrangement - Standard


Bright gerbera daisies and roses are lavished in this abundant presentation. S34-3175S


Price: 89.99 USD



News about Wine Reviews

Flash CS3 and Photoshop CS3 running in Wine

Sat, 15 Mar 2008 19:33:10 PDT
Flash CS3 and Photoshop CS3 running in Wine WineReview By Thomas Wickline Posted by twickline on Mar 15, 2008 220 PM Story Type News Story Groups Linux It looks as if Wine might be supporting Adobes Flash CS3 as well as Photoshop CS3 on Linux in the nea

Explore the world of Wines

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 13:24:15 PDT
I visited Winelibrary TV which is a video podcast hosted by Vaynerchuk, featuring wine reviews and advice on wine appreciation or you can say it discusses the wide world of wine. Just last month this show has completed 400 videos. According to the producers of this podcast, these shows are totally unscripted and unrehearsed

Ilico - The wine of the week

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 20:00:07 PDT
Ilico 2005 is the wine of the week of Vinivino wine enthusiast website – Wine reviews, wine recommendations.

Trader Joe's Wine Reviews

Sun, 23 Mar 2008 23:51:19 PDT
Find the best wines at Trader Joe's. You don't have to try it all to find the ones worth taking home. Just stay up to date with the latest offerings here!

La Valentina Trebbiano Abruzzo - Wine of the week Vinivino

Mon, 24 Mar 2008 06:47:30 PDT
The white wine La Valentina Trebbiano d'abruzzo is the wine of the week from the wine enthusiasts Vinivino's website – Wine reviews, wine recommendations, wine tastings.

Travelling to South Africa?!!!!!!!!

Tue, 25 Mar 2008 05:30:53 PDT
I have wanted to visit South Africa for some years as I am passionate about wildlife, wine and horticulture so it was an obvious choice. Check out this article for more! Also check out Reviews for Travel insurance providers and also tips and advice!

Is that wine any good?

Tue, 25 Mar 2008 14:54:19 PDT
There are four steps to evaluating wine and while each is important your sense of smell is probably the most important aspect in evaluating a wine. You can smell more than you can taste. That is a fact. Dont worry if you cant smell all the nuances and expert wine reviewer can. Find intricacies you like and work from there.


Wine Barrel
Wine Tasting

Labels: Calories Foods

Posted by Austin Smithson | 0 comments