THE WORLD OF WINEDRINKING WINEMODERN WINECHOOSING WINEHOW TO READ A LABELEUROPEAN WINES: FRANCE, SPAIN, ENGLAND AND CALIFORNIA

THE HISTORY OF WINEThe history of wine is very old. Wine drinking is a common habit to most civilisations such as Egypt, Greece and Rome.. The Romans took their wines to the Gauls: Provene was one of the first French regions to know Roman vines. In the Middle Ages the Church considered wine as the luxury and comfort in this world. Nowadays some countries such as the USA, Great Britain , Australia, Germany and Northern Europe, are increasing their wine consumption.

IT IS THANKS TO THE GREEK EMPIRE THAT ITALY DISCOVERED WINE, IN FACT GREEKS CALLED ITALY THE LAND OF WINES.

MODERN WINETHE 17CENTURY IS THE PERIOD IN WHICH MODERN WINES WERE BORN, CORK WAS DISCOVERED AND IT BECAME CLEAR THAT WINE NOT ONLY LASTED MUCH LONGER, BUT ITS TASTE IMPROVED, TOO.

WINE LABELThe wine label provides information on the contents of a bottle of wine. Design is important for a wine label since it must above all make the wine look tempting. VintageWinery nameArea where the wine is producedThe grape nameWhere the wine was bottledCountry or StateAlcohol by volume

CHOOSING WINEWINE CAN BE DIVIDED INTO THREE MAIN CATEGORIES: STILL TABLE WINES: WHICH MAY BE RED, WHITE OR ROSE, DRY OR SWEET AND ALL TASTES IN BETWEEN;SPARKLING WINES: OF WHICH CHAMPAGNE IS THE BEST-KNOWN;FORTIFIED WINES: SUCH AS PORTO, MADEIRA AND SHERRY.GOOD QUALITY WINES ARE IDEAL FOR LUNCH OR DINNER WITH THE FAMILY OR FOR ENTERTAINING FRIENDS.DIFFERENT OCCASIONS REQUIRE DIFFERENT WINES: THERE ARE WINES FOR APERITIFS AND WINES FOR MEALS IN THE KITCHEN.

SPAIN SPAIN IS SITUATED IN THE THIRD POSITION IN WINE SELLING, AFTER ITALY AND FRANCE IN FACT ITS WINE IS APPRECIATED AROUND THE WORLD FOR ITS LOW PRICE AND ALSO FOR ITS CHARACTER . APART FROM TABLE WINES, SPAIN IS FAMOUS FOR SHERRY THAT IS VERY SWEET OR DRY . IT CAN BE SERVED AS A CLASSIC APERITIF OR AS A DESSERT WINE.

FRANCE FRANCE, MORE THAN ANY OTHER COUNTRY IN THE WORLD, PRODUCES ALL TYPES OF WINE, IN FACT IT HAS MORE THAN ONE MILLION HECTARES OF VINEYARDS. THE BEST KNOWN WINE PRODUCING REGIONS ARE BURGUNDY AND BORDEAU BURGUNDY IS THE MOST NORTHERLY AREA IN THE WORLD WHERE GREAT RED WINE IS PRODUCED. BORDEAUX IS THE LARGEST FINE-WINE DISTRICT IN THE WORLD, IT HAS A GOOD POSITION NEAR THE SEA WHICH A MODERATE CLIMATE. ITS RED WINES ARE SUPERLATIVE AND ITS WHITE WINES ARE CONSIDERED VERY GOOD.

ENGLAND The British have become some of the most demanding wine consumers in the world, in fact in the late 1980 Great Britain imported more wine than any other country, apart from Germany.The Romans brought vines to England and viticulture flourished in the Middle Ages. Almost all modern English wines are white: they have a full flavour and a refreshing touch of acidity. English wine is more expensive than any other European imported wine.

CALIFORNIA California is the third largest state in the USA; it extends for about 800miles along the Pacific Ocean. The Californian economy is rich and varied: farming, agriculture, wine making, fishing, forestry and the film industry are just some examples. California also hosts a prestigious state university at Berkley, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Santa Barbara and Santa Cruz. California can be divided into four regions: the coastal mountainous ranges; the Sierra Nevada, also known as the Rockies, running 430 miles from north to south; the Central Valley and the south-eastern deserts.

CALIFORNIAN WINESAT THE END OF THE 18 CENTURY THE EARLY SPANISH MISSIONARIES BROUGHT GRAPES TO CALIFORNIA FROM MEXICO;IN THE 1850s THE FIRST WINERIES STARTED PRODUCTION;IN THE 1960s BEGAN TO REVIVE THE CALIFORNIAN WINE INDUSTRY;IN THE 1966s ROBERT MONDAVI WAS THE FIRST TO OPEN A WINERY IN THE NAPA VALLEY AFTER PROHIBITION WAS REPEALED.

NAPA VALLEY The Napa Valley, in Northern California, is the symbol and the centre of top-quality wine production in California. The Valley lies in three climatic zones, and consequently there is a great variety of grapes: Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon are the best. Vineyard location are now a big tourist attraction: a gorgeous landscape with oaks and pines, streams, fruit trees and meadows can be enjoyed along with the best Californian wines.

BY ACATEMERA DI GIOIA AND MARIA MILELLATHE END