Wine Market

The Greeks began making wine over 8,000 years ago and eventually traded it all across the Mediterranean. Wine was a civilising thing, promoting good conversation and bringing medical benefits. Retsina, still popular today, was a particular favourite across the Greek world. The Phoenicians spread viniculture along their trade routes from Canaan to North Africa, and from Carthage into Spain. Their winemaking techniques influenced both Greeks and Romans and they used amphorae to store wine. Around 600BC Greeks took winemaking to Massilia in southern Gaul, and helped establish a wine region that still exists today. Carthage produced good wines, including a raisin wine that was loved by Romans. The ubiquitous use of wine, both domestically and ceremonially, along with the easy cultivation of grapes in hot climates contributed to the spread of the this lucrative trade throughout the world.