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The ability to lift spirits has been an integral part of the socio-cultural
landscape for millennia.
Wine, the nectar of the gods, has a rich history spanning nearly 10,000 years. It was
through the Phoenicians, however, that viticulture, enology and a viable maritime trade
infrastructure were developed to the degree that wine and winemaking technology/equipment
became important commodities in the ancient world. In the case of the Phoenicians, these
commodities were a significant source of export revenue.
During the height of the Roman Empire, the Romans ran a worldwide trade in wine, establishing
virtually all of the major wine producing regions existing in Western Europe today. Over the
course of the Empire, wine storage and transportation technology evolved significantly to include
glass flasks and wooden barrels, similar to those used in modern times.
It is interesting to note that the French term Sommelier, an accomplished wine steward, comes
from the Old Provisional French term saumalier, which takes its roots from the Latin sagmarium
(the man in charge of the sum, cargo, or burden of a pack animal) - the predecessor of the
modern freight forwarder. |
