It was Andre Tchernia, archaeologist and one of the best specialists in the wines of antiquity, who reported: ”The remains of a yellowish residue deposited on the wall of a Neolithic jar, 7,000 years old, found at Hajji Firuz Tepe, Iran has proven to be a mixture of tartaric acid and resin.”

This technique was to mix the resin therebinthe wine to prevent it from going sour.  For Philippe Marinval, a research fellow at the Center of Anthropology Toulouse, the evidence suggested that Neolithic man drank VIN2.

King Solomon celebrated, but it is certainly the Greeks who have contributed to the development of viticulture on the edge of the Mediterranean.  Indeed, they have long done business in all Mediterranean countries.

It is the Phoenicians who first imported the wine in France, arriving in the port of Marseilles.  At that time, wine was made from grapes through fermentation which was added to seawater for preservation during transport, on arrival fresh water was added to remove the taste of salt.

In ancient Egypt, we know that the wine was very organized. Osiris in Egypt, in Greece Dionysus, Bacchus in Roman and Babylonian Gilgamesh represented the wine quest in mythology.  Wine also symbolizes the blood of Christ in the Christian religion. Wine has changed dramatically during the past millennia.

The Romans had very spicy wines that stretched to the sea water; they do not correspond at all to current tastes.  The culture of the vine was introduced in Gaul by Greek Phocea. Max Rives at INRA, verified on-site at Massilia, the first counter Phocaean, built six centuries before our era: ”I saw during the excavation of the Exchange District, Marseilles, seeds of grape from wine and thrown in jars, floating in the back of the Old Port where these amphorae were used.  The Greeks were obviously importing varieties from their countries.”

Under the Roman colonization, the Gallic vines grew around the two cities: Beziers and Narbonne. The city of Beziers has not forgotten her title of “wine capital” of the nineteenth century.  For nearly twenty years to regain its rank, it changed its methods, emphasizing quality winegrowing in mass production. In the nineteenth century, wine was considered an energy drink.

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1. Cruising through the French wine lands The river cruise specialists, VFB Holidays, are inviting wine lovers...

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In fact, did you realise that collectively we spend £11.5 billion on wine each year, with around one billion bottles sold annually?

In this webTV show we will learn from Colin Deane the finer art of tasting the national obsession, French wine.

French Wines offer an entire range of wine experiences for everyone all from one country, whilst still keeping a modern taste.

One man who knows all about the huge array of French wine on offer in the UK is wine expert Colin Deane. He holds the Wine & Spirit Education Trust Diploma and has judged for the International Wine Challenge and remains a panel judge for the International Wine & Spirit Competition.

In this French Wine Masterclass Web TV show, we’ll learn how to identify excellent, but affordable French wine, and hear about the different types of wine available from the world’s most famous wine producing nation.

Colin Deane joins us live online at 3pm on 2nd November for a French Wine Masterclass.

Click here to submit questions before the show and then remember to click back to watch it from 3pm. If you miss the show, it can subsequently be viewed on demand.

For more information visit www.frenchqualitywines.co.uk.

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The new trend hitting the UK is high quality boxed wine. This environmentally friendly format now provides Chateaux wines with a guaranteed provenance, quality and traceability throughout the entire making process.

The days of supermarket cheap and nasty plonk in a box have long gone in the US, Australia and Scandinavia and now the UK is catching on. As concerns about global warming grow, wine drinkers are beginning to see that individual carbon footprint can be reduced by buying boxed wine. A 5 litre box of wine represents just under 7 bottles and also less weight in the transportation chain.

Valerie Blanc, owner of Provanace Wines suggests that, “boxed wine is a fantastic alternative to the green glass bottle especially as the UK capacity for recycling green bottles has been reached. Provanace Wines select small independent French producers, who supply Appellation d’Origine Controlee (AOC) wines in both boxes and bottles and guarantee provenance, quality and traceability throughout the entire making process.

So, who buys premium boxed wines?  “Most of these wines win awards at specialist fairs” she continues.  “Our main customers don’t belong to a particular age group. They are people concerned about their carbon footprint and keen to use this alternative packaging for their informal dinners, parties, and barbeques. Price wise, they are good value compared to the bottle equivalent, but are certainly not as cheap as supermarket boxed wines, which have been produced in volume with no guaranteed provenance.”

So, Premium boxed wines really have arrived.

Provenance Wines recommends Bordeaux Chateau de Bonhoste white and Bergerac Chateau La Mouliere.

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Four gastronomic meals will be served onboard with a mouth-watering welcome dinner lovingly prepared by renowned chef Paul Bocuse.  A sommelier is on hand to ensure you pick the right wine to go with your meal. There will also be opportunity to sample Beaujolais wines from the countryside region.

Departing 3 November, the four-night ‘Gatronomic Extravaganza’ cruise costs from £657 pp (two sharing) including return travel by Eurostar, coach transfers, three-night cruise with buffet breakfast, three dinners and two lunches.

More details available from VFB Holidays on 01452 716 838.

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