WINE our favorite subject over here at, A Great Oregon Wine Tour. How did wine become what it is today? Well, there are some wildly interesting facts you may not know. Let’s get started! Grapes are the most planted fruit in the world. Centuries ago, people actually drank wine instead of water to quench their thirst. Why? Water wasn’t always clean and natural fermentation in wine making, could kill germs that caused salmonella and cholera. In the early Roman times, women were forbidden to drink wine. It is said that wives who were caught drinking wine by their husbands could be killed if caught doing so. A ‘ton’ of grapes can be produced into 720 bottles of wine. A “fear of wine,” is called “Oenophobia.” What? A fear of wine!? In ancient Greece, a dinner host would take the very first sip of wine to insure that the wine served to their guests wasn’t poison. This act of courtesy led to the phrase “drinking to one’s health!” There are over 10,000 varieties of wine grapes worldwide. The largest bottle of wine is the “Nebuchadnezzar,” and it equates to 20 regular-sized bottles or around 15 liters. China is one of the largest red-wine-producing countries not only because of their love for wine flavor, but the red color of the wine is considered lucky in Chinese culture and is favored by their government. “Toasting,” originated in ancient Rome and was retained by Greek traditions. The name derived from dropping a piece of toasted bread in wine to soften bitter tastes. There is a right and wrong way to hold a wine glass. The proper way is to hold by the stem so that the hand does not warm the glass and increase the temperature of the wine. Bottles with animal symbols on the labels are known as “critter wine.” One needs to drink 7 glasses of orange juice or 20 glasses of apple juice in order to get the same amount of antioxidants in wine. Say what? We knew wine was good for you! Those are just a few of the fun-filled facts about wine, our #1 favorite subject.
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