The first known winery, located in the Armenian Highlands near the village of Areni, was discovered in 2007 and dates back 6,100 years to 4,000 BC. The heritage of wine, however, actually predates that â rice wine made with honey and fruit â was detected on pottery shards in northern China. No one really spoke about alcohol levels (abv) for it was simply assumed alcohol was the natural result of fermentation as a reflection of the variety, growing area and vintage. So its level did not necessitate further explanation. Everything changed in the late 1970s and early 1980s when Robert Parker introduced the 100-point grading scale that was quickly adopted by other critics and, today, remains a force.