Stay updated with breaking news from Tinto pais. Get real-time updates on events, politics, business, and more. Visit us for reliable news and exclusive interviews.
It is believed that the first vines were grown on the southwest coast of Andalusia which would make that the starting point for vineyards. Initially the Phoenicians, a trading culture, founded a port they named Gadir (Cadiz) and then later moved inland and founded the city of Zera (Jerez.) Here they planted vines and the warm climate gave the grapes sweetness that allowed them to travel well. Travel they did, as wine became the most frequently traded product in North America and in the Mediterranean. The Romans continued to produce wine when they arrived on the peninsula and altered wine producing and storing to their specifications. They added aromatic agents and resins and aged the wine in amphorae in warm areas such as near chimneys and in sunny attic areas. The Romans needed to supply its legions over its vast empire with wine and this built up Spain’s wine trade. The wines they produced had floral aromas and flavors and even a smoky taste. ....