Oldest known wine-making facility found

The world’s earliest known wine-making facility has been discovered in Armenia.

A wine press, grape seeds, dried vines and fermentation jars from about 6,000 years ago were discovered in a cave complex, known as Areni-1, in the Little Caucasus Mountains.

The world’s oldest leather shoe was found at the same cave complex last year.

Inside the cave, the team of archaeologists found a shallow clay basin, measuring about one metre across, that was positioned to drain into a deep vat.

The press would have held a few gallons of juice and crushed grapes, likely working with the technique of barefoot treading.

Co-director of the excavation, Gregory Areshian, of the University of California, said it was the earliest example of complete wine production.

The seeds found were from the same type of grapes, vitis vinifera, which are still used to make wine today.

Carbon dating showed that a desiccated grape vine found near the wine press was grown around 4,000 BC, making it 1,000 years older than any other wine-making facility discovered.

The wine press was surrounded by grave mounds indicating the wine may have been intended for ceremonial use.

"This was a relatively small installation related to the ritual inside the cave. For daily consumption they would have had much larger wine presses in the regular settlement," said Areshian.

The expedition also uncovered copper processing equipment and will detail those findings later.

Laura Pullman, 12.01.2011