By. Victoria Woollaston. PUBLISHED:. 13:01 EST, 3 June 2013. |. UPDATED:. 13:50 EST, 3 June 2013. The French may have the reputation for being expert wine makers, but they learnt everything they know from the Italians, new research suggests. Chemical analysis of two. large-handled pots used to transport produce around 2,400 years ago, found on the site of ancient French port Lattara by researchers from Pennsylvania, show they were imported from an old civilisation north of Rome. The pots - also known as amphoras - are the earliest evidence of wine-making in France and suggest that the French relied on Etruscan. merchants from Italy to deliver the first batches of wine before making their own. An ancient wine pressing platform found on the site of ancient French port Lattara. The discovery was made by researchers from Pennsylvania and is the earliest known evidence of the French wine-making industry. The spout of the press was used for drawing off the wine and the press was raised off the courtyard floor by four stones. Masses of grape remains were also found nearby. Scans also showed a limestone platform that was later used as a wine press for crushing transplanted, domesticated grapes - the first time wine-making is known to have been carried out on French soil. The findings suggest the wine-making industry in France was fuelled by imported wine from the Etruria region of Italy as early as 525 BC. The Gauls were then lured into the Mediterranean 'wine culture' and began making their own as early as 425 BC, reports Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. French wine making and the country's association with fine wine have long held global fascination, but little is known about how and when the domesticated Eurasian grape and wine-making arrived in France. Dr Patrick McGovern said: 'France's rise to world prominence in the wine culture has been well documented, especially since the 12th century, when the Cistercian monks determined by trial-and-error that Chardonnay and Pinot Noir were the best cultivars to grow in Burgundy. 'What we haven't had is clear chemical evidence - combined with botanical and archaeological data - showing how wine was introduced into France and initiated a native industry. These are remains of the foundations of the Etruscan merchants' quarters in Zone 27 of Lattara. They date back to 525-474 AD. The amphoras, or large handed pots, shown in the top right-hand corner, were imported from Italy and are some of the earliest evidence of French wine making. 'Now we know the ancient Etruscans lured the Gauls into the Mediterranean wine culture by importing wine into southern France. 'This built up a demand that could only be met by establishing a native industry - likely done by transplanting the domesticated vine from Italy - and enlisting the requisite wine-making expertise from the Etruscans.' Masses of domesticated grape seeds,. stems and grape skins found near the press which had a spout for running. off the wine and was raised on four stones reveal the inhabitants were. eventually producing their own. Two large handled pots were found at the site of the ancient French port of Lattara. Chemical analysis revealed they were imported from a civilisation north of Rome about 2,400 years ago. They are the earliest evidence of wine-making in France suggesting that the French relied on Italian merchants to deliver wine from Italy before they started making their own. The findings suggest the wine-making industry in France was fuelled by imported wine from the Etruria region of Italy as early as 525 BC. The Gauls were then lured into the Mediterranean 'wine culture' and began making their own as early as 425 BC. The researchers also found evidence of herbal and pine resin additives - revealing a medicinal role for wine. Dr McGovern said his study is a key step in understanding the ongoing development of the 'wine culture' of the world that began in the Turkey or Iran about 9,000 years ago. At the archaeological site of merchant quarters inside the walled settlement of Lattara were numerous Etruscan amphoras dating back to between 525 and 475 BC. There were selected for analysis because they were whole, unwashed, found in an undisturbed, sealed context and showed signs of residue on their interior bases where solid compounds of the wine collected. Judging by their shape and other features the transportation vessels were of a specific Etruscan type and probably manufactured at the city of Cisra - or modern Cerveteri - in central Italy during the same time period. State-of-the-art microscopes found. all the samples were positive for tartaric acid - the chemical. fingerprint of the Eurasian grape and wine in the Middle East and. Mediterranean - as well as compounds deriving from pine tree resin. Herbal. additives including rosemary, basil or thyme or both - which are native. to central Italy where the wine was likely made - were also identified. Alcoholic. beverages - in which resinous and herbal compounds are more easily put. into solution - were the principle medications of the ancient world. Traces of herbal additives including rosemary (left) and basil (right) were found on the pots discovered on the site of ancient French port Lattara. These herbs are native to central Italy where the wine in the pots was likely made before being transported to France. Nearby the pressing platform dated to about 425 BC was discovered. Its function had previously been uncertain. Tartaric acid was detected in the limestone demonstrating that the installation was indeed a winepress. Masses of several thousand domesticated grape seeds, stems and even skin dug up nearby further attest to its use for crushing transplanted, domesticated grapes and local wine production. Dr McGovern, who has been investigating the birth of wine for two decades, observes a common pattern for the spreading of the new culture. He said: 'First entice the rulers who could afford to import and ostentatiously consume wine. Next, foreign specialists are commissioned to transplant vines and establish local industries. 'Over time, wine spreads to the larger population, and is integrated into social and religious life.'

What are highlight points for this article?
Pots found on site of ancient French port were probably imported from Italy. Scientists from Pennsylvania claim that Etruscan merchants delivered the first batches of wine to France more than 2,400 years ago. The Gauls were then lured into the Mediterranean 'wine culture' and began making their own as early as 425 BC.