Globalization of wine Globalization of wine Globalization of wine is the expansion of wine varietals and brands across nations and to other continents, especially in modern times as a result of the advent of air travel and access to wine information via the internet. Wine has been traded internationally since ancient times. In the wake of the amphoras came professional winemakers, winemaking techniques, and cuttings of grapevines. Many grapes that are considered 'traditional' in Western Europe were in fact brought by ancient trade routes from the Eastern Mediterranean and the Black Sea region. The Phoenicians, the Greeks, the Romans, the Armenians all brought
Ancient Rome and wine surgery. When he became Emperor Marcus Aurelius's physician, he developed pharmaceutical concoctions made from wine known as theriacs. Superstitious beliefs concerning theriacs' "miraculous" ability to protect against poisons and cure everything from the plague to mouth sores lasted until the 18th century. In his work "De Antidotis", Galen noted the trend in Romans' tastes from thick, sweet wines to lighter, dry wines that were easier to digest. The Romans were also aware of the negative health effects of drinking wine, particularly the tendency towards "madness" if consumed immoderately. Lucretius warned that wine could provoke a fury in one's soul and