Drinks go in and out of fashion, but wine has stood the test of time. Archaeological evidence shows that wineries were in production in ancient Armenia as long ago as 4100 BC and earthenware containers on the site, known as kvevris and used in the production of wine, date from the seventh millennium.
Wine was traded extensively by the Phoenicians who introduced it to the civilisations around the Mediterranean. The drink found an even wider audience as the Roman Empire extended its reach. Today, according to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, the equivalent of 36 billion bottles of wine are produced worldwide each year.
… Last and not least, the vessel must be capable of being opened and resealed as often as necessary. Until the arrival of the glass bottle in the early 17th century, wine was stored (and transported) initially in amphorae — two-handled ceramic vessels lined with beeswax, favored by the Phoenicians, ancient Greeks and Romans
Curious Questions: Why are wine bottles all pretty much the same shape and colour? – Country Life
