Since ancient times the conversion of grapes into wine was considered a gift fromthe gods and the best wines were thus reserved for the elite of society. Wine was alsoone of the first commodities to be bartered by early civilizations engaged ininternational trade. Several archeological researches suggest that the earliest wineproduction came from Georgia and Iran 8,000 years ago; it also played an importantrole during the Egyptians ceremonies as well during the Greek and Rome times. Inmedieval Western Europe, the Christian Church became an active supporter of thewine industry because of the Catholic Mass.