The origins of wine predate written records, and modern archaeology is still uncertain about the details of the first cultivation of wild grapevines.

The oldest known winery to date was discovered in Armenia. The Areni-cave in Vayots Dzor is dated to 4100 BC. It actually contains a wine press, jars, cups, and fermentation vats, even vines and seeds were found there. Sophisticated for its time, archeologists believe that a robust wine making industry was in place before this winery was established.

The earliest archaeological evidence of grape wine has been found at sites in Georgia (c. 6000 BC), Iran (c. 5000 BC), Greece (c. 4500 BC), and Sicily (c. 4000 BC) although there is earlier evidence of a wine made from fermented grapes among other fruits being consumed in China (c. 7000 BC). The oldest evidence of wine production has been found in Armenia (c. 4100 BC)