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53-501: Contratto is an Italian alcoholic beverage company which produces sparkling wine , vermouth , and Contratto Americano Rosso. Leonetto Cappiello created ads for Contratto. Alcoholic beverage An alcoholic beverage (also called an adult beverage , alcoholic drink , strong drink , or simply a drink ) is a beverage containing alcohol (ethanol) . Alcoholic drinks are typically divided into three classes— beers , wines , and spirits —and typically their alcohol content
106-443: A "natural" resistance to pests. The implementation of mechanical harvesting is often stimulated by changes in labor laws, labor shortages, and bureaucratic complications. It can be expensive to hire labor for short periods of time, which does not square well with the need to reduce production costs and harvest quickly, often at night. However, very small vineyards, incompatible widths between rows of grape vines and steep terrain hinder
159-492: A bewildering range of systems and techniques in recent years. Due to the often much more fertile New World growing conditions, attention has focussed heavily on managing the vine's more vigorous growth. Innovation in palissage (training of the vine, usually along a trellis, and often referred to as "canopy management") and pruning and thinning methods (which aim to optimize the Leaf Area/Fruit (LA/F) ratio relative to
212-518: A vineyard's microclimate ) have largely replaced more general, traditional concepts like "yield per unit area" in favor of "maximizing yield of desired quality". Many of these new techniques have since been adopted in place of traditional practice in the more progressive of the so-called "Old World" vineyards. Other recent practices include spraying water on vines to protect them from sub-zero temperatures, new grafting techniques, soil slotting, and mechanical harvesting. Such technique have made possible
265-478: A wine last longer, so they play an important role in the aging of wine . The average number of people who drink as of 2016 was 39% for males and 25% for females (2.4 billion people in total). Females on average drink 0.7 drinks per day while males drink 1.7 drinks per day. The rates of drinking varies significantly in different areas of the world. Alcohol is used in rum-running , the illegal business of smuggling alcoholic beverages where such transportation
318-511: Is exclusively fermented with white sugar , yeast , and water. Fermented water is clarified after the fermentation to produce a colorless or off-white liquid with no discernible taste other than that of ethanol . Mead ( / m iː d / ), also called hydromel, is an alcoholic drink made by fermenting honey with water, sometimes with various fruits , spices , grains , or hops . The alcoholic content of mead may range from as low as 3% ABV to more than 20%. The defining characteristic of mead
371-804: Is a fermented beverage most commonly produced from grapes . Wine involves a longer fermentation process than beer and often a long aging process (months or years), resulting in an alcohol content of 9%–16% ABV . Sparkling wines such French Champagne , Catalan Cava or Italian Prosecco are also made from grapes, with a secondary fermentation . Fruit wines are made from fruits other than grapes , such as plums , cherries , or apples . Distilled beverages (also called liquors or spirit drinks) are alcoholic drinks produced by distilling (i.e., concentrating by distillation ) ethanol produced by means of fermenting grain, fruit, or vegetables. Unsweetened, distilled, alcoholic drinks that have an alcohol content of at least 20% ABV are called spirits . For
424-407: Is a large pub that specializes in beer . A cider house is an establishment that sells alcoholic cider for consumption on the premises. Some cider houses also sell cider "to go", for consumption off the premises. A traditional cider house was often little more than a room in a farmhouse or cottage , selling locally fermented cider. An ouzeri ( Greek ουζερί IPA: [uzeˈri] )
477-501: Is a term used in the United States to describe an improvised alcoholic beverage . It is variously made from apples , oranges , fruit cocktail , fruit juices , hard candy , sugar , high fructose syrup , and possibly other ingredients, including crumbled bread . Drinking games are games which involve the consumption of alcoholic beverages and often enduring the subsequent intoxication resulting from them. Evidence of
530-582: Is a type of Greek tavern which serves ouzo (a Greek liquor) and mezedes (small finger foods ). Pulquerías (or pulcherías) are a type of tavern in Mexico that specialize in serving an alcoholic beverage known as pulque . A tiki bar is a themed drinking establishment that serves elaborate cocktails, especially rum -based mixed drinks such as the Mai Tai and Zombie cocktails. Tiki bars are aesthetically defined by their tiki culture décor which
583-495: Is an unlicensed hotel , liquor-store or other vendor of alcoholic beverages, sometimes with the added connotation of selling poor-quality products. A straw purchaser may receive money or recompense from the underage person in exchange for purchasing the alcohol on their behalf. Alcohol has been used as a currency for transactional sex in South Africa, and Uganda. Pruno also known as prison hooch or prison wine,
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#1732779917513636-419: Is based upon a romanticized conception of tropical cultures, most commonly Polynesian . Vineyard A vineyard ( / ˈ v ɪ n j ər d / VIN -yərd , UK also / ˈ v ɪ n j ɑːr d / VIN -yard ) is a plantation of grape-bearing vines, grown mainly for winemaking, but also raisins, table grapes, and non-alcoholic grape juice. The science, practice and study of vineyard production
689-470: Is between 3% and 50%. Many cultures have a distinct drinking culture , where alcoholic drinks are integrated into parties . Most countries have laws regulating the production, sale, and consumption of alcoholic beverages. For example, some regulations may require the labeling of the percentage alcohol content (as ABV or proof ) and the use of a warning label . Some countries ban the consumption of alcoholic drinks , but they are legal in most parts of
742-637: Is classified as a carcinogen . In 2023, the WHO declared that 'the risk to the drinker’s health starts from the first drop of any alcoholic beverage.' Discovery of late Stone Age jugs suggests that intentionally fermented drinks existed at least as early as the Neolithic period. The oldest verifiable brewery has been found in a prehistoric burial site in a cave near Haifa in modern-day Israel . Researchers have found residue of 13,000-year-old beer that they think might have been used for ritual feasts to honor
795-411: Is forbidden by law. Wine fraud relates to the commercial aspects of wine. The most prevalent type of fraud is one where wines are adulterated, usually with the addition of cheaper products (e.g. juices) and sometimes with harmful chemicals and sweeteners (compensating for color or flavor). Moonshine is illegal to produce and sell in most countries. In Australia, a sly-grog shop (or shanty)
848-412: Is known as viticulture . Vineyards are often characterised by their terroir , a French term loosely translating as "a sense of place" that refers to the specific geographical and geological characteristics of grapevine plantations, which may be imparted to the wine itself. The earliest evidence of wine production dates from between 6000 and 5000 BC. Wine making technology improved considerably with
901-553: Is often used for medicinal purposes . It may be a grain spirit, or it may be made from other plants. It is used in mixed drinks , liqueurs , and tinctures , and also as a household solvent . In the alcoholic drinks industry, congeners are substances produced during fermentation . These substances include small amounts of chemicals such as occasionally desired alcohols, like propanol and 3-methyl-1-butanol , as well as compounds that are never desired such as acetone , acetaldehyde and glycols . Congeners are responsible for most of
954-653: Is that the majority of the drink's fermentable sugar is derived from honey. Mead can also be referred to as "honeywine." Pulque is the Mesoamerican fermented drink made from the "honey water" of maguey , Agave americana . Pulque can be distilled to produce tequila or Mezcal . Rice wine is an alcoholic drink fermented and possibly distilled from rice , consumed in East Asia , Southeast Asia and South Asia . Sake , huangjiu , mijiu , and cheongju are popular examples of East Asian rice wine . Wine
1007-443: Is wine that has had a spirit added to it. Many different styles of fortified wine have been developed, including port , sherry, madeira , marsala , commandaria , and the aromatized wine vermouth . Rectified spirit , also called "neutral grain spirit", is alcohol which has been purified by means of "rectification" (i.e. repeated distillation). The term neutral refers to the spirit's lack of flavor that would have been present if
1060-535: The Great Rebellion . The alcohol monopoly system has a long history in various countries, often implemented to limit the availability and consumption of alcohol for public health and social welfare reasons. The alcohol monopoly was created in the Swedish town of Falun in 1850, to prevent overconsumption and reduce the profit motive for sales of alcohol. It later went all over the country in 1905 when
1113-784: The Swedish parliament ordered all sales of vodka to be done via local alcohol monopolies. In 1894, the Russian Empire established a state monopoly on vodka, which became a major source of revenue for the Russian government. Later in the nineteenth century opposition to alcohol grew in the form of the temperance movement , in the United States , United Kingdom , Canada , Scandinavia and India , and it eventually led to national prohibitions in Canada (1918 to 1920), Norway (spirits only from 1919 to 1926 ), Finland (1919 to 1932), and
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#17327799175131166-486: The University of California, Davis , and California State University, Fresno , among others, have been conducting scientific experiments to improve viticulture and educate practitioners. The research includes developing improved grape varieties and investigating pest control. The International Grape Genome Program is a multi-national effort to discover a genetic means to improving quality, increasing yield and providing
1219-439: The congeners . Freeze distillation concentrates ethanol along with methanol and fusel alcohols (fermentation by-products partially removed by distillation) in applejack . Fortified wine is wine, such as port or sherry , to which a distilled beverage (usually brandy ) has been added. Fortified wine is distinguished from spirits made from wine in that spirits are produced by means of distillation , while fortified wine
1272-635: The Encouraging of the Distillation of Brandy and Spirits from Corn" Alcoholic beverages played an important role in the Thirteen Colonies from their early days when drinking wine and beer at that time was safer than drinking water – which was usually taken from sources also used to dispose of sewage and garbage. Drinking hard liquor was common occurrence in early nineteenth-century United States. The Whiskey Rebellion (also known as
1325-699: The New World is significant. Europe's 1.6 million vineyards are an average of 0.2 km (49 acres) each, while the average Australian vineyard is 0.5 km (120 acres), providing considerable economies of scale . Exports to Europe from New World growers increased by 54% in the six years up to 2006. There have also been significant changes in the kinds of grapes that are grown. For example, in Chile, large areas of low-quality grapes have been replaced with such grapes as Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon . In Argentina, due to an economic down-turn, acreage of Malbec
1378-550: The United States (1920 to 1933), as well as provincial prohibition in India (1948 to present). Beer is a beverage fermented from grain mash . It is typically made from barley or a blend of several grains and flavored with hops . Most beer is naturally carbonated as part of the fermentation process. If the fermented mash is distilled, then the drink becomes a spirit . Beer is the most consumed alcoholic beverage in
1431-478: The Whiskey Insurrection) was a violent tax protest in the United States beginning in 1791 and ending in 1794 during the presidency of George Washington . The so-called "whiskey tax" was the first tax imposed on a domestic product by the newly formed federal government. Beer was difficult to transport and spoiled more easily than rum and whiskey. The Rum Rebellion of 1808 was a coup d'état in
1484-692: The ancient Greeks but it was not until the end of the Roman Empire that cultivation techniques as we know them were common throughout Europe. In medieval Europe the Catholic Church was a staunch supporter of wine, which was necessary for the celebration of the Mass . During the lengthy instability of the Middle Ages, the monasteries maintained and developed viticultural practices, having the resources, security, stability and interest in improving
1537-459: The dead. The traces of a wheat-and-barley-based alcohol were found in stone mortars carved into the cave floor. The Carmona Wine Urn is a first century Roman glass urn containing intact wine . Discovered in 2019 in Carmona, Spain during excavations of the city's western Roman necropolis , analysis of the urn's contents five years after has deemed the vessel as the oldest surviving wine in
1590-411: The development of "T" budding now permits the grafting of a different grape variety onto existing rootstock in the vineyard, making it possible to switch varieties within a two-year period. Local legislation often dictates which varieties are selected, how they are grown, whether vineyards can be irrigated and exactly when grapes can be harvested, all of which in serves to reinforce tradition. Changes in
1643-428: The development of wine industries in New World countries such as Canada. Today there is increasing interest in developing organic , ecologically sensitive and sustainable vineyards. Biodynamic wine has become increasingly popular in viticulture. The use of drip irrigation in recent years has expanded vineyards into areas which were previously unplantable. For well over half a century, New York's Cornell University ,
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1696-575: The distillation of various substances. The distillation of wine is attested in Arabic works attributed to al-Kindī ( c. 801 –873 CE) and to al-Fārābī ( c. 872 –950), and in the 28th book of al-Zahrāwī 's (Latin: Abulcasis, 936–1013) Kitāb al-Taṣrīf (later translated into Latin as Liber servatoris ). 12th century: The process of distillation spread from the Middle East to Italy, where distilled alcoholic drinks were recorded in
1749-585: The employment of machine harvesting even more than the resistance of traditional views which reject such harvesting. Numbers of New World vineyard plantings have been increasing almost as fast as European vineyards are being uprooted. Between 1990 and 2003, the number of U.S. vineyards increased from 1,180 to 3,860 km or 292,000 to 954,000 acres, while Australian vineyard numbers more than doubled from 590 to 1,440 km (146,000 to 356,000 acres) and Chilean vineyards grew from 654 to 1,679 km (161,500 to 415,000 acres). The size of individual vineyards in
1802-417: The existence of drinking games dates back to antiquity. Drinking games have been banned at some institutions, particularly colleges and universities. A drinking song is a song sung while drinking an alcoholic beverage. A beer garden (German: Biergarten ) is an outdoor area in which beer and food are served, typically at shared tables shaded by trees. A beer hall ( German : Bierpalast, Bierhalle )
1855-531: The fruit, rather than foliage. The terroir philosophy is predominantly French in origin, the flavour and character of the place defining the individuality and the special attributes of wines and combined with hundreds of years of the finest wine making traditions, terroir gives wines their distinctive taste and signature. However, wildfires in California and Australia have also influenced the character of vineyard plantations and grapes in those areas. A vignette
1908-613: The last month. Several other animals are affected by alcohol similarly to humans and, once they consume it, will consume it again if given the opportunity, though humans are the only species known to produce alcoholic drinks intentionally. Alcohol is a depressant , which in low doses causes euphoria , reduces anxiety , and increases sociability. In higher doses, it causes drunkenness , stupor , unconsciousness , or death . Long-term use can lead to an alcohol use disorder , an increased risk of developing several types of cancer , cardiovascular disease , and physical dependence . Alcohol
1961-794: The law can also change which grapes are planted. For example, during Prohibition in the U.S. (1920–1933), vineyards in California expanded sevenfold to meet the increasing demand for home brewing. However, they were largely planted in varieties with tough skins that could be transported across the country to home wine-makers and the resulting wine was of a low quality. According to the International Organisation of Vine and Wine , in April 2015, China (799,000 hectares or 1,970,000 acres) overtook France (792,000 hectares or 1,960,000 acres) in terms of land devoted to vineyards, in second place behind Spain (1,000,200 hectares or 2,472,000 acres),
2014-425: The mash ingredients had been distilled to a lower level of alcoholic purity. Rectified spirit also lacks any flavoring added to it after distillation (as is done, for example, with gin ). Other kinds of spirits, such as whiskey , (or whisky) are distilled to a lower alcohol percentage to preserve the flavor of the mash. Rectified spirit is a clear, colorless, flammable liquid that may contain as much as 95% ABV . It
2067-575: The mid-12th century. In Italy, the works of Taddeo Alderotti (1223–1296) describe a method for concentrating alcohol involving repeated fractional distillation through a water-cooled still. By the early 14th century, distilled alcoholic drinks had spread throughout the European continent . Distillation spread to Ireland and Scotland no later than the 15th century, as did the common European practice of distilling " aqua vitae ", primarily for medicinal purposes. in 1690, England passed "An Act for
2120-495: The most common distilled drinks, such as whisky (or whiskey) and vodka, the alcohol content is around 40%. The term hard liquor is used in North America to distinguish distilled drinks from undistilled ones (implicitly weaker). Brandy , gin , mezcal , rum , tequila , vodka , whisky (or wiskey) , baijiu , shōchū and soju are examples of distilled drinks. Distilling concentrates the alcohol and eliminates some of
2173-784: The neolithic village of Jiahu in the Henan province of northern China revealed residue left behind by the alcoholic drinks they had once contained. According to a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences , chemical analysis of the residue confirmed that a fermented drink made of grape and hawthorn fruit wine, honey mead and rice beer was being produced in 7000–5600 BC (McGovern et al., 2005; McGovern 2009). The results of this analysis were published in December 2004. The earliest evidence of winemaking
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2226-597: The quality of their vines. They owned and tended the best vineyards in Europe, and vinum theologium was considered superior to all others. European vineyards were planted with a wide variety of the Vitis vinifera grape. In the late 19th century, the entire species was nearly destroyed in an event known as the Great French Wine Blight , in which the grape pest phylloxera , an insect related to aphids ,
2279-425: The resulting wine may be virtually undetectable. Vineyards are often located on hillsides and planted in soil that is of only marginal value to other plants. A common saying is that "the worse the soil, the better the wine." Planting on hillsides, especially those facing north (in the southern hemisphere) or south (in the northern hemisphere), is most often in an attempt to maximize the amount of sunlight that falls on
2332-439: The taste and aroma of distilled alcoholic drinks and contribute to the taste of non-distilled drinks. It has been suggested that these substances contribute to the symptoms of a hangover . Tannins are congeners found in wine in the presence of phenolic compounds. Wine tannins add bitterness, have a drying sensation, taste herbaceous, and are often described as astringent . Wine tannins add balance, complexity, structure and make
2385-528: The then-British penal colony of New South Wales , staged by the New South Wales Corps in order to depose Governor William Bligh . Australia's first and only military coup, its name derives from the illicit rum trade of early Sydney , over which the 'Rum Corps', as it became known, maintained a monopoly. During the first half of the 19th century, it was widely referred to in Australia as
2438-486: The vineyard. For this reason, some of the best wines come from vineyards planted on quite steep hills, conditions which would make most other agricultural products uneconomic. The stereotypical vineyard site for wine grapes (in the Northern hemisphere) is a hillside in a dry climate with a southern exposure, good drainage to reduce unnecessary water uptake, and balanced pruning to force the vine to put more of its energy into
2491-407: The world's largest producer. Terroir refers to the combination of natural factors associated with any particular vineyard. These factors include things such as soil, underlying rock, altitude, slope of hill or terrain, orientation toward the sun, and microclimate (typical rain, winds, humidity, temperature variations, etc.). No two vineyards have exactly the same terroir, although any difference in
2544-617: The world, surpassing the previous record holder, the Speyer wine bottle (discovered in 1867) by three centuries. Beer was likely brewed from barley as early as 13,000 years ago in the Middle East. Pliny the Elder wrote about the golden age of winemaking in Rome , the 2nd century BCE (200–100 BCE), when vineyards were planted. Examination and analysis of ancient pottery jars from
2597-504: The world. Cider or cyder ( / ˈ s aɪ d ər / SY -dər ) is a fermented alcoholic drink made from any fruit juice ; apple juice (traditional and most common), peaches , pears (" Perry " cider) or other fruit. Cider alcohol content varies from 1.2% ABV to 8.5% or more in traditional English ciders. In some regions, cider may be called " apple wine ". Fermented water is an ethanol -based water solution with approximately 15-17% ABV without sweet reserve . Fermented water
2650-421: The world. The temperance movement advocates against the consumption of alcoholic beverages. The global alcoholic drink industry exceeded $ 1.5 trillion in 2017. Alcohol is one of the most widely used recreational drugs in the world, and about 33% of all humans currently drink alcohol. In 2015, among Americans , 86% of adults had consumed alcohol at some point, with 70% drinking it in the last year and 56% in
2703-445: Was accidentally introduced to Europe from North America. Native American grapevines include varieties such as Vitis labrusca , which are resistant to the insect. Vitis vinifera varieties were saved by being grafted onto the rootstock of Native American varieties, although there is still no remedy for phylloxera , which remains a danger to any vineyard not planted with grafted rootstock. The quest for vineyard efficiency has produced
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#17327799175132756-629: Was dated at 6,000 to 5,800 BCE in Georgia in the South Caucasus . Celtic people were known to have been making types of alcoholic cider as early as 3000 BC. and wine was consumed in Classical Greece at breakfast or at symposia , and in the 1st century BC. Medieval Muslim chemists such as Jābir ibn Ḥayyān (Latin: Geber, ninth century) and Abū Bakr al-Rāzī (Latin: Rhazes, c. 865–925 ) experimented extensively with
2809-486: Was significantly reduced in the 1980s, but in the 1990s, during the quality revolution incited by Malbec Pioneer Nicolás Catena Zapata, growers started planting more Malbec, most notably in higher altitudes where cooler temperatures and more intense sunlight yield more concentrated yet smoother and more complex malbecs. Grape changes are often in response to changing consumer demand but sometimes result from vine pull schemes designed to promote vineyard change. Alternatively,
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