Greece is one of the oldest
wine-producing regions in the world. The earliest evidence of
Greek wine has been dated to 6,500 years ago where wine was produced on a household or communal basis. In ancient times, as trade in wine became extensive, it was transported from end to end of the Mediterranean; Greek wine had especially high prestige in Italy under the Roman Empire. In the medieval period, wines exported from
Crete,
Monemvasia and other Greek ports fetched high prices in northern Europe.