Tea and Wine

The Importance of Wine and Tea for European and Asian Cultures

The use of wine has been quite common in European culture for many centuries. That is why modern people normally perceive the high cost of elite collectible wine. This drink has been used since ancient times:

• Greeks;
• Romans;
• by the French.

Wine is popular in Mediterranean cuisine. It is used as part of the sacraments in Christianity. In Catholicism, cathedrals are decorated with grapevines. Wine is perceived by residents of the European part of the continent not only as a tasty drink, but also as a cultural symbol.

Tea has a similar meaning for representatives of most Asian countries. The main role here is given to China, whose culture is simply not perceived without tea. For many centuries, Chinese and Japanese masters have perfected the art of making tea. It has become an important element of painting and folklore. Just as in Europe, poets dedicated poems to wine, in Asia they sang the praises of tea. This drink has even managed to penetrate into art.

Natural features and culture

Tea and wine can be safely perceived as cultural markers. Their meaning has been formed in the minds of people for generations, forming areas of viticulture and tea growing. This is largely due to natural, climatic and soil features. To describe these conditions, a whole term was created, known as "terroir". This term includes:

• natural and climatic conditions of the area;
• local wind roses;
• individual characteristics of soils;
• humidity index provided by water bodies;
• illumination level.

The above conditions play an important role in the taste of both tea and wine. They have become one of the most important factors that made wine popular in European countries and tea popular in Asian countries.

Peculiarities of mentality

Tea and wine are special in that they have no price limits. It is hard for Chinese people to imagine that wine in Europe can cost as much as a car. However, in China, people are ready to pay gold for quality tea, although this may surprise a European. This feature is connected with the cultural significance of the drink. The higher its significance in a person’s mind, the more the buyer is ready to pay for it.

Another factor is the recipe. It may be related to narrow territorial conditions. For example, in France it is Bordeaux and Champagne, and in China it is the village of Longjing, or the mountains of Bindao and Lao Ban Zhang in the province of Yunnan. It is simply impossible to grow a specific tea tree or grape bush capable of providing the same taste characteristics in other places. In addition, not every master is able to cope with the recipe.

Despite the difference in taste, both tea and wine had the same effect on:

• culture;
• industrial production;
• art;
• logistics;
• trade and commerce.

Just as it is difficult to perceive European culture without wine, it is also difficult to imagine Chinese culture without tea. The importance of these drinks for the formation of mentality is undeniable. Tea and winemaking are entire industries that require special training to work in. For an ordinary person accustomed to buying Chinese tea and wine in grocery stores, the answer to the question of why a quality drink is expensive will only become known after he tries it.

Based on materials by: Ivan Sokolov