Attack of the 50-foot geek

Salud! Skoal! Here's to ya!

The earliest known winery has been uncovered in a cave in the mountains of Armenia.

A vat to press the grapes, fermentation jars and even a cup and drinking bowl dating to about 6,000 years ago were discovered in the cave complex by an international team of researchers.

While older evidence of wine drinking has been found, this is the earliest example of complete wine production, according to Gregory Areshian of the University of California, Los Angeles, co-director of the excavation. ...

According to the archeologists, inside the cave was a shallow basin about 3-feet across that was positioned to drain into a deep vat. ...

They also found grape seeds, remains of pressed grapes and dozens of dried vines. The seeds were from the same type of grapes — Vitis vinifera vinifera — still used to make wine.

This site is in the same area where the oldest known leather shoe, dated to some 5,500 years ago, was found. Maybe now we know why whoever lost the shoe did. (Yes, I know, not really. Geez.)