From the Sources
וַיָּ֥חֶל נֹ֖חַ אִ֣ישׁ הָֽאֲדָמָ֑ה וַיִּטַּ֖ע כָּֽרֶם׃
Noah, the tiller of the soil, was the first to plant a vineyard.
וַיֵּ֥שְׁתְּ מִן־הַיַּ֖יִן וַיִּשְׁכָּ֑ר וַיִּתְגַּ֖ל בְּת֥וֹךְ אָהֳלֹֽה׃
He drank of the wine and became drunk, and he uncovered himself within his tent. (Bereishit Chapter 9:20-21)
When Noach came out of the ark after a year of destruction, he saw a world that had been completely obliterated and he did not recognise at all. He was sad. He planted a vineyard, and it grew on the same day, and he harvested it, made wine, drank the wine, and became intoxicated.
There is a Midrash (Aggada 9:21 – referred in The Midrash Says: The Book of Bereishis p104, footnote 146) that states that Noach had help from the Satan and that is why the vine grew so fast. The Satan fertilised the vine first with the blood of a lamb, and then a lion, and then a monkey, and finally a pig. Because of this, excessive drinking, or any drinking done for unholy purposes, affects a person like these animals. One cup of wine makes a person quiet like a lamb, two cups makes the drinker arrogant and loud, like a lion. After three cups a person becomes silly and dance like a monkey. And after four cups the drinker gets sick, vomits, and rolls around on the ground, like a pig.
How to eat it
Perhaps this is a good week to make kiddush on grape juice rather than wine. (Remember that I am NOT an halachic authority and this is just a suggestion).
Serve vine leaves (see below). I found a recipe here. You can also buy these in a tin if you are feeling lazy.
