1) The way Tom Standage described beer in “A History of the World in 6 Glasses”; I would believe that beer had a big influence in the transition of hunting and gathering to agricultural based societies. At the time of early Egypt and Mesopotamia beer was a necessity. Everyone used to drink it. It was also used for religious purposes and Standage also described it as edible money. So I believe nomads had to finally settle to farm and supply people with the beer that they need.
2) In ancient Greece men generally had more right than women. In Greece they used to have wine party which women were not allowed to. So men had the chance to participate in these parties unlike women.
3) Wine was adopted as a ritual