Wine of Antiquity

Greece:

There is no specific date or place of origin of wine in Greek Culture. Some historians believe that the Phoenician traders brought wine to Crete while others argue that their vino came from the north, via Asia Minor's land route. No matter the origin, wine quickly became an integral part of Greek life.

The people of ancient Greece considered the beverage to be a divine gift, going so far as to reserve a place in their pantheon for a God of Wine. They believed that wine had healing properties and had been gifted from Dionysus, this God. In ancient Greece, some people made their wine for profit but many more made their own for private consumption at home. In fact, most Greeks drank wine on a daily basis, including the children. Water of the ancient world was often dirty and contaminated. In what seems to be a trend among alcoholic beverages, wine owes much of its popularity to the fact that potable water was unavailable. With readily available water considered dangerous, many people saw wine as a safe alternative.

Wine cultivation quickly became a part of ancient Greece's culture. After fermentation, the wine was commonly stored in air-tight ceramic vessels. Wine became a vital economic product of Greece and was one of the few commodities that could be transported with little fear of spoiling.

Each Greek island was known for producing its own unique style of wine. This is contributed to the islands' widely varied climates and soil. The islands of Chios and Lesbos, in particular, were famous for producing extremely high quality wines.


Rome:

Much of the world has been inspired by the Romans for politics, warfare, governmental structure, and the list goes on. Wine making is no different. The Roman military expansions pushed Roman influence into virtually all of the known world, and they took their vines with them. In fact, during the height of the Roman Empire, wine production spread throughout most of Europe, including into France, Spain, Italy and even parts of Britain. Wine was so prevelant, cities such as Pompeii built bars on many street corners to advocate drinking the delightful beverage.

The ancient Romans were well educated in grape varieties, and they were creative with their winemaking ingredients. Unlike today, almost all the wines consumed by the typical Roman would have been what we'd refer to as spiced wines. Wines were often mixed with absinthe, rose petals, mint or pepper. They were also flavored with strong, offputting herbal aromatics such as onions, garlic, and leeks. Pure red or white wines were not the norm for ancient Romans. Many daily drinkers would never taste a pure wine in their entire life.

As if giving most of the great wine regions of the world the culture to appreciate wine, the Romans brought a vital piece of technology to wine making: Glassblowing. Prior to glassblowing, wine was stored in ceramic or earthen jugs which would often alter the wine's flavor and aroma profiles. Glass had no effect on the wine, and glass bottles soon became the vessel of choice for wine storage.