Wine, like beer, is a beverage that has accompanied humanity for thousands of years. Although it is not currently at its best due to a decline in consumption, it remains a status symbol in many circles. This is reflected not only in bottle prices, but also in the care, and sometimes poise, with which the perfect wine is chosen for each occasion.

However, this phenomenon is not unique to our age. Centuries ago, wines from certain regions were objects of desire, commanding higher prices than others; this was not because of their inherent quality, but because of their association with a higher social level. The prestige of wine, then as now, was built around its taste as much as the narrative surrounding it; Cilicia and Gaza wines are an example of this.

Designation of origin. A study titled “Distribution patterns of Gazan wine and Cilician wine in the Eastern Mediterranean in Late Antiquity” investigates the distribution and consumption patterns of wines from two important regions in the Mediterranean trade: Sicily and Gaza. Heroes are amphorae found in different archaeological excavations that were linked to the commercial networks of Gaza and Sicily between the 4th and 7th centuries.

Although the authors acknowledge that the study had limitations and challenges (such as documentation for each of the wines), the results are very interesting.

From bottle and tetrabric. It is very important here where the amphoras were discovered because there are two types: LRA 4, which contains Gaza wines, and LRA 1, which contains Cilician wine. While LRA 4 amphoras are mostly found in areas such as the academic centers of Ravenna and Alexandria, LRA 1 amphoras containing Cilician wine have been found in military and more rural contexts.

This is something that shows that Cilician wine was more popular, that is, affordable to ordinary people, while Gaza wine, found in contexts such as cities, administrative centers or religious places, was more exclusive. And like almost every field, that means only one thing: it was more expensive.

The spots where the amphora remains were found and their shapes. LRA1 contained Cilician wine, LRA4 contained Gaza wine

matter of palate. The definitions of both wines are discussed in the study. The wine from Gaza was known for its excellent quality and was praised by writers at the time who described it as a “light, sweet and pleasant-tasting” wine. Moreover, this reputation came from Gaza’s cultivation, harvesting and processing techniques, as well as the quality of the soil in which it was grown.

Cilician wine was described as stronger and less refined. The reason is probably that it is produced from raisins, but the interesting part of the study is that, as in many products today, some of the difference in quality is subjective.

And posture. Many of the amphora fragments containing Gaza wine were found near churches and other important religious sites in places such as Constantinople. As we have said, it had a good reputation for its production techniques, but equally important was its association with incipient Christianity. This wine was highly valued in ritual circles, thus increasing its status among religious communities and elites, creating an almost sense of being a product of “spiritual prestige”.

This association caused Christian pilgrims returning from the Holy Land to also contribute to the mythologization of this wine, adding symbolic value and turning it into a luxury good.

wine of the city. Cilician wine, on the other hand, was much more accessible, allowing people from other strata to access it, and as a result the price and reputation were reduced compared to Gaza wine. But no, cheap wine wasn’t necessarily worse, just different. Since it was made primarily from raisins, it was a bit more feisty and also had a higher alcohol content.

This higher alcohol content allowed for wider trade, as Cilician wine traveled long distances in better condition and was preserved longer. Is it good? Yes, but since Gaza’s distribution was more limited, traders also manipulated it to increase the price because it was a much more exclusive commodity due to the previously mentioned.

Ultimately, they were two different products, but although the one from Gaza had richer notes than Cilicia, focusing on a more privileged segment caused the perception of quality to be completely different, which led to serious differences in terms of quality. price.

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