The authors of a new study told which modern drinks should be tasted to feel like a resident of the Roman Empire. Ancient sources, from Cato the Elder to Pliny and Virgil, repeatedly spoke in their writings about the importance of viticulture and winemaking in Rome. Wine and water are the two most commonly used liquids in the Eternal City.

Wine may have been aged, but Pliny says that too old is bitter and unpleasant to taste. What the plebeians and aristocracy in general believed: This drink is vital for any person. Therefore, its price was quite democratic.

As the empire grew, winemaking traditions also expanded: in all conquered territories from Judea to Britain, the Romans planted vineyards and introduced their favorite drink to the local population. As a result, in some provinces (Galia and Germany) this business attracted the attention of representatives of the indigenous population and fell almost entirely into their hands. Grape varieties differed by province, but sweet white wine with a golden color was more appreciated.

We present the production technology from the same works of ancient authors. Like their predecessors – the Canaanites, Assyrians, Egyptians and Greeks – the Romans chose clay vessels – dolium – for aging and further storage.

Dolia is first mentioned in Cato the Elder’s work “On Agriculture” (De agriculture). The author describes a peculiar shape of ships: they have a flat bottom and a pointed bottom. A particle can only stand or be buried in the ground.

The authors of a new study published in the journal ancient agesIt was investigated whether the shape of the container affects the taste and smell of the wine. To do this, they conducted a comparative study between Roman vessels and modern vessels for wine production.

Metal containers are mainly used in modern bulk winemaking. It is clear that in a clay vessel the fermentation and fermentation process does not occur as in a metal vessel. But the authors of the study claim that the issue is not only in the material of the container, but also in its shape.

According to scientists, the decisive role is played by the narrow base of the particle. It limits the contact of solid grape particles (underlying) with the ripening wine, extending its shelf life and giving it a beautiful golden-orange hue that was highly valued in ancient times.

Researchers conducted experiments and came to the following conclusion: by embedding particles in the soil, it is possible to regulate the temperature and pH, which promotes the formation of surface yeast and a chemical compound called sotolon. It gives the wine a slightly spicy taste with aromas of toast and walnuts.

Unlike the metal vessels used in modern industrial winemaking, clay vessels have porosity that allows their contents to slightly oxidize throughout the entire fermentation process. Rich in minerals, clay creates a dry mouth feeling, which the Romans probably liked and gave them an excuse not to limit themselves to drink.

Roman winemakers could change the taste of the final product by adjusting the shape, size and composition of the clay in the barrel, as well as storage methods, scientists said. Every detail mattered, down to the composition of the soil in which the particles were embedded. It is worth noting that at the beginning of the 2nd century AD, the winemakers of the empire began to supply their products to other regions – a change occurred. And wine was no longer transported in bulky barrels, but in barrels.

The study’s authors found a single type of container that resembled particles used in wine production today. These are kvevri – grape drink they have been making in Georgia for more than a millennium.

The oldest kvevri found is no less than five thousand years old. So the inhabitants of Colchis cannot have borrowed this technology from the Romans. Cato, in whom we found the share for the first time, B.C. He lived between 234-149. Colchis only became part of the Pontic kingdom in the 2nd century BC, and it is unlikely that its inhabitants had close contact with the Romans before this date. It turns out that traditional Georgian wine and Roman wine are products of parallel evolution rather than borrowing.