One of the essential elements of the Passover seder is the four cups of wine, traditionally drunk, Greco-Roman style, while reclining. Wine was an essential beverage in the ancient Mediterranean world, and one discussed extensively in the Talmud, which in at least one instance describes Italian wine as the very best kind. But it has long been thought that ancient wine wasn’t very good, at least not by modern standards. Dimitri Van Limbergen, together with Paulina Komar, recently completed a scientific study that challenges that assumption:
It is alleged that Roman winemakers had to mask their products’ flaws by adding spices, herbs, and other ingredients to the freshly pressed grape juice, which is known as must. However, our research has shown this may not have been the case: a recent study of earthenware vessels used in wine fermentation—both ancient and contemporary—has challenged traditional views on the taste and quality of Roman wine, some of which may even have rivalled the fine wines of today.
Many of the longstanding misconceptions surrounding Roman wine come from a lack of insight into one of the most characteristic features of Roman winemaking: fermentation in clay jars or dolia. Huge wine cellars filled with hundreds of these vessels have been found all over the Roman world, but until we began our study no one had looked closely at their role in ancient wine production.
Read more on The Conversation: https://theconversation.com/what-did-roman-wine-taste-like-much-better-than-previously-thought-according-to-new-research-223375