| Name: | Description: | Size: | Format: | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.33 MB | Adobe PDF |
Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
The purpose of this review is to provide a general description of ancient winemaking
techniques and wine styles that were most lauded in antiquity, in support of their revival and
dissemination today. From the first fully excavated winery, dating from the late fifth to the early
fourth millennium BC, the gentle crushing of grapes by foot and the probable absence of maceration
indicate that most wines were made with the aim of reducing astringency. The oxidative nature of
winemaking would have resulted in rapid browning, so that wines made from red grapes would have
had a similar color to those made from white grapes after being aged in clay vats for several years.
The difficulty in preventing the wine surface contact with the air would have resulted in biological
ageing under the yeast pellicle being a common occurrence. This phenomenon was not considered
a flaw, but a characteristic feature of highly prized wines. Dried grapes were used to make sweet
wines, which were also highly prized, therefore justifying the construction of dedicated facilities.
The addition of boiled juices, salt, resins, mixtures of herbs, spices, fruit juices, flowers, or honey to
the wines would have increased their taste pleasantness while improving their preservability and
medicinal properties. Indeed, today’s preference for flavored wines with a soft mouthfeel seems
to have been representative of the ancient elite consumers. Overall, the technical interpretation of
winemaking described in this review will provide solid historical support for the current rebirth of
ancient production methods, particularly those using pottery vessels
Description
Review
Keywords
heritage winemaking clay vessels biological aging wine styles aged wines sweet wines consumer preferences wine trends
Pedagogical Context
Citation
Harutyunyan, M.; Malfeito-Ferreira, M. Historical and Heritage Sustainability for the Revival of Ancient Wine-Making Techniques andWine Styles. Beverages 2022, 8, 10
Publisher
MDPI