Long before the birth of
Christ, wine, together with oil and wheat were the principal
commodities of trade although there was also some trade in
silks and spices, jewels and ornaments, rugs and marbles.
Fermented drinks are mentioned in the Old Testament and our
word cider is thought to have come from the word seider which
in turn came from the early Hebrew word sekera.
The Romans, like the Greeks, were never completely satisfied
with wine from the grape. The Greeks added fruits and honey and
even tried to prevent it from going sour and turning to vinegar
by steeping pine cones in it. The Romans mixed wine with water,
even sea water. Civilized Roman society always diluted the wine
with three parts of water and only the young rakes and rebels
drank it neat. No doubt it was often cloudy, frequently sour
and beyond the palates of the ladies.
As they did with so many matters, the Romans brought order
to vine growing. They stored their wine in baked clay amphorae
which they sealed with animal fat and stored in the sand to
keep cool. There were many wine shops whose distinguishing
feature was a marble slab containing holes in which the
amphorae could be stood and supported. These can be clearly
seen in the ruins at Pompeii. The amphorae were glazed and
pointed at the end that stood in the sand. Today the best
storage jars for home wine makers are still stoneware jars.
Although heavy, they keep the wine insulated from sudden
changes of temperatures.
Throughout the Middle East and the
countries
bordering the Mediterranean, wine
was well-established as the staple drink to accompany food.
Because wine was as common as bread the fervently religious
Jews had long been accustomed to offer their thanks to God with
bread and wine on the eve of their Sabbath. This custom was
later adopted by Christian religion and given a new and special
significance.
From Italy the vine was taken to Spain and France where the
climate and the soil, in places, was particularly suitable.
Attempts were made by the Romans to bring the vine to England
but with no great success. At one time, however, when there was
a shortage of corn for bread, our vines were dug up and wheat
was planted instead. Some years later, when the crisis was
over, vines were planted again. Indeed, the variety Wrotham
Pinot is thought to be one of those brought to England by the
Romans. England never became even self-sufficient for wines,
however, and it was recorded about us in AD 200 that The rich
drink wine from Italy or from around Marseilles. The poorer
classes drink beer made from wheat and prepared with honey.
When the religious orders formed and started to build
monasteries, abbeys and priories, the monks planted and
cultivated the vine, not only for their own use, but also to
sell or exchange for other items that they needed. The system
of viticulture was studied and new varieties of the vine were
developed. Methods of preparing, fermenting and storing the
wine were improved, especially in matters of hygiene and in the
use of casks.
