News Flash: Journey to the Heart of Roman Wine
1. Winemaking : Did you know ? The Romans used resin-coated amphorae to preserve their wine? This unique process, called resinage, not only preserved the wine by preventing oxidation but also added a distinct flavor, prized for its unique taste.
Does that remind you of anything? Yes ? The famous Retsina, a Greek white wine infused with pine resin. You see, nothing changes...
2. Trade and Development Under the Roman Empire, the wine trade exploded! Why? Thanks (in particular) to an advanced road and maritime network, wine amphorae traveled from Gaul to the Eastern Empire. The Romans introduced vineyards in Gaul and Hispania, making wine a flagship product of the Roman economy.
It was also consumed in northern countries and even in India.
3. Taxation Wine was heavily taxed, with specific taxes such as the vectigal vinarium. These taxes not only enriched the imperial treasury but also structured the wine market, stimulating production while regulating prices.
4. Key Figures of the Week Emperor Domitian made history by imposing restrictions on vineyard planting outside Italy to protect local producers. His decree influenced Roman viticulture and highlighted the strategic importance of wine in the Empire.
5. When Rome was "The Place to Be" Over time, the sale of agricultural products changed, and now, the demand for wine in Rome has exploded. Under Augustus, Rome became a massive consumer of wine, with a population that could reach one million inhabitants – a number that few Mediterranean cities would reach before the 20th century. In comparison, Naples, the largest city of the 19th century, had 530,000 inhabitants. The enormity of Rome meant that even under the Republic and especially under the Empire, the wine export trade was relatively less important.
Rome was the largest wine market, and Italian vineyards were no longer sufficient to meet this gigantic demand. From the time of Augustus, Rome began to import wines from Spain and the northern Adriatic. Later, under Tiberius, less productive Italian grape varieties were replaced by more efficient imported varieties to meet this enormous demand.
6. It Was a Crisis for Them Too... Summary of Domitian’s decree in 92 AD: In 92 AD, Emperor Domitian, concerned about the overabundance of wine and the poor wheat harvest, banned the planting of new vineyards in Italy and ordered half of the vineyards in the provinces to be uprooted. This decision aimed to protect Italian wine and counter the competition from provincial wines, while addressing the wheat shortage due to the conversion of agricultural land to vineyards. The unpopularity of the decree and the improvement in the wheat harvest the following year led to its relaxation. Despite this, viticulture in Gaul continued to develop, reaching its peak in the 2nd century (more on this in the next letter).
Domitian, a Peculiar Character... Domitian was a bit peculiar... He fancied himself a god, a bit extreme, the guy... He was also the second persecutor of Christians. Well, his father wasn’t very tender either; he destroyed Jerusalem. With the stolen gold, he started the construction of the Colosseum. Well, we also owe him the first urinals... "la tassa suli pipi," and for that, we say thank you!
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