2,000-Year-Old Roman Wine Likely Tasted Slightly Spicy With Toasted Bread-Like Aroma

Archeologists shared how an ancient Roman wine looked, smelled, and tasted. Based on their study, it was somewhat different from the wines today.

How Ancient Roman Wine Smelled and Tasted?

Ancient Romans cherished wine is well known. Drawings, other archeological discoveries, and ancient literature have all described its ingestion. However, the intricate details of its creation remain a mystery at this time.

Researchers Paulina Komar of the University of Warsaw and Dimitri Van Limbergen of Ghent University examined antique dolia -- a kind of vase or vessel used to carry wine back in antique Roman times -- with comparable containers used in contemporary winemaking. Dolia was used to make and age the wine and store it.

They claimed that Roman wine's aroma was comparable to toasted bread and walnuts, and it probably tasted slightly spicy.

According to the study, burying the dolia in the Earth produced a spicy flavor. This indicated that the wine's pH and temperature were carefully regulated while it matured. With greater room to maneuver, yeasts had a substance called sotolon.

This wine would not have had the same mouthfeel as the wine we drink now. The wine had a "drying sensation" in the mouth due to the clay in the cup. The studies found that this was well-liked by Roman consumers.

This study reveals the aroma and flavor of the wine and provides archaeologists with fresh insights into Roman daily life. It is evident from the fermentation process that the Romans were skilled in a wide range of winemaking processes and could alter the wine's flavor and aroma. They could vary their tastes and scents by changing the dolia's shape and storage method.

"The results of our study force us to question several long-held assumptions about Roman winemaking," Van Limbergen said. "[Firstly], using the techniques we describe in our paper, the Romans made much better, more tasty and much more stable wines than is commonly assumed."

Ancient Bathing Facility From the Roman Empire Found

Romans are not just into wine; they also enjoy bathing. They want it so much that they use it to socialize with others.

Baths were becoming a standardized form of recreation for Romans. In addition to keeping them clean, the baths hosted a range of other cultural and social activities.

As a representation of the balance between the body and mind that bathing represented, many baths included lecture halls and libraries. Roman bathing was a group activity; taking a bath alone was unheard of.

Roman communities were fostered by baths, which provided a space for friends and neighbors to congregate and socialize. Because they were so cheap, members of all socioeconomic classes in Roman society could participate side by side. Even though they had private facilities, legislators and wealthy people would go to public baths to socialize with others.

Baths, along with food, exercise, and massages, were considered vital elements of good health. In Roman culture, bathing was a daily requirement for health and well-being. It is the pinnacle of the ideal urban lifestyle and a sign of civilization.

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