Wine in Ancient Greece and its presence during ancient meals and banquets were essential, where it was plentiful. However, the ancients did not consume wine in the same way we do today. They diluted it not only with sweeteners but also with seawater, avoiding untempered wine. They considered the water-to-wine ratio important, typically diluting it with half or three parts water to two parts wine. Depending on the season, the water used was either lukewarm or cold, and sometimes ice cubes were added, obtained from mountains and preserved in straw, as chilled wine was considered a luxury. They also utilized cool wells as refrigerators and stored snow in special bins to chill the wine and water.
The ancients often infused various aromas into their wines, such as thyme, mint, anise, rosemary, myrtle, and honey, but never resin. This fragrant wine was referred to as “trima.” The grape harvest was accompanied by a flute and was celebrated as a multi-day festival. After sun-drying the grapes, they were stomped on, followed by boiling the must for five days in a large jar placed in a shady area. The sweet liquid was collected from the foam, known to be full of sugar, and stored in jars, sometimes buried in the ground. These jars were then opened either in winter or, for better wine maturation, in spring. The harvest was a favorite topic for many ancient authors, and the Athenians specifically opened their jars on the first day of the Anthesteria, making a libation to Dionysus with the first glass.
Each region in ancient Greece had its own method of winemaking. To preserve the most, salted water and various aromas were added. In some places, the must was roasted over a low fire. In Rhodes and Kos, seawater was added to the must to prevent quick intoxication and aid digestion, leading some to argue that the myth of “the flight of Dionysus” to the sea represented a traditional winemaking method of mixing must with seawater. Additionally, authors like Homer praised specific wines for their high water content. In ancient Greece, the four most well-known types of wine were white, yellowish, black, and red.
White wine in Ancient Greece was light and easily digestible, while yellowish wine had a more sour taste. Black and red wines, generally sweet, were the most sought-after, with older wines being considered the best. The wine was widely used for libations in various religious ceremonies, and certain wines held great reputation and value, such as “ariusio” from Chios and the wines of Lesbos, Mytilene, Mendis, and Ikaria. The Romans considered Greek wines the best, and those from Peparithos, Naxos, Lemnos, Akanthos, Rhodes, Miletus, and other Greek areas were highly esteemed. With a wide variety of wines, ancient Greece held a significant presence in the wine markets of the ancient world. Many regions with abundant wine supply focused on export, and specific laws on Thassos regulated the import and export of wines, punishing fraud and forgery to ensure genuine trade. Through all this, we understand that wine represented the ancient Greeks and they loved it since it was necessary for their life. Excerpt from “Diet of the Ancient Greeks” by Amalia K Iliadis