Why do some wines turn to vinegar — while others last for decades? And how did learning to age wine turn a perishable drink into a luxury good worth collecting and trading?
In this three-part series from Areni Global, Pauline Vicard and Felicity Carter look at how the quest for ageability shaped not just wine itself, but also the trading environment, leading to today’s fine wine market.
For most of wine’s history, the challenge was to keep wine drinkable. Early vignerons and merchants tried everything, from sealing containers with pitch to adding spices and herbs, or boiled must. But solutions came from the strangest places, whether it was unwelcome tariffs and taxes that drove innovation, or decrees about firewood leading to the development of the strong glass bottle.
We talk to leading experts and historians, who explain Roman wine snobs, the early American taste for Madeira and why Australian winemakers and London importers were sending angry letters to one another.
In this episode, we explore:
- What the Romans knew about ageing wine, and why Falernian wine was the toast of the ancient world;
- How the barrel went from a receptacle to the trade’s unit of measurement;
- How Madeira’s tax exemption created a taste for older wine;
- How a 1615 ban on wood-fired glass furnaces led to stronger bottles, Champagne and branded château wines;
- How the journey of 12,000 nautical miles from Australia to Britain pushed the country towards fortified wine production; and
- An intriguing discussion about whether the statistical revolution of the Victorian era changed how people thought about age.
About the guests:
Dr Emlyn Dodd is an archaeologist at the University of Adelaide who specialises in the ancient Mediterranean, including Greek and Roman wine production and trade.
Rod Phillips teaches history at Carleton University in Ottawa. He is the author of several of the most important modern histories of wine.
David Hancock is Professor of History at the University of Michigan and the author of a major study of Madeira and its trade in the 18th century.
Jennifer Regan-Lefebvre is Professor of History at Trinity College, Connecticut. She is the author of Imperial Wine, a history of wine in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.
About Vinventions
Bottling Time was made possible with the support of Vinventions, one of the world’s leading producers of wine closures. Areni kept full editorial freedom. To learn more about Vinventions’ research and its range of closures, visit www.vinventions.com.
About Areni Global
Areni Global is an independent think tank dedicated to the future of fine wine. Headquartered in London, its mission is to help the fine wine sector understand and respond to the economic, cultural and societal changes reshaping the world around it.
Through independent research, strategic reports, podcasts and industry events, Areni brings together producers, merchants, distributors, collectors and experts from across disciplines to explore the questions that will define the next generation of fine wine.
To learn more about Areni's work, subscribe to the newsletter or become a member, visit www.areni.global.
