World's Oldest Unopened Bottle of Wine

[Raptor99]

World's Oldest Unopened Bottle of Wine Remains Sealed Since the 4th Century

The oldest bottle of wine is probably much older than you think. Known as the Speyer wine bottle, it dates back to the 4th century!

mymodernmet.com

I wonder how it has aged?

 

[distancerunner]

Not to be a curmudgeon but, how do they know anything about this bottle? How did they come up with a date?

One thing is for sure. If what appears to be ullage is air it is oxidized.

 

[winemanden]

Not to be a curmudgeon but, how do they know anything about this bottle? How did they come up with a date?

One thing is for sure. If what appears to be ullage is air it is oxidized.

How dare you Sir? Most of my wine looks like that!

 

[Raptor99]

It was discovered in a 4th century tomb: The oldest bottle of wine in the world remains unopened since the 4th Century ANCIENT ARCHEOLOGY oldest bottle of wine If the tomb was previously undisturbed, then the wine likely is dated from around the time that the tomb was sealed.

This bottle of wine has its own wikipedia page: Speyer wine bottle - Wikipedia

I find it interesting that the bottle was sealed with olive oil and wax. Did they pour olive oil on the wine, and then seal it with wax?

 

[balatonwine]

This bottle of wine has its own wikipedia page: Speyer wine bottle - Wikipedia

"presumed to contain liquid wine"....

Again "presumed". Maybe it contain the spinal fluid of the deceased person found in the tomb.... Let us not judge....

As an historical artifact, it is amazing. Worth preserving "as is".

But.... whatever is in the bottle (and wine is still a presumption (see above linked Wikipedia page)) is today probably only of interests to biochemists.... not something anyone wants to actually drink.

If wine is not drinkable as wine... to me... it is no longer wine. It may be a great vinegar, or similar, but do not anymore call it wine. Maybe the ghost of wine long past... But seriously.... Not now wine.

 

[Shurt1073]

Hope my wines will taste better than this one! One is aging and I'll bottle in 4-6 months ... the other 6-8 months.

gotta say ... this was very interesting / informative

 

[hounddawg]

years ago jock questio the original deep sea shows you watched in black and white and some dude that found a frozen wooly mammoth, the supposed fund raiser was 1 square inch of mammoth meat and 1 ounce of 2000 wine from some Greek or Roman ship it was claimed, the price was $100,000. that was around 40 years ago or better, Man would i have loved to,,,,,
Skoal
Dawg

 

[winemaker81]

But.... whatever is in the bottle (and wine is still a presumption (see above linked Wikipedia page)) is today probably only of interests to biochemists.... not something anyone wants to actually drink.

It sort of resembles a 70's lava lamp ... they're probably equally safe to drink.

 

[idahorevbob]

I can barely stand to wait 6 months before I bottle/drink! Don't think I can wait 1800 years......

 

[TurkeyHollow]

World's Oldest Unopened Bottle of Wine Remains Sealed Since the 4th Century

The oldest bottle of wine is probably much older than you think. Known as the Speyer wine bottle, it dates back to the 4th century!

mymodernmet.com

I wonder how it has aged?

That is going to be one PO'd genie if ever released!!!

 

[Terryfirma]

It looks a bit like Kombucha ?
. It seems they could pierce it with a long needle- extract some fluid ( like they drain a joint in a medical procedure)
remove the contents vial and replace it with a vial of Bees wax to pump into the needle space as they extract the needle.
It seems like there could be so much to learn from that substance that it would be valuable to know.?? Unless of course they learn it’s not wine.. and it loses all the mystique -and value of an ancient wine..?

 

[TurkeyHollow]

It looks a bit like Kombucha ?
. It seems they could pierce it with a long needle- extract some fluid ( like they drain a joint in a medical procedure)
remove the contents vial and replace it with a vial of Bees wax to pump into the needle space as they extract the needle.
It seems like there could be so much to learn from that substance that it would be valuable to know.?? Unless of course they learn it’s not wine.. and it loses all the mystique -and value of an ancient wine..?

That's hilarious (I know, warped sense of humor) - To think someone could be sipping ooze from what they think is an old wine bottle but actually a canopic jar containing the DNA of a very distant relative!
Hard pass on that tasting!!!

 

[Raptor99]

. It seems they could pierce it with a long needle- extract some fluid ( like they drain a joint in a medical procedure)
remove the contents vial and replace it with a vial of Bees wax to pump into the needle space as they extract the needle.

I was thinking the same thing. I would love to see this analyzed. I'm not sure I would want to taste it though.

The article said that it had herbs in it, so maybe those little bits we can see in the picture are herbs. I wonder if it is mead? Ancient mead makers often included herbs used for medicinal purposes.

 

[vinny]

Ancient mead makers often included herbs used for medicinal purposes.

Yes, medicinal... Just like Absinthe. Strictly medicinal.

 

[Terryfirma]

I was thinking the same thing. I would love to see this analyzed. I'm not sure I would want to taste it though.

The article said that it had herbs in it, so maybe those little bits we can see in the picture are herbs. I wonder if it is mead? Ancient mead makers often included herbs used for medicinal purposes.

I tried my Grandparent’s Grape wine from 1967! ( made with Welch’s Grape Juice
I survived!! It was pretty good- and potent!.