Scientists discover Neolithic wine-making

UNLV Rebel Yell ^ | 11/28/2005 | Lora Griffin

[SunkenCiv]

The discovery that Stone Age humans were interested in growing fruit and developing fermentation processes provides many clues into the lifestyle of early Homo sapiens. The production of wine requires a relatively "stable base of operations," McGovern stated. His research suggests that these early Near East and Egyptian communities would have been more permanent cultures with a stable food supply and domesticated animals and plants. With this abundance of food came the need for containers that were durable and made from a material that was easily pliable—like clay. The porous structure of these clay vessels is what has made it possible for scientists to analyze wine that is thousands of years old.

Clay jars designed to hold about 2.5 gallons were found during an excavation conducted by Mary M. Voigt near the Hajji Firuz Tepe site in the Northern Zagros Mountains of Iran. A yellowish residue discovered inside a jar was tested using a variety of analyses including infrared, liquid chromatographic and wet chemical analyses. The chromatographic test showed the best proof that this was indeed wine by revealing the presence of terebinth tree resin... The tree resin was added to the wine during fermentation to help prevent it from turning to vinegar.

[quantim]

Are those wines still made basically from grapes? Or more along the fruit wines, apple, pear, and so forth?

[Diana in Wisconsin]

You can do that. I alter recipes all the time to make them less sweet, myself.

[SunkenCiv]

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