Everyone Loves a Good Barrel Room… But Where Did Barrels Come From?
Release Date: January 31, 2025
Photo by: Savannah Smith Photography
Why do we use wood for making wine? Wine lovers love a good barrel room, but where did these even come from? Today, we’ll share with you how wood integrated itself into wine production and transport, and how its use evolved into modern day wine processing that we know today.
Links/Information for things mentioned in this episode:
- The Ancient Civilizations that impact the integration of wood in making and holding/storing wine:
- Neolithic Time Period (up to about 2000 BC): This is the oldest period of time to find archeological evidence of wine storage in resin-coated vessels.
- Ancient Egypt (3150 BC to about 30 BC): Maintained waterproof resin throughout the entire amphora jar to preserve the wine. Preserved wines for decades in amphora.
- Ancient Greeks (1200 BC to 600 AD): Maintained a waterproof resin on the neck o amphora jars.
- Ancient Romans (753 BC – 480 AD): The transition from BC years to AD years that integrates and popularizes barrels for processing and transporting wine.
Thank you for listening to another delicious episode of Voices of the Vine. You can find show notes for our episodes by subscribing to the DGW Sip & Swirl, or by visiting the Sip & Swirl Archive, both available at dgwinemaking.com/winelovers. That’s dgwinemaking.com/winelovers with an “s” at the end.
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