|
|
|
|
Greek wine on the island of Rhodes The Greek attitude to food ‘The satisfaction of all senses, the pleasure of both the body and the soul’ Socrates And what is good food without a good wine… History of Greek wine It is believed that wine was known on Rhodes around 4000 BC and it is proofed, by found on artefacts, that it was known to the Minoan and Mycenaean civilizations. Ancient Greeks considered that wine was a gift from the gods and worshiped Dionysus, a creature with the mind of man and the instincts of a beast, as god of wine. Vineyards, grapes and wine drinking people were painted on hundreds of ancient Greek artefacts of clay, marble and metal.
Later, during the times of Homer, the cultivation of wine was a big part of Greece's agriculture. It is evident that wine was a drink for all Greeks. In order to traditions the Greeks believe, that infant Achilles was given wine with his meals. Even Ulysses during his quest to return home used wine to gain control over Polyphemus by getting him drunk and made him blind afterwards.
Greeks stored wines in ceramic vessels called amphorae. They also used a labelling system which is close to the one we have today. In Order to signify the city that produced the wine, the amphorae had various shapes with two handles. The amphorae had an inscription with the producing year and The two handles were used to place the winemakers stamp on the one and the local ruler's stamp on the other. The storage in amphorae was good because it allowed the ancient Greeks to store their wine for a long time. During the early Roman times Greeks introduced their grapes to the Italians The method of producing wine was handed down from father to son, the methods of wine cultivation improved, and were well known to the ancient world. Wine cultivation declined by the end of the Byzantine empire and grapevines were virtually vanished during the five centuries of Turkish empire. Only in regions around monasteries. wine culture was found Until today, Greek wine, specially the delicious Rodian wine, is still famous, for its fantastic taste. The quality of wine, results from the kinds of grapes used, the distinctive qualities of the soil, the location and the climate. Rodian vineyards are cultivated on mountain slopes until 850m above the sea-level. The soil characteristics for the most of the vineyards is rocky. There are also some vineyards, that is cultivated on fertile plains. They are spread over big areas of the island. The landscape, the fertile earth and the combination of a mild climate, the unique sun and low rainfall are perfect climatic conditions, which are so important for the production of the local grape varieties. In our days, we stop in 1937 with the creation of the Greek wine Institute and in the 1960's when modern technology was applied by the Greek wineries to produce a wide variety of fine wines. Legislation helped to create local system of controlled production called Quality Wines Produced In Registered Areas (V.Q.P.R.D.) All wines are made in a similar way, with variations depending on the type to be produced. The steps are:
Do you now….? Wine & Heart Disease. Research Studies have shown Red wine contents one of the main chemical culprits in heart disease. It blocks a cellular compound thought to be a key factor in heart disease. Red wine can protect against heart disease by raising levels of the so-called "good" cholesterol. New research showed exactly how wine lovers get that extra protection. Scientists for Heart disease said, that they have found a way to minimise the risk of a second heart attack - drinking wine daily.
|
|
|
