Historians disagree about when wine first appeared. Some believe that it originated in Persia in 6000 BC, in present-day Iran. However, archaeological discoveries in Georgia in 2016 date the history of wine back 8,000 years. Regardless of its exact origins, wine clearly has a long history. So in the era when there was no manufacturing process, what kind of container was the wine in? Today we will talk about the development of wine containers.
1. Early containers derived from nature
In the beginning, most of the liquor was produced by chance in the natural environment, and people had not yet mastered the technology of making wine. The vessels of this period were mostly made of animal skins, plant leaves, or other natural materials, and although rudimentary, they provided some protection for the wine, allowing it to be preserved and shared. However, since the material itself is perishable and leaks, it is not suitable for long-term storage. These "containers" played an important role in the early stages of human civilization, providing people with the opportunity to enjoy wine, and at the same time promoting the initial formation of wine culture.
Second, the emergence of clay pots
Over time, people gradually mastered the art of winemaking and began to use clay pots as containers for wine. These clay pots are often equipped with airtight lids that prevent the wine from leaking and becoming contaminated. At the same time, the clay pot has the right amount of breathability, allowing the wine to have the right amount of contact with oxygen during the aging process, which allows for the development of richer flavors.
The earliest known clay pot used to hold wine is the Georgian Qvevri, which dates back about 5,000 years. Amphorae were adapted from this by the Romans. However, the weight and fragility of clay pots did not make it difficult for long-distance transportation and mass production, and people began to look for more practical and convenient wine containers.
Quafrey clay pots
3. Wooden barrels replace clay pots
Around 100 BC, the Romans conquered the Gauls and discovered a way to transport beer in wooden barrels there. They followed this practice in storing and transporting wine. It was not until the third century that wooden barrels completely replaced amphorae as the main storage vessel for wine. At this time, most of the wooden barrels were made of local materials, such as chestnut, eucalyptus, cherry, etc., and people gradually discovered that different materials of wooden barrels would have different effects on the wine, and finally oak barrels came into people's attention, opening the era of oak barrel aging wine, which has continued to this day.
Oak barrels
Fourth, the rise of glass bottles
The advent of glass bottles has brought wine into a stage of rapid dissemination, which has greatly reduced the loss of wine transportation. At the same time, the glass bottle has the characteristics of firmness, transparency and not easy to deform, which can better protect the wine from the external environment and help the wine to be stored for a long time. Since the 17th century, glass bottles have become the mainstream choice for wine packaging.
Glass bottles of different shapes
The development of modern technology has promoted the diversification and specialization of wine containers, and the subdivision of different functions and forms allows consumers to better experience the beauty of wine. From animal skins, clay pots, wooden barrels, to various utensils under modern techniques, this is not only the history of the evolution of wine containers, but also the history of the development of people's exploration of wine culture.