tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6750744744544363949.post854831803563640741..comments2023-10-22T06:19:36.790-07:00Comments on The Wine Kapital: Panic on the streets of BristolBeau Rapierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13717314160812747478noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6750744744544363949.post-71456602360972340532008-07-18T14:53:00.000-07:002008-07-18T14:53:00.000-07:00It's difficult, if not totally impossible, to say ...It's difficult, if not totally impossible, to say whether or not that's the case. Sensorial pleasure and the socio-economic trends surrounding such pleasure are a) difficult to quanitfy; and b) rarely recorded outside of the modern era.<BR/><BR/>I've heard tell that the Romans were rather fond of marking the provenance of their amphorae with specific seals, and that certain patricians had preferences for one region's wine over another's. It follows from there that an enterprising merchant <I>might</I> cater to specific tastes.<BR/><BR/>But one critical question remains: just how much Falernum could you get for a herd of goats?<BR/><BR/>I think wine producers who are aware of an export market (ie, beyond their village) are likely to be aware of that market's tastes. I think that was true 2,500 years ago, and I think it's still true today even if certain producers say that's not the case.<BR/><BR/>Anyway, thanks for the discussion. A welcome distraction on this friday.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6750744744544363949.post-41520840242842417672008-07-18T11:49:00.000-07:002008-07-18T11:49:00.000-07:00Thanks for the Phoenician insight. I think I'd rea...Thanks for the Phoenician insight. I think I'd read about that long ago but totally forgotten. I'm trying to figure out how much ancient cultures made wine for trade only or if they made it to their liking and then when other peoples grew fond of a style the originators just went cha-ching! I'm sure bags of money or livestock or whatever was always a good incentive, but I don't think wine made for a specific market is as ancient as the drink itself.Beau Rapierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13717314160812747478noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6750744744544363949.post-66456996893692982592008-07-18T10:53:00.000-07:002008-07-18T10:53:00.000-07:00Fun post on a very interesting subject.I wrote and...Fun post on a very interesting subject.<BR/><BR/>I wrote and presented a paper for a seminar at university once about the wine trade during the 100 Years War (the powerful Duchy of Burgundy, an English ally against the French monarchy, was heavily involved).<BR/> <BR/>Anyway, you're right to look to the British as the party responsible for the modern wine trade, but they certainly didn't invent the notion of wine as a commodity. That honor, as far as we can tell, goes to the ancient Phoenicians, who spread vitis vinifera throughout the Mediterranean where it's believed to have then been spread by the Greeks and, later, the Romans (the Phoenicians neighbors to the east, the Sumerians, were notorious beer drinkers, and possibly even invented that beverage).<BR/><BR/>Beer and wine = fun, ancient drinks!<BR/><BR/>And that French monarchy blog - wtf?!? The things that are found on the internet... Still, that image is a famous depiction of a navel battle during the 100 Years War (possibly at Calais). Cool.<BR/><BR/>- wolfgangAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com