Wine in the Middle Ages & Renaissance
After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, in 476 A.D., society
was built around the church, which preserved Roman wine-making.
Wine was important throughout the period.
After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, in 476 A.D., society
was built around the church, which preserved Roman wine-making.
Wine was important throughout the period.
The Dark Ages
After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, Europe entered into a period
called the "Dark Ages." No, it wasn't physically dark. It was that much of what
occurred in Europe between about 500 A.D. and 1,000 A.D. was lost to history.
The "barbarian" tribes that carved up Empire were not all that keen on keeping
careful records, as the Romans had, and showed even less interest in
recording the lives of ordinary people.
Wine and the Church
What's known is that the early Catholic Church preserved the wine-making
traditions of the Roman Empire, largely for ceremonial purposes. Wine was
essential to the Catholic Mass, in which wine is "transubstantiated" into the
blood of Christ. As the Church spread throughout Northern, Western and,
eventually, Eastern Europe and the Baltic, the ecclesiastic viticultural tradition
spread with it.
The religious orders, such as the Benedictines (Dom Perignon, which is now
a revered brand of champagne, was a Benedictine monk), Cistercians,
Carthusians, and the Templars became one of the largest producers of wine
in Western Europe, and some still produce wine today. Meanwhile, Portugal
created the first, modern-style appellation system.
The Noble Palate
Wine was drunk by the nobles and the well-to-do merchants classes.
Peasants and laborers drank ale. These wines tended to be kept in casks, not
bottles, and so had to be drunk while young. Therefore, the wines were often
sweetened with honey, spiced, or otherwise flavored. The mulled wine you
enjoy and holiday time is a descendant of this tradition. In addition, medieval
wines, like the Greek wines of a thousand years before, were often watered
down. Medieval people enjoyed both red and white wines.
After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, Europe entered into a period
called the "Dark Ages." No, it wasn't physically dark. It was that much of what
occurred in Europe between about 500 A.D. and 1,000 A.D. was lost to history.
The "barbarian" tribes that carved up Empire were not all that keen on keeping
careful records, as the Romans had, and showed even less interest in
recording the lives of ordinary people.
Wine and the Church
What's known is that the early Catholic Church preserved the wine-making
traditions of the Roman Empire, largely for ceremonial purposes. Wine was
essential to the Catholic Mass, in which wine is "transubstantiated" into the
blood of Christ. As the Church spread throughout Northern, Western and,
eventually, Eastern Europe and the Baltic, the ecclesiastic viticultural tradition
spread with it.
The religious orders, such as the Benedictines (Dom Perignon, which is now
a revered brand of champagne, was a Benedictine monk), Cistercians,
Carthusians, and the Templars became one of the largest producers of wine
in Western Europe, and some still produce wine today. Meanwhile, Portugal
created the first, modern-style appellation system.
The Noble Palate
Wine was drunk by the nobles and the well-to-do merchants classes.
Peasants and laborers drank ale. These wines tended to be kept in casks, not
bottles, and so had to be drunk while young. Therefore, the wines were often
sweetened with honey, spiced, or otherwise flavored. The mulled wine you
enjoy and holiday time is a descendant of this tradition. In addition, medieval
wines, like the Greek wines of a thousand years before, were often watered
down. Medieval people enjoyed both red and white wines.
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Fast Facts
- The church preserved wine-making
for largely ceremonial reasons - Wine was used by wealthy
merchants and nobles, while
peasants drank ale - It's probable that the Hundred Years
War was fought over wine the
wealth it produced - Medieval people often watered
down their wines like the Greeks - Dom Perignon, a Benedictine monk,
invented bubbly
Hundred Years War
The Hundred Year's War lasted 116 years, from 1337 to 1543. That's good
enough for medieval work, I suppose. Anyway, one of the leading causes of
the war -- or rather, the series of wars -- between England and France had to
do with the wine trade and the wealth it created. When Shakespearean
characters like Henry V and historical figures such as Joan of Arc rode into
battle they cited reasons like ancient rights and religious faith to justify it...
The Hundred Year's War lasted 116 years, from 1337 to 1543. That's good
enough for medieval work, I suppose. Anyway, one of the leading causes of
the war -- or rather, the series of wars -- between England and France had to
do with the wine trade and the wealth it created. When Shakespearean
characters like Henry V and historical figures such as Joan of Arc rode into
battle they cited reasons like ancient rights and religious faith to justify it...
... In fact, these wars were over trade and central to that trade was wine, along
with other commodities such as salt. Thus sprung up dozens of small, fortified
towns in the France's northern wine growing regions, called "bastides."
Thousand of English and French foot soldiers and knights fought and died
attacking and defending these towns. Perhaps the Egyptians were right -- wine
is borne of blood, though perhaps not the blood of Christ.
Renaissance
In the age of the Renaissance, wine was staple part of the diet, but still
competing with beer and ale. New wealth brought new interest in commodities
among people, and wine began to diversify. Not surprisingly, the increasing
availability of cleaner drinking water during the late Renaissance changed
people's drinking habits, as did the protestant religious fervors of the 16th and
17th centuries.
A few centuries before, the Crusades had the side effect of bringing much
classical learning back to Europe. In addition, the era brought many advances
in technology with regard to navigation. At about the same time, many trade
routes to the east were either closed off or made too expensive. Subsequently,
new trade routes had to be found in order to sate Western Europe's growing
appetite for spices and other commodities.
The New World
Enter Christopher Columbus. In 1492, Columbus, searching for a trade route
across the Atlantic to India, stumbled upon some Islands in what is now
known as the West Indies. The Spanish conquistadores who quickly followed
Columbus to the New World brought with them wines grapes, which were
needed in the Catholic Mass, and were planted at Spanish missions. One
variety of these first imported grapes, called "mission grapes" can still be
found in central and southern California vineyards.
with other commodities such as salt. Thus sprung up dozens of small, fortified
towns in the France's northern wine growing regions, called "bastides."
Thousand of English and French foot soldiers and knights fought and died
attacking and defending these towns. Perhaps the Egyptians were right -- wine
is borne of blood, though perhaps not the blood of Christ.
Renaissance
In the age of the Renaissance, wine was staple part of the diet, but still
competing with beer and ale. New wealth brought new interest in commodities
among people, and wine began to diversify. Not surprisingly, the increasing
availability of cleaner drinking water during the late Renaissance changed
people's drinking habits, as did the protestant religious fervors of the 16th and
17th centuries.
A few centuries before, the Crusades had the side effect of bringing much
classical learning back to Europe. In addition, the era brought many advances
in technology with regard to navigation. At about the same time, many trade
routes to the east were either closed off or made too expensive. Subsequently,
new trade routes had to be found in order to sate Western Europe's growing
appetite for spices and other commodities.
The New World
Enter Christopher Columbus. In 1492, Columbus, searching for a trade route
across the Atlantic to India, stumbled upon some Islands in what is now
known as the West Indies. The Spanish conquistadores who quickly followed
Columbus to the New World brought with them wines grapes, which were
needed in the Catholic Mass, and were planted at Spanish missions. One
variety of these first imported grapes, called "mission grapes" can still be
found in central and southern California vineyards.
Wine and Islam
Read more about
wine in the middle
ages in this article
on the interplay
between cultures of
faith and the culture
of wine in midst of
the clash of
civilizations.
Read On »
Read more about
wine in the middle
ages in this article
on the interplay
between cultures of
faith and the culture
of wine in midst of
the clash of
civilizations.
Read On »
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