WINE NEWS - MAD DIVER is in stock ................... selling fast!

For all the Mad Diver fans...... finally the re-release of the 2006 iconic wine has arrived, available now at Divers Luck Winery, Port Stephens, NSW.

How The Ancient Egyptians Made Wine

Wine has always been a glorified product in the ancient, as well as the modern, worlds. It was considered a food due to its nutritious content , and was used in medicine. Mixed with liquid medication, it provided a cover up to foul-tasting medications; it also was used as a mild antiseptic , as cough syrup , as an appetite-restorer , for quelling fevers, dressing wounds , and “releasing a child from the belly of a woman ,” i.e for sedating the woman in birth.

Wine production started very early on in the Egyptian civilisation. The first evidence of wine brewing appeared on the stoppers of wine jars from the Predynastic and Thinite periods . Large quantities of wine jars were discovered in the tombs of Early Dynastic nobles, signifying an early appreciation for wine, as well as its consumption by the upper classes for the most part . Like meat, wine was a valuable commodity and was mostly only found in festivals and on special occasions .

Unlike the common Egyptian’s domestically brewed beer, wine was made exclusively for royalty and elite, being brewed on special large-scale facilities primarily owned by the royal family . Early in Egyptian history, vineyards were only owned by well-to-do nobility due to the poor political and economical conditions . Owning a vineyard was very prestigious , and they were initially a luxury rather than an investment . Wine was mostly consumed at banquets and feasts. The lower classes got their share of wine during public feasts such as the feast of the harvest-goddess Renenutet, the festival of Hathor, and the Valley Festival. Wine was also given as rewards to soldiers . Workers from Deir El Median (West Bank of Thebes) could have possibly received wine bonuses, as there have been several wine labels recovered from garbage dumps (although it is not clear who in the village hierarchy would have received this wine, whether just the overseers, or any of the workers) .

Wine was commonly associated with divinity, and was believed to have divine qualities. According to Plutarch, who quoted Eudoxus, Egyptians thought wine was:
“The blood of those who had once battled against the gods, and from whom, when they had fallen and had become commingled with the earth, they believed vines to have sprung .”

This relates to the ancient Egyptian myth of the “Destruction of Mankind” where the goddess Hathor was sent by her father, Re, to destroy a group of conspirators, and when she became addicted to blood, and could not be stopped from bloodshed, she was tricked into drinking a red coloured drink instead of blood , often believed to have been red wine. Wine was also considered the drink of the gods .
Most of what we know about winemaking and vintage comes from seal-inscriptions on wine jars, tomb depictions or textual sources, as well as chemical analysis on jars that once had wine. Sealing inscriptions show that each vineyard had its unique name, most of them having religious associations, such as Horus Dja meaning “the Beverage of Horus .” However, the most informative source is tomb paintings that show the steps followed in winemaking. Twelve distinctive elements can be identified in most tombs, but not necessarily always depicted together in the same tomb, or even the same period . These scenes cover the most important steps starting from the harvesting and treading to the bottling, storing, and even the excessive consumption (figure 1).

figure 1

These depictions of the steps of winemaking were never intended as a guideline for winemaking, and many of the artists who drew the scenery probably never witnessed it for themselves, rather blindly copying the scenes from one tomb to another. The scenes drawn are only the major steps of winemaking, many intermediary steps not being depicted at all, and there is also no time indicator. We know from tomb depictions with remaining colours that the Egyptians had white, pink, green, red, and dark blue grapes . Ancient Egyptian wine was not only made of grapes, but fruits such as figs, pomegranates, dates, figs, and palm. The method of making various fruits into wine is not known, but is essentially the same as that of grapes, but sugars were added to help their fermentation .

Viticulture is a sign of a higher degree of civilisation, as it required abundant resources and labourers. It required much irrigation, which took up most of the labourer’s time . Vineyards were generally planted on an elevated plane, whether natural (like hills) or artificial. Wall paintings show that vineyards were surrounded by a stone or clay walls, and often had a large water basin. Vines were trained on trellises which were often resting upon rows of large decorated columns placed far enough from one another to allow easy passage of labourers, yet were close enough to prevent much sunlight entering, threatening the moisture of the crops . Great care was exercised to protect the grapes from birds , labourers often scaring them away . The 100 days before the harvest are the most important; they make the difference between good quality “nefer nefer nefer ” wine and lesser “nefer” wine .

With that taken care of, labourers would do the following:
1. Harvesting: One of the most popular scenes depicted in tombs is that of wine harvesting (figure2).

figure2

The exact timing would have varied annually in ancient Egypt, but usually would have occurred in late summer . If tended well, all the grapes would ripen well at the same time . While mostly males are depicted in the scenes, women and children must have participated in this task . Grapes were cut by hand, not knives , and placed in deep wicker baskets carried by men on their heads, shoulders, or balance by a large stick with a basket at each end across the labourer’s shoulders (figure3) .

figure3

Scenes show the grapes being covered by vine leaves, foliage or palm leaves on their way to the press probably protecting them form the sun .

2. Treading: Grapes were placed into large vats after harvesting. It is shown in tomb paintings from the New Kingdom that these vats were round in shape, which possibly was the same shape for the previous times . The material with which the vats could have been made is a debated topic, but hard stones (granite or schist) seem to be the material used in vats since they were waterproof, and easy to clean . The traditional method throughout the Mediterranean and the Near East for pressing grapes was by treading underfoot. This was probably gentler than a stone press, which crushed the stems and seeds, adding bitterness to the wine . At least four men could fit into the vats, and several tombs paintings show five or six men standing in these vats .

Vats were placed on a slight elevation, and were very often covered with a roof that has ropes, which the men held onto as they pressed the grapes with their feet (figures 3 and 4).

figure4

Men would hold onto poles at the edges of the vats if there was no roof, the men in the middle holding one another’s hips (figure4). Wine pressing was accompanied by singing and the playing of instruments, the rhythm kept by the females . In the New Kingdom there appears to be no instruments, yet one of the males is often depicted singing, with a song dedicated to the harvest-goddess Renenutet is written above . The wine juice flowed though a drain into smaller vats where the wine was fermented (figure3)

3. Pressing: A second pressing was required to extract the juice remaining juice form the grapes. Placed in an oblong linen slough, wine-lees were squeezed by stretching the linen across a strong wooden frame; with men on one side twist the linen . The squeezed liquid would flow into a pot placed underneath the slough. This required four persons, while a fifth was often depicted horizontally on the slough (figure4). This was probably an artistic amendment or the artists’ lack of wine-pressing knowledge, in reality the fifth man would be standing behind the pressing making sure the wine flowed straight into the trough , in which it was left to ferment . There were several grades of wine must . “Free Run must” was obtained from the grapes’ own weight, and little of this was collected. It produces long lasting very sweet wine . “First Run Must” comes from treading, which is around two-thirds of the total juice, and “Second Run Must” is produced in the additional pressing . There is no indication as to whether different grade juices were mixed. Mixing the different grades would have lead to different kinds of wine, whether red, white, sweet, or dry .

4. Fermentation: Fermentation is converting the sugar in the grapes into alcohol. This occurs when the enzymes in the sugar are exposed to the natural yeast in the skins, stalks, and seeds . The level of alcohol varies with the amount of sugar . Fermentation stops when the alcohol level reaches to around 14% or 15%, the remaining sugar adding sweetness to the wine . Duration of fermentation varies depending on the required consistency. Wine fermented for a few days produced a light final product, while one that is kept for several weeks, possibly heated , produced a very heavy beverage. The stalks, seeds, and skins would have probably been left in the wine must for long periods to give a richer colour and bitterness (especially so for red or “black” grapes) . The difference between red and white wine would not have only varied with the using of white or darker grapes, but whether or not the skins were left in for fermentation . Wine would then be filtered through a piece of linen and bottled.

5. Bottling and Sealing: Wine was poured into short but wide necked jars – or skins if they were to be taken on long journeys . Bottling was done immediately after fermentation. The wine was placed in jars with coned bases (to collect dregs if the wine continues to ferment after it is placed in storage ). Wine would have been sealed a few days before the fermentation reached vinegar. Reeds, straws, and/or pottery would be placed as a stopper, which protected the wine flavour from being affected by the mud used in the final sealing . Using straw to seal the jars or leaving a hole (which was closed before storing) in the stopper let out the carbon dioxide that accumulated during fermentation .

6. Labelling and Storing: After the sealing, the wet mud was stamped with the information about the wine, or ostraca (limestone, faience, or pottery – which were handwritten) were used. Information included the regnal year, name of the vineyard, name of the wine maker and often the quality of the wine . The wine was inspected by special officers or “inspectors of the wine” (figure5)


figure5

The wine jars were counted by a scribe as they were placed in storage. The jars were placed on wood or stone stands, or resting on the ground in successive rows, with the wine farthest back being the oldest (figure5)

There were several kinds of wine in ancient Egypt known from offering lists in tombs, such as Irep mehu (Lower Egyptian wine or of the Marshes - the Delta being one of the largest winemaking centres of ancient Egypt), Irep Bes (wine in an Abesh jar), Irep Imit (wine of Imit – north of Faqous ), and Irep Dedjem (sweet wine). Sweet wines usually have a higher alcoholic content because most of the sugar turns into alcohol, and they last longer . Wine was sweetened by adding dried fruits or honey, which often caused the wine to re-ferment . Sometimes very ripe grapes, slightly dried, were used in wine because they had a higher concentrate of sugar; adding a sweeter flavour to the wine and making it last longer . While little is known of blended wines, it is known that they existed in ancient Egypt. They would have been mixed shortly before consumption.

by Menna El-Dorry
Works Cited
Harris, Geraldine. Gods and Pharaohs from Egyptian Mythology. Italy: 1982, Eurobook Limited.
Lesko, Leonard. King Tutankhamun’s Cellar. Berkley: B.C. Scribe Publications, 1978.
Lutz, H.F. Viticulture and Brewing in the Ancient Orient. Leipzig: J.C. Hinrichs, 1922.
McGovern, Patrick E and Stuart Fleming and Solomon H. Katz, eds. The Origins and
Ancient History of Wine. The Netherlands: Gordon and Breach Publishers, 1996.
Montet, Pierre. Everyday life in Egypt in the Days of Ramesses the Great. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1981
Murray, Mary Anne. “Viticulture and Wine Production.” In Nicholson, P., and Ian Shaw (eds.). Ancient Egyptian Materials and Technology. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2000
Nunn, J.F. Ancient Egyptian Medicine. London: BMP, 1996
Also see: Food of The Gods
Poo, Mu-Choo. Wine and Wine Offering in the Religion of Ancient Egypt. Columbia: Columbia University Press, 1995.

Exotic Port Releases

We are please to let our fans know that we have 3 new Exotic Ports available at our Divers Luck cellar door;

• Lime
• Vanilla
• Extra Hot Hot Chilli!

A perfect addition to your winter evening of food and friends why not try one of our Exotic Ports to finish with, nothing better than great conversation and unique flavours to end your evening.

Our available Port flavours are;


Chilli

Extra Hot Hot Chilli!

Lime

Vanilla

Butterscotch

Honey

Mad Diver Coming Soon !!!!!!!!

For all the Mad Diver fans out there, we are going to release a new batch of Mad Diver in the second half of 2010.... so keep an eye out, as they will sell fast!

New Wines on offer for 2010

Now available, Divers Luck is pleased to announce the release of our exciting handmade Port Collection:

• Honey Port
• Chilli Port
• Butterscotch Port

Come in and have a free tasting, they won't last as selling off the shelves in the first weekend!!

Australian Prime Ministers Wine Cellar Collection

Passion pop... Kevin Rudd's taste in wine is distinctively uninspiring and bland.

When the Senate last month laid bare our Prime Minister's wine cupboard, we got a rare glimpse into Kevin Rudd the man, not the puppet.

The $14,000 collection, which us taxpayers fund, is housed at the PM's official residences - The Lodge in Canberra and Kirribilli House in Sydney - and is scattered with some spectacular drops.

But by and large, the roughly 600-bottle cellar reflects his rather dull, try-hard approach that is becoming more prevalent by the day.

See Rudd's wine cellar list here.

To be fair to Rudd, the old stuff in the cellar heralds from the Howard years - sauvignon blancs and viogniers from the mid-2000s that would well be past their best now. Plus a 1985 Dom Perignon, purchased for just $99.95 thank you very much.

But there is a distinct lack of inspiration in recent acquisitions, with smaller, family-run wineries and boutique producers nowhere to be seen, while all but one of (Japanese-owned) Lion Nathan's wine brands makes the list. Hmmmmm.

It's also blatantly clear Rudd is a white man, not a red. If only I knew that little fact before the last election.

There's no shortage of West Australian flavour in the cellar, with the PM particularly keen on Sandalford and Houghton's Pemberton Sauvignon Blanc 2006 (33 bottles at $18.35 each).

But other large quantities of wine are similarly uninspiring for a head of state's personal stash: 46 x Blue Pyrenees NV Brut ($22.75); 43 x Alto Pinot Grigio 2008 ($20.91); 36 x Mr Riggs Shiraz ($18); and 42 x Kangarilla Road 2006 Fleurieu ($17.27).

Two bottles of St Hallet Old Block Shiraz 2003 ($52.03), eight bottles of Petaluma Merlot 04 ($47.42), plus a couple of big Henschkes from the early 2000s are the only real decent reds with age that would be ripe drinking right now.

Perhaps the PM is saving them for Kerry Stokes.

And if Howard ever pops in for a Wallabies game and some cheese and crackers, Rudd could open one of the seven Edwards and Chaffey 99 Shiraz bottles ($27.23) Little Johnny kindly left behind. They'd be close to off by now.

(I do take pleasure in knowing I purchased six bottles of the exact wine from a Perth bottleshop around 2001 for $23, cheaper than what our PM paid.)

Perhaps most worrying about the list is the 11 Centenary Federation 1999 red magnums ($86.36), a wine blended from premium grapes from Australia's then 61 wine regions, with 150 bottles intended as gifts for heads of state throughout the world and at Commonwealth celebrations in 2001.

Clearly we left some important people off the list, and who knows how and when that might come back to bite us.

At least Kevin will have a good excuse. That's if he's not punch drunk on one of his six bottles of 2008 NZ sauvignon blanc ($13.31).

As Little Johnny would say, that's a bit un-Australian.

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Wine trends of 2010: Americans still drink wine !

Wine trends to look forward to in 2010

2009 was a year in turmoil but as the year wines down we can now start to look forward to the wine trends of 2010. The wine industry is now leaner and meaner. They have to be market savvy because it doesn’t have to be repeated too many times, Americans are still wary about the economy. If you haven’t lost your job or are anticipating loosing yours, you still have one thing on your mind and that’s your bottle of wine.

Let’s face it, we all know someone who has lost their job. Some of us can’t even afford a vacation to escape the onslaught of terrible news brought to us by our favorite cable station. You never needed a bottle more than now and you’re not about to give it up. Even during economically tough times Americans are not ready to give up their pleasures, whether it is drinking, smoking or even chocolate. They might scale down but give up? Never! All said, the recession is producing at least one notable wine sale trend and that’s value. Mintel reports that ...” the future of the wine market looks bright, at least for the moderately priced segments”.

So as we go forward and enjoy our little pleasures in life, what and how should we drink in 2010?

Boxed wines-Yes that’s right the box is in again. Boxed wines are becoming popular in European countries because of their eco-friendliness, value and portability. Would you serve a box wine to company? That’s entirely up to you. The jury is still out.

Lower prices/value wines Wines selling below $35 will do well, but wines between $50-$125 are in a dead space with only established labels selling (Source: Silicon Valley Bank Premium Wine Group). While consumers still aspire to luxury and always will, today if you buy an expensive wine you may even have consumer’s feelings of guilt for having the means to afford a very expensive wine. Trading down is most evident and as mentioned Americans are not giving up their wine pleasures but are looking toward value.

Use of social media as a marketing tool. The wine industry is notoriously slow at embracing new technologies. However, it is clear that Social Networks such as Facebook, Twitter, Vincellar Cellartracker and Wine 2.0 represent a new paradigm for consumer action and motivation (Source www.vintak.com).

Blogging will continue Wine bloggers do have power. People like Dr. Vino, Alder Yarrow and Gary Vaynerchuk have tremendous audiences. They are the stars of the wine blogosphere. The wine blogosphere in aggregate has a larger audience than any single traditional media company’s online presence.

High Use of Eco friendly practices-California has a remarkable high level of adoption of sustainable vineyard management practices. Many of the growers expressed an interest in adopting alternative energy sources such as solar or wind powered systems but high capital costs are listed as deterrent.

Millennials are the fastest growing consumer segment- Millennials belong to wine clubs and drink at wine bars. They are tech savvy and see wine as part of their move into adult life. Watch out boomers the Millennials drink wine and like it. Of course they also watch Wine Library TV and have a wine app for their iPhone.

Wine and technology will continue to go together. Wine lovers love to wine shop and need wine apps for their iPhones. Wine app usage will continue as the consumer gets savvy and more concerned about wine prices.
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