Roman ruins reveal how emperors used winemaking in a lavish power play
The Villa of the Quintilii is only the second site in the world known to use wine in this way
By Charlotte Lytton, Washington Post, July 23, 2023 at 6:00 a.m. EDT
ROME — Fights involving exotic cats, chariot races, gladiatorial battles: At the banquets of ancient Rome, there was no skimping on dinnertime entertainment. And, according to a recent study, sport for elite guests included something rarer, too: winemaking as a form of theater.
The findings, published in the journal Antiquity, describe how the Villa of the Quintilii used alcohol production for show in what is now believed to be the among the most lavish wineries in the ancient world. This makes the 2nd-century villa only the second known to have used wine in this way, said lead study author Emlyn Dodd, a lecturer in classical studies at the University of London.
The villa has “this amazing level of decoration and luxurious appointments in it that we never see in ancient wineries,” Dodd said.
The discovery highlights the use of wine as a form of power for the privileged in one of the ancient world’s bloodiest empires.
“The lives of the bad emperors are full of what had always seemed completely unrealistic” behaviors, said Nicholas Purcell, Camden Professor of Ancient History at the University of Oxford, who was not involved in the study. “And then something like [the winery at the Quintilii] turns up, and it actually turns out that it’s all true; that they really were doing this kind of thing, and building special places in order to do it.”
Winemaking as theater
This decorative inlaid marble pavement is in one of the dining rooms overlooking the winery. (S. Castellani, after Dodd et al. 2023)
A pair of wealthy brothers built the Villa of the Quintilii in the 2nd century A.D. on land that sits about eight miles from Rome’s modern-day city center.
The site was so desirable that around 182 A.D., then-Emperor Commodus killed its owners to claim it for himself, kicking off a long period of imperial ownership. Many emperors used the villa over the years, with some making renovations and adding to its opulence. The name Gordianus is stamped into the lead pipes at the facility, which suggests that Emperor Gordian III, who ruled from 238 to 244 A.D., built the winery or at least renovated it.
Formal excavations of the villa ruins have been going on since the late 18th century, but the first evidence of the winery did not emerge until 2017. Archaeologists were originally looking for the entrance to the roughly 60-acre site when they found an “unexpected surprise,” said Dodd, who wrote the paper while working at the British School at Rome.
A bronze bust of Roman Emperor Gordian III. (Universal History Archive/ Universal Images Group/Getty Images)
Unlike the other winemaking facilities that would have been common in the empire, the Quintilii winery was extravagantly decorated with some of the finest materials. The floors were not waterproof concrete but were made of imported red marble. Juice from pressed grapes would have spurted from channels in a marble-lined façade, creating a purely entertaining fountain effect. And the winery is surrounded by dining rooms, once richly appointed, that seem to have nothing to do with the production process.
On the basis of these clues, archaeologists think the Quintilii served as a kind of “imperial toy,” said Alice Poletto, a Rome fellow at the British School at Rome who was not involved in the research.
The experts think enslaved people would have pounded grapes in the winery’s treading area, most likely slipping about on the luxurious red marble while doing so, to the gruesome delight of sloshed guests. Attendees from the era’s highest social circles would look on as the roughage of crushed grapes, or must, made its way down to mechanical presses, which would send juice gushing through fountains set in the courtyard wall and pouring from open channels into dolia, or ceramic storage jars, in the ground to collect the spoils.
By Poletto’s estimations, the dining complex could seat 25 to 27 guests, with the winemaking spectacle taking place perhaps twice a year as “a unique opportunity and an absolutely high honor that served not only as a reward to the invitees, but also, in my opinion, a way for the emperor to highlight [and] reinforce his power.”
Playing at agriculture
The lavish Villa of the Quintilii sprawled across almost 60 acres of land. (AP)
Banquets at the Quintilii might have been organized ahead of political elections, Poletto thinks; a way to manipulate results behind the most regal of doors. For many emperors, extending invitations to such events was “a privilege and a warning,” she said, a way for them to communicate that “your life is in my own hands … be aware that if I decided that you’re going to die tomorrow, you are going to die tomorrow.”
Such was the state of play in ancient Rome, where death could be employed to expand the empire and for post-feast japes alike. Poletto says that Rome’s latter Imperial period included “banquets of the dead,” where actors would dress as demons or afterworld deities and pretend to murder guests for the grim entertainment of others.
In addition, “drinking wine was a very important symbol of status and prestige” for the ancient Romans, said Paulina Komar, an assistant professor at the Institute of Archaeology at the University of Warsaw who has written extensively on wine’s role in ancient empires.
Oxford University’s Purcell said that “the gathering of grapes and the making of wine [was] of course the centerpiece of Greek and Roman upper class,” and that he would be “quite surprised” if the more humdrum olive or grain harvests attracted similar attention.
Still, history is replete with examples of the wealthy toying with the idea of a bucolic lifestyle for sport, Purcell added. In the late 18th century, Marie Antoinette installed a dairy at her castle in Rambouillet that has stunningly ornate décor, designed for its form rather than function. The winery at the Quintilii is a similar example of “the super-rich play[ing] with the fantasy that they might be participating in the romantic life of agricultural production,” he said.
A view from what once was the west dining room shows the winery’s cellar area leading up to the production levels. (Emlyn Dodd)
It is possible that more examples of winemaking as sport will emerge from Roman ruins. The discovery at the Quintilii follows that in 2016 of a similar facility at Villa Magna, a site in central Italy dated to about 100 years earlier. These “thick and fast” findings, as Purcell describes them, offer hope about what might be unearthed next.
“It does make you wonder about other periods of the Roman Empire, perhaps even earlier in the republic,” Dodd said. “Was it a common phenomenon, or are we just seeing a handful of incredibly rare examples that particular emperors or super-elite people built?”
Purcell’s money is on Hadrian’s Villa in Tivoli, 20 miles from Rome, as the spot next likely to reveal such riches. “It wouldn’t astonish me at all,” he said, to find “sumptuous public rooms … [at] the biggest and best Roman Imperial villa that was ever built.”
And back at the Quintilii, there are more discoveries to be made. One dining area has been excavated, but two spots around the wine cellar have yet to be unearthed, as well as a number of spaces attached to the presses and production areas. Finding what lies beneath these is the next step, Dodd said, “to tease apart chronologies and purposes and see where it takes us.”
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Wine selection. The selected wines – Malbec, Red Blend, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir – are representative (about 75%) of the wines produced in the Uco Valley.
Regions: Gualtallary District, Tupungato Region, Uco Valley, 1,450m average elevation
The wine: Vintage: 2020 Varietal: 100% Pinot Noir
Varietal Composition: 65% Malbec, 14% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Petit Verdot, 8% Merlot and 5% Cabernet franc.
The wine: Vintage: 2018
Tasting No 253 – May 30/2023 – Beyond Malbec: other wines with deep-rooted Argentinian identity
Torrontés involves a group of three distinct varieties – Torrontés Riojano, Torrontés Sanjuanino and Torrontés Mendocino – all native to South America. They are a natural cross between the mission grape País (a red grape) and the sweet Muscat of Alexandria grape (also known as Zibbibo), and first appeared in the north of Argentina. Of the three varieties, the most popular (and most delicious) is the Torrontés Riojano, which grows dominantly in northern Salta. Other regions such as Mendoza and La Rioja produce a lot of Torrontés wines using the other two varieties of Torrontés, but these tend to be much simpler in aroma and taste and often made in a sweet style. The wine smells sweet but is usually made in a dry style. Albariño and dry styles of Riesling and Muscat Blanc (dry “Moscatel” from Portugal) are similar in aroma and taste to Torrontés.
The Torrontés thrive in Argentina’s high-altitude vineyards, particularly in the Cafayate region of Salta, where T. Riojano is grown. This region, on the edge of the Andes, boasts some of the highest vineyards in the world, reaching up to around 10,000 feet (3,000m) above sea level. Here, dry, desert-like conditions and a significant diurnal temperature shift help bring out the best qualities of Torrontés. The soils in Cafayate consist mostly of free-draining chalky loam and in some areas can be quite rocky. The dry soil causes stress in the vines which causes them to produce less vegetation and not as many grapes. As there are fewer grapes, it means the concentration of flavors within the grapes rises. New plantations in the higher parts of the Uco Valley in Mendoza are promising too.
About the grape: Bonarda, as it is called in Argentina, is not supposed to be called Bonarda: the actual true Bonarda grapes are a group of at least six distinct Italian grape varieties, the most well-known of them being Bonarda Piemontese.
Bonarda is very important viticulturally in Argentina, where it is second only to Malbec in terms of acreage. In all, Bonarda accounts for over 18,000 hectares (45,000 acres) in the country, representing nearly 10 percent of all grapes grown there. Bonarda has been used to make fruity, medium-bodied bulk wines with low tannins. However, more recently some producers began looking more seriously at Bonarda, discovering its great potential as a varietal, especially for its adaptability to warmer areas, and using site selection and winemaking techniques to make more interesting and premium wines. Of the total cultivated in Argentina, 60% is found in Eastern Mendoza, a warm area located at about 700-800 meters above sea level, where it does best, because of its long hang time required to reach phenolic maturation.
– The Producer: Dominio del Plata is an Argentinian wine company founded and owned by leading winemaker Susana Balbo since 1999. The winery is located in Luján de Cuyo, Mendoza, with vineyard plots in several subregions of the Uco Valley. The Crios label features a wide range of monovarietal and blended wines for everyday consumption, including a Malbec rosé. The winery mainly ferments the wine in stainless steel tanks, though concrete eggs have been introduced for premium wines. The Torrontés grapes are sourced from Cafayate, Salta, and the highest vineyards in Valle de Uco, Mendoza.
– The producer: The sister brand of Altos Las Hormigas winery, Colonia Las Liebres was established in Luján de Cuyo, Mendoza to focus solely on the cultivation of Bonarda grapes and was one of the original makers of export-quality single-varietal Bonarda. It makes fresh, juicy and great value Bonarda reds, as well as an excellent traditional method rosé bubbly, and even a sparkling red (named Brusca, in ode to its Italian inspiration).
– The Producer. El Enemigo is a cult wine producer based in Mendoza. The estate is a joint venture by Adrianna Catena and Alejandro Vigil, the chief winemaker at Bodega Catena Zapata since 2002. The pair created El Enemigo and the “Bodega Aleanna” in 2007. The estate focuses on traditional winemaking techniques and produces two wine ranges: Gran Enemigo and El Enemigo. The El Enemigo range is devoted to varietal wines made from Malbec, Cabernet Franc, Bonarda and Chardonnay, while the Gran Enemigo range includes Bordeaux blends, and a number of single vineyard Cabernet Franc wines.
Bodega Santa Julia, built in 1968, in Mendoza by Alberto Zuccardi. The Familia Zuccardi bodega was established in 2013 in the Valle de Uco, by Alberto’s grandson, Sebastián. Today he leads a young team of agricultural engineers and enologists charged with producing the highest quality wines in the Uco Valley.
The Aconcagua Valley was chosen for this tasting because of its unique viticultural climate. The Mediterranean climate in this valley ensures the warm, dry summers, the bright sunny days, and the cold, rainy winters that the vines love. In addition, the cooling effects of the Pacific Ocean’s Humboldt current and the down-drift winds of the Andes Mountains create unique climate conditions with cooling midday breezes, cold nights, and a broad daily temperature oscillation that also extends the ripening period so that the grapes develop intense fruit flavors, ripe tannins, deep color, and crisp acidity.
With 150 years to its name, you might be forgiven for thinking Errázuriz is a historical winery – it is, but it is also one of the most innovative and forward-thinking producers in Chile. The wine portfolio is almost endless, and their treasures include the ‘Aconcagua Costa’ range, from the cooler parts of Aconcagua Valley, and the ‘Las Pizzaras’ Chardonnay and Pinot Noir on slate soils. Their most famous wine is ‘Don Maximiano’, a rich Cabernet-based blend from the warmer Aconcagua Andes.
– The wine:
– Information about the wine:
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How bold is your favorite red wine?
Situated 500 km South of Santiago, the first vineyards were planted in the 16th century.
Stretches from the coast to the Andes. Vineyards planted in all three geographical designations (Costa, Entre Cordilleras, and Andes).
The Producer: Roberto Henriques, a leading winemaker in Bio Bio and Itata, has a small winery focusing on making natural wine on an artisanal scale. It produces distinctive natural wines from old vines and often helps resuscitate abandoned vineyards.
The Producer: Pedro Parra y Family is the boutique, family winery of renowned terroir expert Pedro Parra, focusing on an artisanal production of natural wines made from old vines of Pais and Cinsault in Itata and Bio Bio. Pedro Parra produces a series of Cinsault wines to show his interpretation of the granitic soils of Itata.
The Producer: Two people – Leonardo Erazo and Justin Decker – started Rogue Vine in 2011, in a one-car garage in Concepción with a project to make natural wines from ‘the forgotten old bush vines almost falling out of steep granitic hills in Itata.’
The Producer: Viña Seña: Single-estate, single-wine operation joint venture in the Aconcagua Valley founded by Robert Mondavi and Eduardo Chadwick of Errazuriz in 1995. Their aim was to make a wine that would demonstrate the full potential of Chile and that would be welcomed among the world’s First Growth.
Tasting No 250 – February 28, 2023 – 12:30pm Wines from Mendoza, Argentina
Tasting notes: Deeply aromatic with expressive citrus and peach with a rich and mineral finish. Pairs well with vegetables, pasta and grilled white meat (Catena).
Winemaker notes: after many years of research and experimentation, Nicolas and his daughter identified their best vineyard rows of Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Malbec and made the first vintages of the Catena Alta wines in very small quantities. Catena Alta continues to be a limited production of single varietal wines made from the selected few rows in the Catena family’s vineyards. These special barrels undergo a rigorous second selection at the winery. The Catena Alta wines can usually be enjoyed starting three years after harvest and into the following one to two decades.
Winemaker notes: In the 1950s, Don Domingo Catena began sourcing Malbec from the Vineyards of La Consulta. The combination of intense sunlight and cool nights yielded a wine that Domingo prized for its deep purple color, black fruit aromatics and rich velvety tannins. 
Winemaker notes. In the 1950s, Don Domingo Catena began sourcing Malbec from the Vineyards of Paraje Altamira in the Uco Valley. The combination of intense sunlight and cool nights yielded an elegant, mineral, slightly spicy Malbec with a deep texture and flavors. tannins. It is an elegant, mineral, slightly spicy Malbec with a deep texture and flavors born of the combination of intense sunlight and cool nights. Perfect paired with meat, fish, fowl and vegetarian dishes.
Tasting #249
Notes from Producer: De color amarillo brillante. Muy intenso en la nariz, sus aromas recuerdan frutas como manzanas verdes, melón verde (tuna), algo de espárrago, olivas y avellanas tostadas, con notas minerales. En boca presenta fresca acidez, gran volumen y concentración. Su persistencia al final de la degustación es frutal y mineral, complementado con el sabor de la encina francesa. Gran equilibrio entre el alcohol y la acidez natural que le da frescor, persistencia y potencial de envejecimiento, algo difícil de obtener en un vino blanco chileno.
Sol de Sol has really changed the reputation of 
General description: Los viñedos utilizado para la elaboración de nuestros Brisas Cinsault se encuentran ubicados en Guarilihue Alto, sector El Huaro a unos 30 km del mar. Son viñedos de más de 40 años, manejados a la usanza tradicional de la zona. Es decir, manejo del suelo a caballo, sin aplicación de pesticidas. Nos enfocamos en realizar una vinificación enfocada a preservar toda la fruta y las características varietales que nos aporta la variedad Cinsault, sin crianza en madera.
ltata Valley
Club del Vino - Washington DC area 