Falernian wine

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Falernian wine (Latin Falernum) was produced from Aminean (Amineum) grapes on the slopes of Mt. Falernus near the border of Latium and Campania [1] where it became the most renowned wine produced in ancient Rome, a "first growth"[2] in its time, often mentioned in Roman literature but has since disappeared. There were three vineyards ( or appellations) recognized by Romans[3]: Caucinian Falernian from the vineyards on the highest slopes of Mount Falernus; Faustian Falernian from land on the central slopes owned by Faustus, son of the Roman dictator Sulla; and wine from the lower slopes that was simply called Falernian.

The area is now occupied by the modern day vineyards of Rocco di Mondragone and Monte Massico.

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[edit] Characteristics

Falernian was a sweet white wine with a relatively high alcohol content, possibly 30 proof, 15 percent. In describing Faustian Falernian, Pliny the Elder alluded to this as he noted “It is the only wine that takes light when a flame is applied to it” [4] It was produced from late-harvested grapes exclusively as a brief freeze or a series of frosts were said to improve the resulting wine's flavor. The wine was typically allowed to maderized, aging for 15-20 years in clay amphoras before drinking. The oxidation gave the wine a color of amber to dark brown. In 37 BC, Varro wrote in Res Rusticae that Falernian increased in value as it matured [5] and Pliny recorded that Falernian from the famed Opimian vintage of 121 BC was served at a banquet in 60 BC honoring Julius Caesar for his conquest of Spain. [6]

There were three notable varieties-Dry (Latin austerum), Sweet (dulce), and Light (tenue).

[edit] Popularity in Roman times

The physician and gourmet Galen, writing c. AD 180, doubted that all the Falernian wine on sale in the Roman Empire could possibly be genuine. Evidently it was still all too popular at that date. It was one of the first wines to be exported to Britain while it was a Roman settlement but for whatever reason, Falernian must have gradually lost favour under the later Roman empire, though it was still one of the seven named (and more expensive) wines whose maximum price for army purchase was laid down by the emperor Diocletian around AD 300.

As part of the ruins of ancient Pompeii is a price list on the wall of a bar establishment that notes

For one ‘’as’’ you can drink wine
For two you can drink the best
For four you can drink Falernian. [7]

The Roman poet Catullus extolled the virtues of Falernian in one of his poems

Come, boy, you who serve out the old Falernian,
fill up stronger cups for me,
as the law of Postumia, mistress of the revels, ordains,
Postumia more tipsy than the tipsy grape.
But water, begone, away with you, water,
destruction of wine, and take up abode
with scrupulous folk. This is the pure Thyonian god. [8]

It was also the wine that Petronius, in the Satyricon, has Trimalchio serve at his dinner banquet.

The modern Caribbean syrup Falernum often used in alcoholic beverages owes its name to Falernian wine.

[edit] Bibliography

  • Andrew Dalby, Food in the ancient world from A to Z. London, New York: Routledge, 2003. ISBN 0-415-23259-7.

[edit] Footnotes

  1. ^ http://www.unrv.com/economy/wine-chart.php
  2. ^ Hugh Johnson, Vintage: The Story of Wine pg 62. Simon and Schuster 1989
  3. ^ http://www.economist.com/diversions/PrinterFriendly.cfm?Story_ID=883706
  4. ^ http://penelope.uchicago.edu/holland/pliny14.html
  5. ^ http://penelope.uchicago.edu/~grout/encyclopaedia_romana/wine/wine.html
  6. ^ http://www.museum.upenn.edu/new/research/Exp_Rese_Disc/Mediterranean/roman_wine/Vintages/vintages_2.html
  7. ^ Hugh Johnson, Vintage
  8. ^ http://www.vroma.org/~hwalker/VRomaCatullus/027.html
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