Chapter 6
Greece became the epicentre of the world and its inhabitants came to have a significant influence on the evolution of wine. In this chapter we study Theophrastus, who wrote the first great treatise on botany, and then go on to explore the existing styles and types of Greek wine, marvelling at the wide variety of amphorae used for transportation.
In addition, we learn about the symposium: the banquet that served both as a festive celebration and as an occasion for philosophical reflection, wine drinking and the veneration of Dionysus, and we examine the glasses, cups, and rhytons used during the ceremony.
The Iberian civilization now enters the scene, and we explore research related to Iberian winemaking and Mediterranean banquets.
Following the conquest of Alexander the Great, we see the decline of Ancient Egypt and the growing influence of Hellenistic culture. During this period, however, some Egyptian wines continued to be sought after in classical Greece.
