The world’s oldest wine transformed into red, with bone remnants

Archaeological research has uncovered what is believed to be the oldest surviving wine, found in a burial chamber in Carmona, Spain in 2019. Stored in a glass urn, the five-liter portion of wine is estimated to be around 2,000 years old. The liquid found in the wine suggests that it was likely white wine that has changed color over time, resembling sherry-like Andalusian wines.

Study of the wine has revealed that it is indeed wine and not something else, such as condensed water in the container. The chemist leading the analysis, José Rafael Ruis Arrebola, noted that the drink would not have been toxic based on their research. Despite the drink’s age, it would have been safe to consume, although the presence of ashes from the deceased among the wine in the urn adds a slightly eerie element to the idea of tasting it.

The burial chamber where the wine was found was discovered by a Spanish family during construction on their property. Carved into the rock, the chamber contained eight burial places, with urns holding the cremated remains of individuals. Among the remains in the chamber, artifacts like a gold ring and pieces of jewelry were found, giving insight into the identities of the deceased.

Prior to this discovery, the oldest known wine was found in a Speyer wine bottle excavated from a Roman tomb in Germany in 1867. However, the wine discovered in Spain is much older, offering researchers a unique glimpse into ancient drinking practices and burial rituals.