The ancient beverage, dating back 2000 years, was discovered alongside cremated remains inside a burial urn.
Found in Carmona within the southern Andalusian region, this wine is considered to be the most ancient one discovered and was kept in liquid state for preservation.
The examination of the contents within the urn revealed that it was indeed white wine, even though it had a dark coloration. This conclusion was drawn because it lacked the polyphenols present in grape skins which are utilized in making red wine.
In a report detailing the finding, researchers noted that the liquid bore resemblance to contemporary Fino wines from the area.
Juan Manuel Román, an archaeologist and co-author of the study on the wine featured in the Journal of Archaeological Science, remarked: "We were quite astonished since, upon discovering the urns during our dig, we assumed they held bones and funeral offerings as expected. However, the presence of liquid within them was something entirely unforeseen."
Experts believe that the ashes discovered within the wine likely belonged to a 45-year-old male.
In addition, a golden ring was discovered within the dark reddish fluid that filled the urn to the top.
The Roman mausoleum in Carmona was discovered in 2019 during the renovation of a house and contained funeral urns alongside the remains of a man and a woman.
Wine played a typical role in burial practices during ancient Rome, where specialists believe it was used as part of rituals intended to aid the departed soul’s journey into the afterworld.
Nevertheless, the tradition of blending wines as such has never before been seen, with no other beverages maintaining their quality for as long as two millennia.
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