'Oldest wine' discovered in China

It's still only speculation if the container holds wine or not, but most likely is...or is another type of liquor. It's interesting to think that after 3000 years the container still holds liquid. I would highly doubt that the contents would still be drinkable, but analysis of the potential beverage would be interesting so that it could be recreated.

A 3000-year-old wine is thought to have been discovered in China, according to the Xinhua news agency.

Source

Archeologists working found what appears to be liquid in a bronze wine vessel unearthed from a nobleman's tomb on Shigushan Mountain in Baoji city in Shaanxi province.

The tomb belongs to the Zhou Dynasty of 1046 BC - 771 BC, and the liquid is likely to be the oldest wine discovered in China, project leader Liu Jun, director of the Baoji Archaeology Institute said.

Liu said the vessel, one of six discovered in the tomb, could be heard to contain liquid when it was shaken, but it they had not yet been able to open it.

According to reports, the most crucial discovery in the tomb is actually a square, table-like ‘prohibition device’ to remind people to drink in moderation since during the Shang Dynasty, which preceded Zhou Dynasty, wine became a symbol of corruption and excess.

Here's an old ATS thread on a similar discovery of some rice wine that was about 2000 years old.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

Another link to the story:

www.china.org.cn...

reply to post by isyeye


merlot or cab? We won't know until they uncover the main dish..

Originally posted by rwfresh
reply to post by isyeye

 

merlot or cab? We won't know until they uncover the main dish..

You forgot rice wine.

reply to post by isyeye


If any liquids remain inside you would probably not want to drink from it. If you do, you could brag it was the oldest wine you ever had but you might only be able to brag to the paramedics on your way to the local hospital. I've seen these reports before. Wine in vases being discovered but if you ask me, I say don't pay attention to the wine... pay attention to any special markings on the container identifying maker, status etc.

reply to post by MysteriousHusky

how is that information any more important than information pertaining to how the wine was made and what of?
its all important and needs to be paid attention to
and i dont think anybody was suggesting drinking it

Originally posted by MysteriousHusky
reply to post by isyeye

 

If any liquids remain inside you would probably not want to drink from it. If you do, you could brag it was the oldest wine you ever had but you might only be able to brag to the paramedics on your way to the local hospital. I've seen these reports before. Wine in vases being discovered but if you ask me, I say don't pay attention to the wine... pay attention to any special markings on the container identifying maker, status etc.

Wine recovered from sunken ships is often drunk - if the container is and has been sealed for the entire time it was "lost" it would be fine.

The great thing about alcohol - it keeps!

reply to post by TinkerHaus


You raise many valid points about wine from ships and alcohol keeping but mind you the additional contents that may have been added to the wine over long term exposure be it penetrating the vase or internal growth of bacteria due to lack of proper "bottling" in the container to standards we have today.

The difference between ship wine and buried under temple in China wine is that the latter is more susceptible to outside containments where as ship wine be it from a shipwreck etc is likely shut very tight and kept in place via underwater pressure etc or exposed to the water if not within those standards.

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