Page 50 - Terčelj, Dušan. 2015. The Culture of Wine in Slovenia. Edited by Aleš Gačnik. University of Primorska Press, Koper.
P. 50
he Culture of Wine in Slovenia
The first celebrated Greek writers such as Homer, Xenophon and Herodotus described
wine as a social drink. Homer describes the custom of toasting the honour of celebrations
and events, but recommends drinking only moderately. The Ancient Greeks had wines
of different quality, usually described by their origin. Later writers, philosophers and
tragedians also mention the consumption of wine. In Ancient Greece, wine accompanied
man at all the most important events, at all celebrations and in everyday life. Ordinary
people enjoyed wine during heavy labour and at meals. Writers only described in detail the
feasts of the rich. They were already familiar with glass vessels from Alexandria and Tyre.
Aristocrats held private feasts in honour of Dionysius. These developed into parties with
heavy drinking, called symposia, led by a symposiarch. The wine was always mixed with
at least the same amount of water or more; cheese, walnuts, fruit, sweet pastries and so on
were also served. Entertainment was provided by female singers, dancers and hetaerae.
There was often excessive drinking, which is why all writers warned that wine had to be
enjoyed in moderation. After 500 BC, Greeks started establishing colonies along the whole
of the eastern coast of the Adriatic. They started growing vines there, which is shown by
the numerous reliefs from Dalmatia preserved from that time.
The Romans inherited from the Greeks the custom of drinking wine (in addition to many
other things, as the Greeks had a much higher level of culture). When the Roman Empire
first appeared, only men over 30 were allowed to drink wine, although later this rule was
dropped. At feasts it was customary to consume a few sips of pure wine. After eating, heavy
drinking – known as commisatio or comus – began, when wine was greatly diluted and
large quantities were often consumed. Among the many writers describing the aristocratic
custom of wine drinking I will mention only the text by Petronius, Dinner with Trimalchio,
written at the time of Nero. The writer describes Roman culinary specialities and the course
of the dinner. Aristocrats drank from goblets made of gold or glass. Glass vessels were at
the time already made in southern Italy. Particularly valued was wine from Falerno near
Naples, which was three times more expensive than the rest.
During the forced migration of nations at the collapse of the Roman Empire, many settle-
ments, as well as much agricultural land and many vineyards, were destroyed, especially
along migration routes. The original inhabitants on the territory of the present- day Slovenia
– the Celts and Illyrians – withdrew into the hills, while the descendants of the Romans
moved to the coastal towns. It is likely that the original inhabitants preserved vineyards
in remote places. After settlement, the Slavs became acquainted with the cultivation of
vines and the enjoyment of wine, particularly after converting to Christianity, as wine
was used in worship. Josip Gruden in his Zgodovina slovenskega naroda (The History
of the Slovene Nation)1 mentions that as early as in the 8th century wine was consumed at
the mansions of Slovene dukes (for example, during the time of Duke Inko). We can also
read that in 1046 the Blessed Hema donated all her vineyards around Mittertrixen and
Hochosterwitz in Carinthia to the monastery in Gurk. In the Jauntal Valley the Bishop of
Brixen Albuin inherited a number of vineyards near Kamen Castle and in 994 donated them
to the Church. This much about Carinthia. With regard to Carniola, Gruden mentions that
in the 11th century the area around Lake Bled was copiously covered with vineyards and
all the winegrowers seemed to be Slovene. In the Škofja Loka area, the Freising bishops
1 Gruden, 1992, p. 439
46
The first celebrated Greek writers such as Homer, Xenophon and Herodotus described
wine as a social drink. Homer describes the custom of toasting the honour of celebrations
and events, but recommends drinking only moderately. The Ancient Greeks had wines
of different quality, usually described by their origin. Later writers, philosophers and
tragedians also mention the consumption of wine. In Ancient Greece, wine accompanied
man at all the most important events, at all celebrations and in everyday life. Ordinary
people enjoyed wine during heavy labour and at meals. Writers only described in detail the
feasts of the rich. They were already familiar with glass vessels from Alexandria and Tyre.
Aristocrats held private feasts in honour of Dionysius. These developed into parties with
heavy drinking, called symposia, led by a symposiarch. The wine was always mixed with
at least the same amount of water or more; cheese, walnuts, fruit, sweet pastries and so on
were also served. Entertainment was provided by female singers, dancers and hetaerae.
There was often excessive drinking, which is why all writers warned that wine had to be
enjoyed in moderation. After 500 BC, Greeks started establishing colonies along the whole
of the eastern coast of the Adriatic. They started growing vines there, which is shown by
the numerous reliefs from Dalmatia preserved from that time.
The Romans inherited from the Greeks the custom of drinking wine (in addition to many
other things, as the Greeks had a much higher level of culture). When the Roman Empire
first appeared, only men over 30 were allowed to drink wine, although later this rule was
dropped. At feasts it was customary to consume a few sips of pure wine. After eating, heavy
drinking – known as commisatio or comus – began, when wine was greatly diluted and
large quantities were often consumed. Among the many writers describing the aristocratic
custom of wine drinking I will mention only the text by Petronius, Dinner with Trimalchio,
written at the time of Nero. The writer describes Roman culinary specialities and the course
of the dinner. Aristocrats drank from goblets made of gold or glass. Glass vessels were at
the time already made in southern Italy. Particularly valued was wine from Falerno near
Naples, which was three times more expensive than the rest.
During the forced migration of nations at the collapse of the Roman Empire, many settle-
ments, as well as much agricultural land and many vineyards, were destroyed, especially
along migration routes. The original inhabitants on the territory of the present- day Slovenia
– the Celts and Illyrians – withdrew into the hills, while the descendants of the Romans
moved to the coastal towns. It is likely that the original inhabitants preserved vineyards
in remote places. After settlement, the Slavs became acquainted with the cultivation of
vines and the enjoyment of wine, particularly after converting to Christianity, as wine
was used in worship. Josip Gruden in his Zgodovina slovenskega naroda (The History
of the Slovene Nation)1 mentions that as early as in the 8th century wine was consumed at
the mansions of Slovene dukes (for example, during the time of Duke Inko). We can also
read that in 1046 the Blessed Hema donated all her vineyards around Mittertrixen and
Hochosterwitz in Carinthia to the monastery in Gurk. In the Jauntal Valley the Bishop of
Brixen Albuin inherited a number of vineyards near Kamen Castle and in 994 donated them
to the Church. This much about Carinthia. With regard to Carniola, Gruden mentions that
in the 11th century the area around Lake Bled was copiously covered with vineyards and
all the winegrowers seemed to be Slovene. In the Škofja Loka area, the Freising bishops
1 Gruden, 1992, p. 439
46
