L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, MAY 4, 2023 www.italoamericano.org 10 L'Italo-Americano F or our ancestors, t h e R o m a n s , w i n e w a s n o t just a drink but a symbol of power, wealth, and status; its pro- d u c t i o n w a s a c o m p l e x process that involved not only manual labor but also sophisticated technology and management. The Villa of the Quintilii, located in the southern suburbs of Rome, was one of the largest and most luxurious estates in the Roman world. Excavations of the villa's winery revealed a remarkable system of wine production that involved not only slaves and craftsmen b u t a l s o e m p e r o r s t h e m - selves. The villa was built in the s e c o n d c e n t u r y A D b y the Q u i n t i l i i b r o t h e r s , who were wealthy and influ- e n t i a l m e m b e r s o f t h e Roman élite. It covered an area of about 130 hectares and sported a vast array of b u i l d i n g s a n d a m e n i t i e s , including baths, fountains, gardens, and a large artificial l a k e . I t s v i n e y a r d s w e r e famous, too, and their high- quality wine was renowned throughout the empire. The Quintilii's winery was located in a large under- ground complex, accessible through a system of tunnels and staircases: it consisted of several chambers, each dedicated to different stages o f t h e w i n e p r o d u c t i o n process, from pressing and fermentation to storage. The p r e s s i n g c h a m b e r w a s equipped with several large wooden presses, operated by slaves or oxen, while the fer- m e n t a t i o n c h a m b e r w a s l i n e d w i t h l a r g e j a r s c a l l e d d o l i a , w h i c h w e r e used to store the grape juice and allow it to ferment. B u t t h i s w a s n ' t o n l y a place of wine production, it was also a place for enter- t a i n m e n t : t h e Q u i n t i l i i b r o t h e r s w e r e k n o w n f o r their extravagant parties and feasts, and they often invited guests to witness the wine production process and sam- ple the finished product. And it must have been some pret- ty good wine they made if it's true that many an Emperor visited the villa and its win- ery, too. Emperor Com- modus, who ruled from 180 to 192 AD, was particularly fond of the villa and spent a g r e a t d e a l o f t i m e t h e r e . A c c o r d i n g t o h i s t o r i c a l sources, Commodus was not content with merely watch- i n g t h e w i n e p r o d u c t i o n process but also insisted on participating in it. He report- edly took off his imperial robes and worked alongside the slaves in the pressing chamber, showing off his strength and stamina. But Commodus was not the only emperor to visit the villa of the Quintilii: his suc- cessor, Emperor Septim- i u s S e v e r u s , w h o r u l e d f r o m 1 9 3 t o 2 1 1 A D , a l s o traveled to the villa often to take part in the wine produc- tion process. Good wine, great guests, fantastic location, but also a site of innovation and tech- nology. Roman winemakers were skilled at manipulating the wine production process to create different varieties of wine with distinct flavors a n d a r o m a s . T h e y u s e d a combination of techniques, including maceration, clarifi- cation, and aging, to create wines that were tailored to the tastes of their customers. Maceration involved leaving grape juice in contact with the skins and seeds of the grapes: this allowed for the extraction of tannins and c o l o r f r o m t h e s k i n s a n d resulted in a deeper, richer flavor and color in the wine. Clarification, on the other hand, used materials like egg whites or charcoal to remove impurities from the wine. T h i s p r o c e s s n o t o n l y i m p r o v e d t h e t a s t e a n d appearance of the wine but also increased its shelf life. The Romans were also fond of aging their wines, which t h e y w o u l d s t o r e i n large amphorae (ceramic jars) to allow for the slow development of more com- plex flavors. The winery at the villa of t h e Q u i n t i l i i w a s a l s o a n early example of a vertical- ly integrated production system, in which all stages of the production process were controlled by a single entity. The Quintilii brothers owned the vineyards, the winery, and the transporta- tion system that brought the wine to market: this allowed t h e m t o m a i n t a i n a h i g h level of quality control and maximize their profits. This winery was truly an impres- sive feat of ancient engineer- ing and ingenuity, and the sheer scale of the operation, with its massive wine presses and underground cellars, is a testament to the wealth and power of the Roman Empire. But what's perhaps most striking about this winery is the way it was used by the emperors themselves, as his- t o r i c a l r e c o r d s s h o w u s . What can we gather about a n c i e n t R o m a n s o c i e t y , when we read Commodus a n d S e p t i m i u s S e v e r u s w o u l d g e t b u s y a n d d i r t y making wine at the villa, as if they were slaves? Well, cer- tainly, that winemaking was not just a way to produce a luxury product, but also a means of reinforcing politi- cal power and status. By cre- ating a wine associated with the imperial household, the e m p e r o r s w e r e a b l e t o demonstrate their wealth, sophistication, and mastery of nature. Today, the ruins of the Villa of the Quintilii serve as a reminder of this impres- sive chapter in Roman histo- ry. While we may never be able to taste the wine its win- ery once produced, we can still marvel at the ingenuity and ambition of those who created it. The Villa of the Quintilii, ancient Rome's most exclusive winery LUCA SIGNORINI LA VITA ITALIANA TRADITIONS HISTORY CULTURE Ruins of the Villa of the Quintilii, near Rome (Photo: Anyaivanova/Dreamstime), and ancient amphorae like those used to contain wine in its winery (Photo: Tolgaildun/Dreamstime)

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