Harvest season is hundreds years of tradition in Greece, with all family members helping to produce the must, making the whole process look like a feast with women ‘quarrel’ ‘often with their husbands who wanted to make more wine. Instead they insisted in making other products with main ingredient the must. This is how they celebrate the “feast of the must” even in our days.
According to the researchers the vines thrived before the ice age, at the polar zones. Later after the ice age, vineyards made their way to the warmer regions of Asia and Europe. Hence the birth of the grape vines as we know them today.
The Greeks engaged in viticulture since 1700 BC. They were mixing grape must with water, spices and herbs.
In Greek mythology, Dionysus was the god of wine and Ambelos was his son. Awhile Ambelos had his sheep out to pasture, he gathered some grapes and brought them to king Eneas who made a juice from them and he called it wine (Enos-Οινος). Although ancient Greeks generally did not get drunk, during the celebrations of honoring Dionysus, they did get intoxicated and sang because they believed that they communicated with him in this way.
By: Stavroula Tsakla
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