The History of Wine and Supplements

The History of Wine

Until relatively recently, no one managed to keep oxygen out of wine.  So beyond the initial harvest and fermentation, wine quickly oxidized and spoiled.  To counteract the effects of that, Romans liked to add various supplements in their wine, including lead (which would sweeten the wine).  And we wonder why the late Roman Empire was mostly BSC.

The full episode of this, The Crepes of Wrath, is all about the wine.