Part 3/9:

The Process and Context of Making Wine of the Gods

To create the drink, the host meticulously prepares the ingredients, peeling and slicing the apples and lemons before layering them with sugar and wine. This step, akin to preparing a modern-day sangria, aligns with centuries-old traditions of flavoring wines—a practice popular in various cultures over millennia to enhance or mask wine palates.

Both the recipe and the context prompt reflections on historical wine-making practices. The episode ties these elements to broader themes: Did past winemakers rely on sodden fruit mixtures to improve the quality of inferior wines? The prevalent view is that wines have markedly improved; this raises further questions about how much the materials and techniques have evolved.