The history of wine is well-documented - at least from 2,500 years ago. The methods of viticulture and vinification haven't changed in any great way since 700 BC, when Hesiod described his vineyards in Boeotia. The earliest first-hand accounts in Latin come from the Roman, Cato the Censor, who lived from 234 to 149 BC His book, De Agri Coltura, gives a complete account of wine-making and vine growing - how to prune, how to graft and how to make and store wine.

What we don't know is how those classical wines tasted. We know that the Ancient World admired the taste of resin or pitch in their wines, presumably a taste not unlike modern Greek Retsina. They stored their wines in barrels of pitch pine to achieve this taste, they even smeared the inside of their amphorae with resin. But they had a vast array of wines and differing styles to choose from, and during the years of the Roman Empire wines from Greece, Sicily, Spain and Gaul were available to Roman citizens.

Several writers listed their prized wines. Pliny liked the wines of Marseilles, but preferred the Spanish wines of Tarragona, which he placed almost as highly as the best Italian wines. Pliny places Falernian among the second growths, but Horace praised it lavishly and it was certainly the best known wine of Imperial Rome. According to Pliny it was the only wine that would catch fire if lit (it must have been very high in alcohol) and it came in three styles; dry and light-bodied; yellow; or dark and sweet. It was grown in the Campania near Naples and it has been suggested that it may have resembled today's Lacrima Christi. According to Galen it was undrinkable for ten years, at its best between fifteen and twenty years and 'headachy' after that.

Apart from the famous Falernian there were other well-known wines in Classical Rome. 'Setine' was Augustus' favourite wine, which Athenaeus described as 'lighter than Falernian' and not so inclined to make the drinker drunk. 'Caecuban' was rated highly by Pliny, and Athenaeus said that it was a stylish wine with a robust structure. Sadly this great wine disappeared when the emperor Nero built a canal through its vineyards. 'Mamertine' was grown near Messina and was a light, refreshing wine that became fashionable after Julius Caesar served it to celebrate his third consulship.

Although wines were commonly mixed with water, sea-water, honey or spices, among the many varieties available were young, simple wines made to be drunk young that would have been very close to the wines that we know today as Vin de Pays.

Wine of the Week

Five Mile Creek, Cabernet/Merlot, 2001

Because of the high taxes and excise duty on wine in Ireland, it's hard to find wine at the €5 level. What wine can be found at this price range rarely merits the term 'wine' in my view. But there are exceptions. At a recent tasting six people thought this wine to be a well-made wine in the €8 - €10 range, but in fact it costs a lot less. Frankly I'm a big fan of wines that taste more expensive than they are, and that's what you get here. It's soft and easy to drink, but has enough backbone to take it up a notch or two.

Available from Pettitts Supermarkets, €5.99 or two for €10