16. What 3,700-Year-Old Wine Tasted Like

Megan Garber, staff writer at The Atlantic, writes about an archaeological finding in Tel Kabri, Israel, of 40 wine jugs estimated to be 3,700 year-old. Even though the wine did not survive, analyzing the organic residue of tartaric acid (main wine component) at the base of the jars suggests that they did once hold wine. The added finding of honey and herbs also suggests that these ingredients were added. Garber explains that such customized wine was probably “sweet, strong, and medicinal” in purpose. They were most likely used as a cough syrup and are similar in composition to wines from Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia. Garber also mentions that with sufficient data it might be possible to recreate this type of wine.

The author is successful in creating her article. Garber makes use of questions in her essay, such as the following: “So ... minty wine? Herby wine? Really, really well-aged wine? What exactly would that have tasted like?” “Could we recreate the wine for ourselves?” These questions were utilized to introduce new ideas or insights that were further developed in the paragraphs that followed each question. They were also used to keep the reader engaged in the writing and the pace of the essay flowing smoothly. The article’s tone is informal, which is evidenced by the usage of slang, such as “booze” and “bottoms up”. However, despite the informal tone, the author does not forget to include necessary scientific explanations, since most of her audience does not commonly know the importance of tartaric acid in wine or “pottery fragments collected from the bases of the jars”. In addition, Garber also explains the findings and study in detail so that the reader is able to understand her essay’s main points. 

http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2013/11/what-3-700-year-old-wine-tasted-like/281777/