Photo courtesy National Park Service.
Items Found At Jamestown Relating To Wine
Wine was a popular beverage in Virginia during the seventeenth century. A few items unearthed at Jamestown which relate to wine consumption are shown: a wine bottle, wine glass, glass bottle seals (which were attached to the shoulders of many wine bottles), a bronze spigot, and wooden barrel staves. In 1610 Francisco Maguel, who had spent eight months in Virginia, wrote that "There grow in that country [Virginia] wild many forest grapes, of which the English make a wine that resembles much the wine of Alicante, according to the opinion of the narrator who has tasted both."
The Vintage. Vindemia.
Wine groweth in the Vine-yard 1, where Vines are propagated, and tied with Twigs to Trees 2, or to Props 3, or Frames 4. When the time of grape-gathering is come, they cut off the Bunches, and carry them in measures of three bushels 5, and throw them into a Vat 6, and tread them with their Feet 7, or tramp them with a wooden Pestil 8, and squèese out the juice in the Wine-press 9, which is called Must 11, and being received in a great Tub 10, it is powred into Hogs-heads 12, it is stopped up 15 and being laid close in Cellars upon Settles 14 it becommeth Wine. It is drawn out of the Hogshead, with a Cock 13, or Faucet 16, (in which is a Spigot) the Vessel being unbunged.
Courtesy Folger Shakespeare Library Washington, D. C.
Making Wine In 1685