The ancient beverage, dating back 2000 years, was discovered within a burial urn alongside cremated human remains.
Found in Carmona within the southern Andalusian region, this wine is considered to be the most ancient one discovered and was kept intact in liquid form.
The examination of the liquid within the urn determined that it was actually white wine, even though it had a dark color, because it lacked the polyphenols present in grape skins utilized for making red wine.
In a report detailing the findings, researchers noted that the liquid bore resemblance to contemporary Fino wines from the area.
Juan Manuel Román, an archaeologist and co-author of the study on the wine published in the Journal of Archaeological Science, stated: "We were quite astonished because when we discovered the jars during our dig, we assumed they held remains and burial offerings as expected, yet it didn’t cross our minds that they might contain liquids."
Experts believe that the ashes discovered within the wine likely belonged to a 45-year-old male.
In addition, a golden ring was discovered within the deep reddish fluid that completely filled the urn.
The Roman mausoleum in Carmona was discovered in 2019 during the renovation of a house and contained funeral urns alongside the remains of a man and a woman.
Wine played a typical role in burial practices during ancient Rome, where specialists believe it was used as part of rituals aimed at assisting the departed spirit transition into the afterworld.
Nevertheless, the tradition of blending wines as was done has hitherto been unheard of, with no other beverages maintaining their quality for such an extensive period of 2000 years.
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