Wine in the history of poisoning Part 3

Wine as a poison by itself

When you suggest wine woman, she would probably prefer a sweet or semisweet that pokisley and drier. Sweet taste in wine – historically the most popular. Therefore, the technology of its production since Roman times, were aimed at sweetening. In particular, the Romans boiled grape juice to a syrup by boiling it in lead containers. One simpotomov lead poisoning – the loss of reproductive ability. Lead water pipes and lead-sweetened wine – one of the main causes of low fertility in ancient Rome.


Lead as a way to sweeten the wine, then travels to countries and peoples. In the 17 th century in France, lead poisoning was known as “colic of Poitou”, as winemakers Poitou adding lead oxide in the wine to soften its taste. In England, for sweetening wine and cider were used lead weights, which are lowered into the barrel on the ropes. The recipe of wine with lead found in the 18 th century cookbook “Universal Cook ‘Townsend.

Despite the fact that in the 18 century, most states had passed laws prohibiting the use of lead, wine merchants continued to sweeten the wine to increase its value, especially in lean years, when experiencing difficulties in selling too “sour” wine.

continue to Wine in the history of poisoning Part 4