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 ever discovered and was kept in liquid form.
The examination of the contents within the urn revealed that it was indeed white wine, even though it had a dark coloration. This conclusion was drawn because the liquid lacked the polyphenols present in grape skins which are typically 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 featured in the Journal of Archaeological Science, remarked: "We were quite astonished since upon discovering the urns during our dig, we assumed they held bones and funeral offerings as expected. It never crossed our minds that these containers might have preserved liquid contents."
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 dark 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 ancient Roman funerals, where scholars believe it was used as part of a ceremony aimed at assisting the departed soul towards the afterworld.
Nevertheless, the tradition of blending wines as such has never before been observed; no other beverages have remained equally well-preserved over a span of 2000 years.
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