Vintage labelling of wine at Malqata
Etiquetado de añadas de vino en Malqata
- Date
- c. 1350 BCE · confidence high
- Place
- Malqata Palace, Luxor, Egypt
- Credited to
- Royal vintners of Egypt under Amenhotep III
- Field
- Life & health
What it is
The wine amphorae from the palace of Amenhotep III bear painted labels with the regnal year, the vineyard, the winemaker's name and sometimes the quality. It is one of the oldest known origin-labelling systems and anticipates wine appellations.
The hieratic dockets on the Malqata and Amarna amphorae are plentiful; quality is mentioned in some of them, not all.
What it led to
- traceability of harvest and winery in Egyptian administration
- distinction of qualities and payments by origin
- a remote forerunner of wine appellations of origin