Pompeii Revives 2,000-Year-Old Wine Tradition

Wine is flowing once again in Pompeii, nearly 2,000 years after Mount Vesuvius buried the thriving Roman city under volcanic ash.

Dozens of grape vines now grow among the ancient ruins, part of an ambitious project to revive the region's legendary winemaking heritage. The first harvest will produce around 30,000 bottles of wine made from grapes cultivated inside the archaeological site itself.

When Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD, it preserved remarkable details of daily Roman life beneath 19 feet of ash. Archaeologists discovered frescoed walls depicting wine-centered rituals honoring Dionysus, the god of wine. They found ceramic jars buried in the ground for storing wine and amphorae used to export it across the Mediterranean.

The choice to bring these vineyards back wasn't just nostalgic. Gabriel Zuchtriegel, Director of the Archaeological Park of Pompeii, explains the project helps fund ongoing preservation work while educating visitors about ancient agricultural life.

"This is a fantastic opportunity to let people know about the history of Pompeii, which is in large part the history of agriculture and the countryside," Zuchtriegel said. Wine was so central to Pompeii that soldiers drank it every morning, often mixed with herbs and spices or heated for warmth in winter.

The Romans exported their wine throughout their empire, shipping it to Spain, North Africa, Turkey, Germany, and Britain. They grew Aglianico grapes, a variety originally from Greece that's now cultivated worldwide from California to Australia.

The Ripple Effect

This revival does more than recreate ancient flavors. The sustainable vineyard lowers maintenance costs for the archaeological site, creating a self-funding preservation model other historical sites might follow. Every bottle sold supports the ongoing work of protecting and studying this UNESCO World Heritage site.

Local wine producer Feudi di San Gregorio is partnering with the park to ensure authentic, sustainable cultivation methods. The wine will be available both at Pompeii and online, connecting modern wine lovers directly to ancient Roman traditions.

Visitors can now walk among working vineyards where Romans once harvested grapes, experiencing the site as the living, productive community it was rather than just frozen ruins.