Top 10 wine gods and goddesses 11th January, 2013 by Rupert Millar The true origins of viticulture and brewing, whether it was in Sumeria, the Lebanon, Georgia and so on, may never be known for sure. What is sure is that ever since he first created alcoholic drinks, man has usually ascribed to them divine properties. As was pointed out in the Top 10 Wine Saints, Christianity merely replaced the old gods of wine, beer, grapes and grain, with new figureheads. This often makes the identification of “wine gods” rather tricky and, aside from some of the more obvious standouts, ancient cultures and societies often venerated many figures connected to drink. The Greeks in particular personified many things relating to wine, its effects and preparation, with minor deities. There was Methe, the personification of drunkenness, Acratopotes, one of Dionysus’ companions and a drinker of unmixed wine, there was Ceraon who watched over the mixing of wine with water and Amphictyonis a goddess of wine and friendship between nations.

People would offer wine to their gods (sometimes known as a libation) and the gods themselves often liked to drink, in some stories it is they that taught man the secrets of fermentation. Norse mythology meanwhile promised unending drinking in the afterlife, while a particularly grim fate awaited newly deceased wrongdoers in Ancient Egypt. Wine and beer as liberators of the senses, a means of relaxation and the celebration of life appear as the most important themes here but so too is the darker side of uninhibited pleasure, as readers of The Bacchae will know. If you have any other suggestions of any other gods and goddesses and drinking mythology to add to our pantheon then please leave a message below. Subscribe to our newsletters Ornellaia collection makes $112,500 in NYC Week in Photos: Hong Kong The week in pictures Penfolds Grange leads Barossa Wine Chapters Auction ‘Rosé all day’ wine brand launched Dry whites will save sweet Sauternes

Farmacy launches cannabis cocktails Power can be as dangerous as gin warns Pope Single Malt exports surpass £1billion for first time Bottega Gold wins US Duty Free listing Michael Schuster launches new website TFWA Asia Pacific Exhibition & Conference attracts record exhibitorsdry red wine no 1 Roumier leads the way at Sotheby's salewhat type of wine is best with turkey London Cru doubles production of English winebuy californian wine australia Weed ‘a companion piece’ to wine Avesso ‘the next star grape of Vinho Verde’ Trump’s wines trounced 7-0 Tesco Champagne is cheaper than mouthwash Diageo cuts UK jobs as it reviews spirits bottling Prosecco ‘has paved the way’ for Franciacorta

Severe frosts wreak havoc in Champagne Moët Hennessy: China will be a fine wine producing country Craft beer: Clouds on the horizon Southern Rhône excels in 2016 Waitrose ups beer range by nearly 30% Argentina on fine wine mission to rival Burgundy Carlsberg launches £15m ‘Danish’ campaign in the UK England’s most expensive sparkling wines European Brands Sales Manager, Field Sales Managers and Executives London, Brighton, E Sussex/Kent, Cornwall & Devon, GB Sales Manager - Scotland Sales Manager - North-West England Sales Manager - London Key Account Manager - Grocery Key Accounts Manager - Impulse North Devon & Somerset, UK Sales Manager - North East England Within 15-20 mile radius of York, UK London and Greater London, GB Park Royal, London, UK Head of Sales - Hush Heath Estate The Global Merlot Masters 2017 Deadline : 2nd May 2017 Deadline : 3rd May 2017

The Global Organic Masters 2017 The Global Sparkling Masters 2017 Deadline : 12th May 2017 Global Chardonnay Masters 2016 Now in its fourth year, the competition will identify the best Chardonnay from all around the world in every price range. Now in its fifth year, the competition will recognise and reward the finest Riojas on the world stage. Now in its third year, The Fortified Masters will reward the best fortified wines on offer. The Global Malbec Masters 2016 the drinks business is proud to announce the inaugural Global Malbec Masters 2016. Jump to: navigation, search Bronze statue of Bacchus from Pompeii, 2nd century BC Bacchus was the Roman god of agriculture, wine and fertility copied from the Greek god Dionysus. He was the last god to join the twelve Olympians; Hestia gave up her seat for him. His plants were vines and twirling ivy. He often carried a pinecone-topped staff, and his followers were goat-footed Satyrs and Maenads, wild women who danced energetically during his festivals.

Bacchus was the child of Jupiter (whose Greek name is Zeus) and Semele, a human whom Juno (whose Greek name is Hera) had tricked into asking to see Jupiter as he really was. Since she was a mortal, she was burned up by the sight of Jupiter in his divine form. So Jupiter sewed the infant Bacchus into his thigh, and gave birth to him nine months later. As a child, Bacchus was tutored by Silenus, who was a great lover of wine and often had to be carried on the back of a donkey. Before he took his place at Olympus, Bacchus wandered the world for many years, going as far as India to teach people how to grow vines. Mythology by Lady Hestia Evans, published by Candlewick Press. Dionysus - Greek mythology version of Bacchus This short article about Europe can be made longer. You can help Wikipedia by Ananiades D, Ancient Greece Temples And Sanctuaries (Toubis, Athens, 2010) Carabatea M, Greek Mythology (Pergamos, Peania, 2007) Carpenter T.H., Art and Myth in Ancient Greece (Thames & Hudson, London, 2012)