Matthew and Matthew’s piece on art and its integral relation to wine also provoked some interesting questions about its context. Joe asks them both before they set off on their weekly Italian wine mission, this time to find out what wine labels mean to them. I had to do my Wine Diploma project on the significance of wine labels which, I must admit, I thought was going to be a thoroughly dull exercise. As I delved into it though, I suddenly realised that there are all kinds of significances and meanings which one can construe from this seemingly small detail on a wine bottle. Most obviously, it has to fulfil legal requirements – these vary depending where the wine is from but most will have to state where it is made, the vintage and the wine producer. Even this legal point shows an interesting cultural divide as Old World wines dictate vineyards and regions on a bottle whereas New World wine producers choose to put the actual grape on the label.

However, Matthew and Matthew’s visit to Nittardi, a vineyard which was once Michelangelo’s residence, looks at wine and art in a more profound light. For the last thirty years Nittardi’s owners have been getting internationally renowned artists to design the label of their top wine. This label effectively symbolises the emotional and artistic connection between the artistry of the wine inside the bottles and how it is represented externally. As I mentioned in my piece on wine and music, I do consider wine as one of the arts. Both winemakers and artists are creators; constantly editing, exploring and experimenting. By clothing the wine in an artist’s work you are effectively curating the work of the artist in a very singular and striking medium. The artist can reveal their interpretation of that wine’s particular story and gives the wine an identity. This allows people to engage with it on a whole other level whilst turning the bottle into a collector’s item. The memories you have whilst drinking the bottle’s contents can live on via the beautifully labelled souvenir vessel.

Joe’s vinous experiences in Israel however evoked by far the most philosophical questions in regards to wine and culture. Joe starts off at Tel Kabri, a palace and capital of a Middle Bronze Age Canaanite kingdom in western Galilee. Tel Kabri has the largest and oldest cellars in the ancient Near East, but at some point around 1500 BC the palace was abandoned leaving over 2,000 litres of wine in forty large amphorae [large pots traditionally used to store wine]. Even back then wine functioned exactly as it does now; to be used when dining with friends and to influence others.

Although it is easy to relate to this concept, Joe’s visit to Golan Heights Winery reveals a very specific mindset when it comes to wine. It may have excellent conditions for wine producing but Golan Heights is only three kilometres away from Syria. It is possible to hear artillery booming in the background as Joe drives through the vineyard. Most people would never dream of running a winery in such vulnerable territory, but Victor Shonefeld of Golan Heights Winery has a connection with this land that is based on something more than simply good soil and topography; this is winemaking in the Promised Land. This view is of course a hotly contested topic, not least in regards to the EU’s export regulation. In terms of wine labels, any wine coming from occupied territories to the EU must now have its origin clearly marked on the bottle.

The connection between wine and religion becomes palpable when Joe goes to have a Shabbat meal with the Gold family in Tel Aviv. Wine is an integral part of this sacred ceremony. It is ultimately perceived as a gift from God – but like any gift, it must be used wisely. Its wonder and power can also be used against us if we are not careful. Too true of far too many other things.

I think the reason why I enjoyed this episode in particular is that through steam trains, art, war zones and family meals, we see how topical and relevant wine is as a subject and how much its identity and context reveals about us.