Vinalia urbana

The Vinalia festivals celebrated the wine harvest.
The first Vinalia, held on 23 April, was known as the Vinalia Urbana.
The second Vinalia, held on August 19, was known as the Vinalia Rustica.
🏺

As the weather warms up and spring blooms, it’s time to raise a glass to Vinalia urbana – the ancient Roman festival of wine!
Why should we celebrate this day, you might ask? Well, it’s simple – wine not? What better way to honor the grape gods than with copious amounts of fermented grape juice?
Let’s uncork the details, shall we?

How it began:

The origin of Vinalia urbana is rooted in ancient Roman mythology.
In the mythology behind Vinalia urbana, Venus is said to have gifted wine to the people of Rome as a way to ease their troubles and bring them joy. In gratitude, the Romans built a temple to honor her and celebrated the grape harvest with feasts, games, and of course, wine.
But the festival also honors Jupiter who had promised to protect the city’s vineyards, and so the Romans would offer him the first taste of each year’s wine.

Urbanica and Rustica?

The Vinalia are two festivals – one on April 23 and one on August 19 – to celebrate the first and second wine harvests of the year.
The Vinalia Urbana marked the beginning of the agricultural season, when the grapevines were pruned and replanted.
The second festival is the Vinalia Rustica that celebrates the autumn harvest of grapes.
As the city’s population grew, so too did these festivals, eventually spreading throughout the Roman Empire. It was a time to offer thanks to the gods for a bountiful harvest and to drink copious amounts of wine in celebration.

Vinalia urbana takes place on April 23, right around the time when the vines start to bud and the grapes begin to ripen. It’s the perfect time to celebrate the arrival of spring and the start of a new growing season.
It’s a time of rebirth and renewal, as the grapevines are replanted and the soil is prepared for the upcoming season. It’s a perfect time to celebrate the start of spring and the delicious wines it brings.
The purpose of Vinalia urbana is to honor the grape gods and give thanks for a bountiful harvest.
A time to appreciate the hard work that goes into winemaking and to drink and be merry!

But…still, why?

To some, Vinalia urbana may seem like a strange holiday, particularly to those who don’t drink or who are unfamiliar with ancient Roman traditions. But hey, if you can’t handle a little wine, then you probably wouldn’t have lasted long in ancient Rome anyway.
Wine was not even the worst health hazard they had to worry about. But that’s a story for another time.

Now, some may question the morals and ethics of celebrating a day dedicated to drinking wine.
On the one hand, wine is delicious and can help you relax and unwind.
On the other hand, too much wine can lead to embarrassing dance moves and questionable decisions. Of course, there are also some questions about the morals and ethics of drinking to excess, but hey, it’s a party for adults, right?

Before you celebrate:

To prepare for Vinalia urbana, one must gather their favorite wine glasses, corkscrews, and, of course, their lucky wine coolers.
Make sure to have enough wine on hand (duh). Try pairing your wine with some tasty snacks to keep the party going.
And, most importantly, don’t forget to invite your friends – after all, wine is best enjoyed in good company!

As for safety tips, well, we all know what can happen when we drink too much wine.
So, make sure to drink responsibly, don’t drink cheap wine with questionable sulfates, drink plenty of water in between and have a designated driver or a chariot on standby.

How to celebrate:

• Try blind tastings with different wines or try making your own wine at home. 
• Have a grape stomping contest.
• Dress up as your favorite Roman god or goddess.
• Attend a professional wine tasting or visit a vineyard.

And for those who aren’t wine enthusiasts, there are plenty of non-alcoholic grape juices and grape-themed snacks to enjoy. Fresh grapes are still a good substitute for the wine when enjoying a cheese platter.

So, let’s raise a glass to Vinalia Urbana, a day to celebrate the grape and the joys of life.
As the Romans say: “in vino veritas”, in wine, there is truth.
Cheers!