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Thu 16 Feb, 2006 08:50 am
A chemical analysis of residue in some jars in Tutamkhamen's tomb found it once contained white wine, Tartaric acid was found ,but no Syringic acid ,found only in red wine.
I wonder where the white wine came from.
Imported from Germany? Great stuff. You can use it to preserve (pickle) foods, like cucumbers. In a pinch, you can also drink it.
Tartaric acid
The most plentiful acid found in grapes, this chemical is relatively rare in other fruits and is one of the keys to the suitability of grapes for winemaking. Tartaric acid is a large component of the flavour of a wine and helps to maintain its colour, however, as potassium tartrate (or cream of tartar) it can leave a deposit of crystals in wine.
HMMM, last March (2005) issue of Analytical Chemistrey (a peer reviewed journal of the ACS) atated that they DID find syringic acid nd the precursor malvadin glucoside. Tartaric acid is common in all grape juices , it doesnt say anything about its color. The breakdown of the complex sugars and rind via malvadin glucoside , imparts the color that is detectable as syringic acid. The ACS article said that, using liquid chromatography, some Italian scientists found both, and therefroe concluded that Tut actually like Red Wine.
Since he was already dead, I hardly think that he was in a position to give orders as to what wine he wanted in his burial vault.
Ill bet it tasted like **** after all these years.
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