Page 6 - 2022 Glass Editorial
P. 6

by Judy Gonyeau, managing editor
                                                         with Katherine Larson, curator of ancient glass, CMoG







                                                                                          Background image: Keuka Lake, Scott Herder  Courtesy of Brave World Media

                                            he entwined histories of glass and wine extend   learn glass’s broader role in the science, creativity, and
                                            back thousands of years, from lavish feasts of   history of wine from thousands of years ago to today.
                                     Tancient Rome to the polite society of Britain in     This is one venture where science and nature came
                                     the 1700s, to formal dinner parties of post-war America,   together to form a libation steeped in history and sipped
                                     to an essential experience within our contemporary    and celebrated over time.
                                     food culture. The strength, impermeability, and          To many people, the story of glass and wine is a tale
                                     versatility of glass have played an important                          of hedonism, about the experience of
                                     role in every step of wine’s journey,                              tasting wine from a fine piece of hand-
                                     from the production, distribution, sale,                          blown stemware. To others, it is a story of
                                     and ultimately the enjoyment of this                            strength, of the glass bottles that make
                                     intoxicating beverage.                                          champagne and other sparkling wines possible,
             Facet-Cut Goblet, 300-600                                                              because they can contain the pressure of
               (Iran or Central Asia)    On Exhibit                                                carbonation. And to others still, glass tools are
              Courtesy of Corning Museum of Glass                                                  critical to the process of winemaking, helping to
                                        Fire & Vine: The Story of Glass and Wine has
                                     been on exhibit at the Corning Museum of                     ensure a successful harvest and fermentation.
                                     Glass (CMoG) since July 3, 2021 and will
                                     continue to be on view through the end of                      Ancient Times
                                     2022 – a lucky thing for people who have not                      In a 2017 article from BBC News, Scientists
                                     had the chance to travel and visit amid an    Wine Cup on     had discovered an 8,000-year-old pottery
                                     ongoing pandemic. This exciting exhibition    Wooden Stand,   fragment containing evidence of the earliest
                                     just happens to be near the New York State   1850- 1911 Courtesy of  making of grape wine. These were discovered in
                                     Finger Lakes wine district (there are eleven   Corning Museum of Glass     Georgia, a country located at the intersection of
                                     designated American Viticultural Areas in                     Europe and Asia along the Black Sea. On those
                                     New York – the Finger Lakes region was established in   jars were images of grape clusters and a man dancing.
                                     the 19th century). Sponsors of the exhibition are Finger   Apropos for the early beginnings of this drink of the gods.
                                     Lakes Wine Country (in Corning), Dr. Konstantin          It was not until 4,000 years later in 2,000 BC that
                                     Frank Winery in nearby Hammondsport, and the          glass was first being made. This glass was not the clear,
                                     Pleasant Valley Wine Company, just a few minutes from   delicate glass used to see and drink wine today, but was
             Goblet with Stem, 400-500   the Frank Winery, all off of Route 390/86.        opaque and made to look like they were made of
                                        Aside from the culture and adventure of traveling   precious stones. These were used in many ceremonies
              Courtesy of Corning Museum of Glass
                                     through New York State’s wine country is the chance to   that were religious and political in nature, giving wine





















               Goblet, 1600-1700          Finger Lakes Wine Country  Courtesy of Stu Gallagher Photography  Display in the Fire & Vine Exhibit  Courtesy of Corning Museum of Glass
             Courtesy of Corning Museum of Glass
            4           Journal of Antiques and Collectibles
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