Oinomeli, thyme honey wine
Red wine warmed and sweetened with thyme honey, lightly spiced, served mixed with water in the krater as Greek custom demanded — a sweet, warm cup for evenings of storytelling.
Red wine warmed and sweetened with thyme honey, lightly spiced, served mixed with water in the krater as Greek custom demanded — a sweet, warm cup for evenings of storytelling.
Ah, there he is, your hero — Bellerophon on his winged horse, who pinned me from the sky when no man on foot dared approach. Drink then to my defeat, since it is your custom: pour the honey of my hills into the dark wine, warm it, cut it with water as Greek wisdom demands, for pure wine drives men mad. I have known only fire in the throat; you, savor this sweetness I never tasted. And raise your cup to the monster who will be spoken of as long as there is wine in the kraters.
- •Wine — one measure (fermented base)
- •Thyme honey — to taste (sweetener and flavor)
- •Water — for dilution (dilution per Greek custom)
Oinomeli, thyme honey wine
Red wine warmed and sweetened with thyme honey, lightly spiced, served mixed with water in the krater as Greek custom demanded — a sweet, warm cup for evenings of storytelling.
Why this dish? After the meal, at the symposion, they recounted the deeds of heroes: how Bellerophon, mounted on Pegasus, swooped down from the sky upon the Chimera and thrust into its mouth a lance tipped with lead that its flames melted. Oinomeli, wine sweetened with Lycian thyme honey, is the perfect cup for listening to this tale.
Ah, there he is, your hero — Bellerophon on his winged horse, who pinned me from the sky when no man on foot dared approach. Drink then to my defeat, since it is your custom: pour the honey of my hills into the dark wine, warm it, cut it with water as Greek wisdom demands, for pure wine drives men mad. I have known only fire in the throat; you, savor this sweetness I never tasted. And raise your cup to the monster who will be spoken of as long as there is wine in the kraters.
Ingredients (period version)
- Wine — one measure (fermented base)
- Thyme honey — to taste (sweetener and flavor)
- Water — for dilution (dilution per Greek custom)
Ingredients
- Fruity red wine — 500 ml (base)
- Thyme honey — 80 to 100 g (sweetness and aroma)
- Water — 100 to 200 ml to taste (dilution)
- Cinnamon or bay leaf (optional) — 1 stick or 1 leaf (mild spice, attested by ancient trade)
Method
- Pour the wine into a saucepan, add the honey and optional spice.
- Heat gently without boiling, stirring to dissolve the honey (5–8 minutes).
- Remove from heat, let infuse for 10 minutes, then remove the spice.
- Cut with water to your taste (the Greeks often diluted by half or more) and serve warm in broad cups.
- For a summer version: cool and serve chilled.
How it was made : The Greeks almost always drank their wine mixed with water in a large krater; drinking it pure was considered barbaric. Oinomeli (wine + honey) is mentioned by medical and gastronomic authors as a pleasant and strengthening beverage; honey served as the main sweetener, as sugar was unknown.
The contemporary twist : Serve in a "symposion krater" style: a large communal bowl with a wooden ladle for each to dip — an ancient sharing format for an evening of tales and legends.
Sources : Galen, On the Properties of Foods and Drinks (oinomeli) · Athenaeus of Naucratis, The Deipnosophists (customs of wine and the symposion)
Chimera · Charactorium