Ancient Greeks loved wine, as many of modern world do. But don't you think that ancient Greeks drunk only red wine? They also drunk white wine, as well as the wine made from raisins, though the favorite of Greeks was, of course, red wine. The taste is also different from each region. For example, wine of Mytilene, Lesbos, is called Prodromos and very sweet, while that of Ikaros is very dry and strong. Although many regions, not only in the mainland and islands but also in her colonies, produced wine, the most praised wine is that of Chios and Lesbos.

They knew that aged wine was better, already in Homer's period. Wine is alsocompared to human being and Euboulos / Alexis make hetairai say that wine should be vintage, but man shouldn't be old, younger one is better.

"There, too, stood great jars of wine, old and sweet, holding within them an unmixed divine drink, and ranged in order along the wall, if ever Odysseus should return home even after many grievous toils", Odyssey 340

They generally drunk wine mixed with water and believed that people would go crazy if they drunk straight wine. Even half wine and half water was considered too strong in the Classical period. There were various ways to mix them, but Homer and Hesiod say 1 wine and 3 water. If they want stronger, they mix 2 wine and 5 water.

In summer, they drunk cooled wine. You may feel strange that they did it for red wine, if you are drunkard wine-lover. But how? They put water into a mixing bowl with ice or snow, then placed a smaller jar with wine.

They also added something to give different taste and/or flavor.

- Honey
- Sea water
- Flour mixed with honey
- Beehive and flower with good flavor
- Beans

Greek wine and vases

Amphora - Large jar with two vertical handle. Generally for keeping wine, as well as oil.
Krater - Large mixing bowl with two handles, though the shape varies.
Hydria - Large jar with one vertical and two horizontal handles. For carrying and pouring water.

Psykter - Pear shaped jar for cooling wine.

Kylix - Two handled cup for drinking wine.
Oinochoe - One handled jug for pouring wine, as well as water.

Kottabos

Kottabos is a game played by Greeks at banquets. They, reclining on couchs, throw wine remaining in the cup to a target. This game may originate from throwing away dreg of wine which must be muddy. There are two kind of targets; a disc placed on top a long vertical pole and dishes floating on water in a large basin. In the case of former, the disc drops onto a larger disc placed at the middle of the pole and makes big noise. In the case of latter, the dish lost its balance sinks into the water.

Earliest literary source of this game is written by Kritias (c.460-403 BC) referred by Athenaios. He, as well as some other writers, says that kottabos was invented by Sicilians. On the Athenian vase painting, kottabos is depicted by some red figure painters of the early 5th century, while, men, occasionally women, swinging cups are already represented, though the target is absent from the scene.