Winemaking was a perennial interest of Jews, Christians, and even, Muslims. Even though Muslims were religiously prescribed from drinking wine by the Qur’an because it led to a culture of “debauchery”, this did not prevent Extremaduran Muslim families from owning, renting, and managing their own production of wine. In this manner, winemaking created a co-existence of cultures.
At times, the local wine culture corrupted even the most devout – especially churchmen. During 1430s, Bishop Gonzalo Garcia de Santa Maria and church leaders exerted considerable effort to reign in their local clergy who drank more than their fair share of wine produced in church and personally owned vineyards. [Read the entire historic narrative] or [Go to 3D Virtual Plasencia]
Thought questions for everyday readers:
- If medieval Muslims were Qur’anic prohibited from drinking wine, why might they have been involved in its production?
- How does the environment and agricultural production shape persons’ professions and identities?
- How did wine shape this community of Jews, Christians, and Muslims?