I'll drink to that where we get behind the scenes of the beverage business.

I'm Levy Dalton.

I'm Erin Scala and here's our show today. Oh, Glass, it's such an important factor in the wine business, and we take glass for granted these days as it is

plentiful and easy to get. But glass wasn't always such a part of wine trade and

consumption and in a way the last several centuries of winemaking have really run in parallel with

advancements in glass technology. Glass beads were being produced as early as 2,500 BC,

but Egyptian glass vessels began to be created around 1500 BC.

Egyptian glass was only for the Pharaohs and the nobles.

Around 300 BC, Syrians invented a pipe for blowing glass

and the craft of glass blowing was born. During the Roman Empire,

glassmaking flourished. It went everywhere the Romans went, just like grape vines.

And the main hub of glassmaking was based in the now German

city of Cologne, or Koon. But as the Roman Empire slowly fell, glassmaking faded away, it became less valued, and many of the once embraced methods

of producing glass had been lost or forgotten.

But not in Venice. In Venice, glassmaking was a secret profession. Glassmakers, the glassmakers Guild and the families of Glassmakers were exiled to Marano Island.

You see, the smoke and fires they needed to produce glass, it wouldn't disrupt the city life there.

And also, the secrets of glassmaking could be heavily guarded.

The secrets were considered so valuable that glassmakers and their family members were

forbidden to leave the island with the risk of death if they were caught elsewhere.

And yet, wherever there is oppression, there are usually those who manage to escape it.

A few rogue glassmakers were able to escape Marano, and they brought their craft to other

areas of Europe. But why would they leave when faced with death if they were caught?

...