Amphorae were used to store the wine, limiting the rate of oxidation, and allowing the wine to gradually improve with age. A layer of olive oil on top of the wine offered further protection. Casks were also in use, sealed with wax or pitch, and bungs of cork. The citizens of Rome were fond of their wine, and the expansion of vineyards in Italy and throughout the rest of the Roman Empire continued at a frantic pace. Fortunately, this decree was rescinded by Emperor Probus in 278 AD, before most of the great vineyards of Europe were destroyed.
Time passes . . .
All good things come to an end, and the Roman Empire was no exception. With the fall of Rome came the loss of great wine for centuries. The benefits of amphorae, corks and well tended vineyards all vanished with the Empire. For wine lovers, it was the Dark Ages. After the fall of Rome, what little knowledge that remained about vinting was concentrated in the churches and monasteries.