During the Roman era, the amphorae were replaced with wooden barrels; however, these did not seal very well, which resulted in the wine turning into vinegar.
In order to prevent this, people began adding Artemisia absinthium to the wine while it was fermenting.
The exact proportions of dried flowers (which give the drink its signature flavour) and stems (which give the drink a more bitter taste) vary from producer to producer, meaning that different Pelin wines each have a unique taste.
If the mixture is allowed to ferment for too long, it produces an unpleasant bitter taste.
Various other ingredients can be added, including mint, yarrow, chamomile, melilot, sliced quince, apple (0.3-0.5 kg/hl), and crushed rosehips (20-100g/hl).