Vevoda’s black wine is a major symbol of his power in the novel. S quickly learns of the mystery that enshrouds it as he speaks with Tupp about it. Tupp explains that the black wine is rarely used; it is saved for the most special of occasions. No one knows where the black grapes come from. This note of mystery is standard for Vevoda-many of his actions are never explained, such as exactly what occurs in his tower.

After hearing about the wine, S swirls it around and smells it, noting that “The aroma is pleasing, very nearly intoxicating by itself: the smell of sweet ink, sharpened with the bite of alcohol” (427). The phrase “sweet ink” is an interesting one, since ink is not a common smell. It reflects the emphasis on writing that appears throughout the novel, hearkening back to previous mentions of S as a writer, and the fundamental impulses of writers.

Finally, Tupp explains that the wine stains the tongue, making it difficult to sneak a sip- “Around here, a black tongue gets you summarily sacked” (427). This dramatic and unusual reaction to sipping the wine only adds to the mystery of it.

Overall, the black wine represents Vevoda, with its mysteriousness, power, and darkness. The wine is never fully explained, and neither is Vevoda.

There are no footnotes on the page, nor is there a single mark by Jen and Eric, making it one of the relatively few pages to be only text from “Ship of Theseus.”