[1.] Vernage was a red wine, of a bright colour, and a sweetish and somewhat rough flavour, which was grown in Tuscany and other parts of Italy, and derived its name from the thick-skinned grape, vernaccia (corresponding with the vinaciola of the ancients), that was used in the preparation of it (See Bacci. Nat. Vinor. Hist., p. 20, 62). It is highly praised by Redi.*
* Vernage was made in the Genoese territory. The best was grown at San Gemignano, and in Bacci’s time was in great request at Rome. The wine known as Vernaccia in Tuscany was always of a white or golden colour. Henderson, p. 396.
[2.] Vernagelle is not mentioned by Henderson. The name shows it to have been a variety of Vernage.
[3.] [l. 118.] Cute. “As for the cuit named in Latin Sapa, it commeth neere to the nature of wine, and in truth nothing els it is, but Must or new wine boiled til one third part and no more do remain; & this cuit, if it be made of white Must is counted the better.” Holland’s Plinies Nat. Hist., p. 157. “(of the dried grape or raisin which they call Astaphis).... The sweet cuit which is made thereof hath a speciall power and virtue against the Hæmorrhois alone, of all other serpents,” p. 148. “Of new pressed wine is made the wine called Cute, in Latin, Sapa; and it is by boiling the new pressed wine so long, as till that there remaine but one of three parts. Of new pressed wine is also made another Cute, called of the Latines Defrutum, and this is by boiling of the new wine onely so long, as till the halfe part be consumed, and the rest become of the thicknesse of honey.” Maison Rustique, p. 622. ‘Cute. A.S. Cæren, L. carenum, wine boiled down one-third, and sweetened.’ Cockayne, Gloss. to Leechdoms.
[4.] Pyment. In order to cover the harshness and acidity common to the greater part of the wines of this period, and to give them an agreeable flavour, it was not unusual to mix honey and spices with them. Thus compounded they passed under the generic name of piments,† probably because they were
originally prepared by the pigmentarii or apothecaries; and they were used much in the same manner as the liqueurs of modern times. Hend. p. 283.
† See the recipe for making Piment in Halliwell’s Dictionary, s.v.
The varieties of Piment most frequently mentioned are the
Hippocras & Clarry. The former was made with either white or red wine, in which different aromatic ingredients were infused; and took its name from the particular sort of bag, termed Hippocrates’s Sleeve, through which it was strained.... Clarry, on the other hand, which (with wine of Osey) we have seen noticed in the Act 5 Richard II. (St. 1, c. 4, vin doulce, ou clarre), was a claret or mixed wine, mingled with honey, and seasoned in much the same way, as may be inferred from an order of the 36th of Henry III. respecting the delivery of two casks of white wine and one of red, to make Clarry and other liquors for the king’s table at York (duo dolia albi vini et garhiofilacum et unum dolium rubri vini ad claretum faciendum). Henderson, p. 284. Hippocras, vinum Aromaticum. Withals. “Artificiall stuffe, as ypocras & wormewood wine.” Harrison, Descr. Brit., p. 167, col. 2, ed. 1586.
[ 5.] Raspice. “Vin Rapé,” says Henderson, p. 286, note y, “a rough sweetish red wine, so called from its being made with unbruised grapes, which, having been freed from the stalks, are afterwards fermented along with them and a portion of other wine.”* Ducange has Raspice. Raspaticium, Ex racemis vinum, cujus præparationem tradit J. Wecker. Antidot. special. lib. 2, § 6, page 518 et 519. Paratur autem illud ex raspatiis et vinaceis, una cum uvis musto immissis. Raspatia itaque sunt, quæ Varroni et Columellæ scopi, scopiones, si bene legitur; unde nostrum Raste. Ducange, ed. 1845. Raspecia ...Sed ex relato longiori contextu palam est, Raspeciam nihil aliud esse quam vinum mixtis acinis aliisve modis renovatum, nostris vulgo Râpé; hujuscemodi enim vinum alterationi minus obnoxium est, ut hic dicitur de Raspecia. Vide mox Raspetum, Vinum recentatum, Gallis Raspé. Charta Henrici Ducis Brabantiæ pro Communia Bruxellensi ann. 1229: Qui vinum supra uvas habuerit, quod Raspetum vocatur, in tavernis ipsum vendere non potest. Vide Recentatum. Ducange, ed. 1845.