1. While we are on the subject of time, we must mention in passing that medievals seem to have had the custom of changing the types of wines with the seasons or even times of the day. The stronger wines were reserved for the winter and the lighter ones for the summer, and the liqueurs were used after and between meals (Ch. 360). See also Arnaldus de Villanova, op. cit. 121.
2. Hyams refers to Chile as a new Oenotria (op. cit. 301). The difference between these wines, as between those of northern and southern Europe, lies in a number of factors such as climate and type of grapes produced. The hot sun of the South together with sweeter grapes tend to produce stronger wines, sweeter and with a higher degree of alcohol. This, of course, has nothing to do with their excellence. See Hyams again, pp. 168 and 286.
3. See Lacroix , op. cit. 153. Eiximenis mentions several times the ‘vi cuyt’ (e.g., ch. 360). See also Arnaldus de Villanova, Regiment de sanitat, ed. cit. 249. Eiximenis refers to other wines and alcoholic beverages as well: Còrcech, Turpia, rosset, claret, vermell de la terra, vi de Gascogne, gingebrada, manus Christi, and others.
4. These two wines are mentioned in succession in J. Maillart's Roman du Comte d'Anjou (1316): ‘Si bevoie vins précieux, Pyment, claré délicieus, Cythouaudés, rosez, florez.’ See Dion, p. 316. Fra Miguel Agustí, Llibre dels secrets de agricultura, casa rústica y pastoril (Barcelona 1617), fol. 103v, gives the following formula for making it: ‘Pera fer clareya, pendre canyella dos onses, gingebre, galange, una onsa de quiscú, clavells dos dragmas, grana de Paradis, pebre llarc una dragma de quiscú, mel una lliura y mitja, sucre dos lliures, vi blanc bo quatre cartons, picareu-ho en pols y ho posareu ab dit vi, y colareu-ho ab una mànega algunes voltes y ab clares de ous ho clarificareu.’