CHAP. VIII.
¶ Seuen kinds of salt wine.
THus far forth haue we discoursed of the very floure of good wines, according to the regi∣ons where naturally they come of the grape. Now are we to treat of wines compounded. And first, among such wines is that, which they call Biaeon (an inuention of the Greeks) [unspec I] which aboue all others is most esteemed: and great reason, for deuised it was for the cure of ma∣ny maladies, as we shall shew hereafter in our treatise of Physick. The making wherof is in this manner: Take grapes gathered somwhat before they be ripe: let them lie to drie and parch in the hot Sunne for three daies, and be turned duly thrice a day: vpon the fourth day presse them forth for wine, put the liquor vp in barrels, and so let it worke in the Sun. How beit, hereto they put a good quantity of salt sea-water. But this deuise was learn'd first of a false theeuish knaue who hauing robbed his maister and drunk vp a good deale of his wine, filled vp the vessel again and made just measure with sea-water. White wine if it be ordered in this sort, is called Leuco∣chrum by the Greekes: but in other nations the like wine so made is named Tethalassomenon. As for Thalassites, it is a kind of wine so called, for that the vessels when the wine is new tun∣ned, be cast into the sea, and there let to remaine for a time, by which means the wine will soon [unspec K] seeme old and readie to be drunke. Furthermore, Cato also here among vs hath shewed the way how to make the Greekish Wine Coum, of our owne Italian Wine: but aboue all he hath set down an expresse rule, to let it first take the maturitie and perfection 4 yeres in the Sun. As for the wine of Rhodes, it is much like to that of Coos. But the Phorinean wine is more salt than the wine of the Isle Coos. Finally, all transmarine or beyond-sea wines are thought in seuen or six yeares at the least, to come vnto their middle age.