The wine bottler in history

Concerning the Wine and sommeliers another memorable milestone for the Italian culinary tradition is due to Dominic Romoli called the Panunto in the Singular doctrine written in 1560 where, in the twelfth book, we find

"of the nature of spices, that of waters and wines, and the rule to be followed in the use of drinks".

Here is the so-called 'bottler's chapter':

I would not like to be blamed for demonstrating to you how much the bottle-keeper has to serve you, since his office depends on the cup-bearer, to say things that everyone knows. wines and the fortunes of them, red, white, sweet and abrupt, letting him know which he should serve first and then.

The first, being melons or salad, will be vin Greco or white Salerno; invernata, malvagia, moscatello or vernaccia: up the hors d'oeuvres or alessi, white wines and small; on roasts, red and mordant wines: in fruits Hippocrasus, Magna Guerra or Salerno red or sweet.

Of all this you will be served the bottler; no less must that at that hour which the dresser will set. and parade his sideboard, the apparatus and even his polished bottle-table with its white tablecloth, covered with flowers and vegetables, showing off all his small glasses and carafes polite and other crystal and silver vessels, waiting for the hour of his service.

Of the cup, glass and other vessels that serve for your master's mouth, do not make a show of it until he is seated at the table. I made an effort to leave on purpose.

If you remember, I told you that if you want to know how to command, you must know how to do, and so as to a cupbearer and bottler it is necessary to have taste, flavour and smell, and that they be drinkers and not drinkers, you will know in this especially good diligence, so that you may know all the pleasures that wine may have that will please your master most:

Here I could tell you how and in what way the cupbearer with your training will serve his master well, but I will reserve that for another time.