SC - hypocras question

[LrdRas at aol.com]

In a message dated 3/21/99 5:57:11 PM Eastern Standard Time,
taracook at yahoo.com writes:

<< So, does anyone know what kind of wine would have been used for
 hypocras?  And the best modern equivalent?
 
 Many thanks,
 
 Tara  >>

Many grape varieties exist now  that existed in the middle ages.  Try looking
in the Italian section for wines  with the words 'Lachryma' or 'Maestro' on
them for a start. A white wine would be Radicco. Common varieties dating from
the Middle Ages and even back to ancient Rome are still widely grown and used
today. They include cabernet sauvignon, cabernet blanc, merlot, syrah,
chardonnay, pinot gris, pinot noir and many others. Many European wines are
made using the same  varieties used in the Middle Ages, for instance the
Italian 'Est! Est! Est!' is still produced exactly the same way it was, at the
same vineyard, from the same varieties that produced it 500 yrs. ago. So far
as English recipes are concerned, your best and most authentic wines would be
those produced in Spain, followed by France although England did have  it's
own wine producing industry in the MA..

Avoid any Lambrusco type grapes as well as zinfandel varieties. The former are
without exception New World while the jury is out on the latter.

I had posted extensive information about this very subject some months ago.
Perhaps Stefan has put it in his Flore-thingy. If not I will have to recover
the info when I get the time and repost but , sadly, due to assorted mundane
and SCA commitments that will not be soon.

Ras 
(one of a dozen or so clerks who is a trained 'master' wine consultant for the
PLCB) 
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