In the 16th century (a historical period which deserves the appellation of  "the age of good drinking") Lancerio, historian and geographer but above all the pope's cellarmaster, was a fine connoisseur and expert of wines. He condensed all his knowledge in a letter he very likely wrote in 1559 and addressed to Cardinal Guido Ascanio Sforza -the pope's nephew- and in two reports on travels, containing oenological comments of the pope, Paul III. These documents can be considered as the very first Italian treatise on oenology. The inedited manuscript "Della qualità dei vini" (On the quality of wines) was completely forgotten and then found by Giuseppe Ferraro, who printed it in 1876. So Lancerio's long practical experience on the field can be traced in his memoirs, a record of gustative tests alternatively performed, once by the pope himself and once by his loyal cellarmaster. In his work Lancerio analyzes, through his sharp intuition, tastes and aftertastes, appearances and flavours, with such a great deal of ability that he can be considered a real authority in the use and knowledge of wine. In his rich and precise terminology  there are many terms belonging to contemporary sommeliers and wine experts: to define wines' taste, he uses words such as "round", "rich", "dry", "smoky", "powerful", "strong", "mature"; to describe theirs colours, he uses "dull", "bright", "greenish", "golden", and so on.

It’s still Lancerio who testifies the fact that already during Renaissance people started showing interest –even if at a very early stage- in the possibility of combining food and wines. In fact, in the menus of the time, we can see a kind of progression starting with light wines to begin the meal with, then passing to red wines for roasted meats, to finish with strong and sweet wines perfect with desserts. As in the Middle Ages, at the end of the meal people used to drink “Ipocrasso”, an alcoholic and spicy drink, considered good as a tonic for sick people and pregnant women.

During Renaissance, at the papal court they were not new to the search for refinements, and Paul Farnese III (who was pope from 1534 to 1549) was a fine taster, even if he’s much more remembered for his political acts, such as the excommunication of king Henry VIII, the inauguration of the Council of Trent, and his assent to the Jesuit order.

A unique document

We cannot forget that, during Lancerio’s times, wine was also considered as a fundamental element of the meal. It was an essential part of food, meant as a search for spiritual perfection and balance, a pleasure to be cultivated with art and moderation. Lancerio followed the pope during his trips and, as he did when they were in Rome, his job was to prepare a rich and refined table, with the help of great chefs such as Giovanni de Rosselli and Bartolomeo Scappi. He put much of his care into the choice of wines, so that during the pope’s travels they were not to be “spoiled” because of transportation. His work -unique in its kind among those dealing with oeno-gastronomy- also gives a cross-section of life at Renaissance times: beside the report of the pope’s trips, the treatise also analyzes 50 different qualities of wine people could enjoy according to their mood, contingent circumstances, the period of the year and even specific hours of the day.

Everyone deserves his own wine

Wines which embellished the tables were also used as medicines in the secrecy of private apartments, as it used to be in ancient times. They were used as a preventive measure in gargles and sponge downs, and as a lenitive against irritations and itching. Also the pope resorted to their therapeutical use.

Lancerio also established a classification of wines according to different social classes: ”moscatello” was ideal for innkeepers and “boozers”; “Greco della Torre”, which soon became dark, was good for servants but not for major prelates; “Terracina red” was perfect for notaries and copyists; “Mangiaguerra di Napoli” was dangerous for the clergy but ideal for “instigating courtesans to lust”.

The analysis of Italian and foreign wines

Lancerio praised Italian wines and also gave an opinion on foreign ones, for example, on Spanish wines which he does not consider very good because too strong. Of course, he thought French wines were excellent, even if in his opinion they resented too much of their original territory, especially Provencal wine. Naturally, Italian wines are on top of the list: Malvasia, Greco d’Ischia, Nobile di Montepulciano and Vernaccia di San Gimignano. Lancerio gives a very good opinion on this Tuscan wine. In 1541 he asked San Gimignano municipality an amount of eighty flasks, complaining about the fact that in the area they gave so much importance to art and sciences, but not enough to the excellent quality of their wines. This is one of the many remarks we can find in his interesting work.

(Pictures: above, Sante Lancerio; below, plate with Farnese family coat of arms)