Ancient and Modern Wine

[Julilla]

Hi Julilla,
Since were on the subject, I've seen some objects used for mixing the wine. Since these had strainers in them, my guess is that they were infusing(?) the drink with other things just prior to serving. If so, what could it be? Or is the strainer to catch any bits of pitch that get poured out?

Yes sir, you are on the right track! Did you know that Romans had over 300 names for all the wine vessels, pots, beakers and other vessels for wine? :!:

The wine was usually carried in for large drinking parties, or commissatio, in 26-litre amphorae. After it was opened, the wine was scooped out with a long spoon called a trulla. (Here's a link to a picture of one). The wine was then filtred through a sieve, or column, both to catch the sediments and other impurities from the amphora, and also possibly to add flavour, or even perfume: myrtle oil was popular.

Here are a couple of recipes for flavouring your wine:

Absinthe
Take spices for Camerinian wine, if you have no wormwood. Otherwise, 27g cleaned and chopped wormwood, 1 date, 7 g mastic, 7 g aromatic leaves, 7 g costum, 3g saffron, 10 litres good wine. Charcoal against bitterness is not required.
-- Apicius, 3

Rose Wine

Rose wine is made like this: lace rose petals, with the white part removed, on a thread and immerse in wine for seven days. Then remove the petals from the wine and put in new rose petals in, laced in the same manner. Do the same thing a third time and remove the petals. Sieve the wine and when you want to drink it, add honey to get rose wine. Be sure to use only the best roses and ensure they are free from dew. You can make violet wine in a similar way. Again, flavour with honey.
--Apicius 4

For those concerned about using wormwood, there's an interesting set of FAQS from the Wormwood Society.