But concerning the manufacture of scented wine, Phanias of Eresus says, “There is infused into the wine one portion of sea-water to fifty of wine, and that becomes scented wine.” And again he says, “Scented wine is made stronger of young than of old vines;” and he subjoins, “Having trodden on the unripe grapes they put the wine away, and it becomes scented.” But Theophrastus says, that “the wine at Thasos, which is given in the prytaneum, is wonderfully delicious; for it is well seasoned; for they knead up dough with honey, and put that into the earthen jars; so that the wine receives fragrance from itself, and sweetness from the honey.” And he proceeds to say, “If any one mixes harsh wine which has no smell with soft and fragrant wine, such, for instance, as the Heraclean wine with that of Erythræ, softness is derived from the one, and wholesomeness from the other.” And the Myrtite or Myrrhine wine is spoken of by Posidippus:—
A tasteless, dry, and foolish wineHermes, too, is mentioned by Strattis as the name of a drink. And Chæreas says, that a wine is made in Babylon which is called nectar. The bard of Ceos says—
I consider the myrrhine.
'Tis not enough to mix your wine with taste,
Unless sweet converse seasons the repast;
And Bacchus' gifts well such regard deserve,
That we should e'en the stones of grapes preserve.
