A cupbearer is traditionally the person who fills the cups and serves the wine. In a medieval court (royal), the cupbearer brought his lord's ale or wine and tasted it to make sure it was not poisoned. The cupbearer was often a person of high rank. It was a distinct honor to be a cupbearer to a king. In the Bible, Nehemiah was cupbearer to the Artaxerxes I of Persia.