#1. With nouns of material used in a general sense, when a certain material as such is meant, no article is used.

Honey is wholesome.

On hearing what had happened, she (Katie) ran for warm water… (Voynich)

#2. When a definite part of the substance is meant (when the noun is modified by a particularizing attribute or is made definite by the situation), the definite article is used.

Pettinger gulped down a glass of the sherry which Cornelius had finally brought. (Heym)

The meat was good and White Fang was hungry. (London)

#3. When an indefinite part of the substance is meant, some is used.

We took some bread and cheese with us, and got some goat’s milk up there on the pasture. (Voynich)

Nouns of material denoting different sorts of material are countable and the articles are used according to the general use of articles with class nouns. This use is very rare.

A pleasure to give a good wine to a young woman who looked so well. (Galsworthy)