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It is interesting that they started with Staph infection and apparently the tincture actually used well known antimicrobial agents. (Including copper and zinc ions leeched from brass using alcohol.) I'd suspect it resulted as a stepwise "common sense" combination of reagents improved over time. The interesting part is how they figured out a way to digest and emulsify garlic using oxgall specifically, as this part was not known in antiquity unlike both garlic and infused wine properties.
Just because it was "medieval" doesn't mean that it didn't involve some method on it, or that it wasn't tested and the best results were reproduced for different patients.

I even think that "method" developed not because someone was sitting still with nothing to do, but exactly because some people succeeded and others didn't, and so something in the actions (or in the thinking) of the successful ones was a key to success.