and ihe Method ofmgMng JVines, 1 25 



4. Scafons, — It is well known that the nature of the vine 

 varies according to the character of the feafon ; and its effciSU 

 may be naturally deduced from the principles we have efta- 

 blifhed in fpeaking of the influence of climate, foil, and ex- 

 pofure ; fince we have fliown how to afcertain what effefts 

 nioiftiire, cold, and heat, may have on the formation and 

 t^uality of the grapes. A cold and rainy feafon, indeed, in 

 a country naturally hot an,d dry, will prpduce on the grapes 

 the fame eife6l as a northern climate : this (late of the tem- 

 perature, by bringing together thefe climates, aflimilates and 

 identifies alJ the produdions of them. 



The vine is fond of warmth, and the grapes never come 

 to perfe6liqn but in dry foil expofed to the rays of an ardent 

 fun. When a rainy ye^r keeps the foil in a (late of conti- 

 nual humidity, and mjiintains a mpifl, cold temperature in 

 the atmofpherc, the grapes will acquire neither flavour nor 

 faccharine principles; and the wine they produce will be ne- 

 cefTarily abundant, vyeak, and infipid. Thefe kinds of wine 

 can be preferved with difficulty ; the fmall quantity of af- 

 cohol which they contain cannot fecure them from decom- 

 pofition, and the large proportion of extra6live matter in 

 thqm deterrpines movements which continually tend to 

 change their nature. Thefe wines turn eily, and fometime^ 

 four; but the fmall quantity of alcQ^iol they contain prevents 

 them from forming good vjnegar: they all contain a greait 

 deal of malic acid, as we {Iiall; prvve hereafter, and it is 

 this acid which gives them their peculiar tafte; an acidity 

 which is not acetous, and which forms, a more prevaihng 

 character in wines in proportion, as th^y are lefs fpiritous. 



The influence of the feafons on the vine is fo well knowa 

 in all countries where vineyards are planted, that, long before 

 the vintage, the nature of the wine mav be predi6led. In 

 general, when the feafon is cold, the wine is harfli, and has 

 a bad tafte; when rainy, it is abundant, weak, and not at all 

 fpiritous: it is therefore deflined for diftillation, at leaft in 

 the fouth of France, becaufq it would, be difagreeable to 

 ^rink, and difficult to be preferved. 



The rains which come on when the vintage approachea 

 ^rp ahvays the mpft dangQtops : the grapes then have neither 



time 



