and the Method of making Wines, 265 



^incs; and befides, by facilitating the ferinentntion, they 

 concur to effect a more complete decompofition of the muft, 

 and to produce all the alcohol it is fufccptiblc of yielding. 



Without wandering from the fubjcct in quellion, we may 

 confidcr wines alfo under two points of vicwy according to 

 the ufes to which they are applied. They are all employed ci- 

 ther as a heverag-e or for diftillation. In the former, qualities 

 are required which would be ufelefs in the iecond. Talle, 

 which forms almoft the whole merit of the one, adds no- 

 thing to the qualities of the other. Thus, when wine is 

 deftincd to be diftilled, it is neceffary to pay attention only 

 to the means of developing a great deal of alcohol : it is of 

 little importance whether the liquor be tart or not ; in this 

 cafe, to free the grapes from the Oalks would be loll labour. 

 But if wine is prepared for a beverage, it is then necelTary 

 to give it an agreeable taftc and a delicate flavour, and for 

 this purpofe, care muft be taken to avoid every thing that 

 may alter thefc valuable qualities. On this account, there- 

 fore, it is neccflary to withdraw the ftalks from the fer* 

 mentation, to pick the grapes, and to clean tkem with 

 care. 



It is, probably, in confequence of a knowledge of thcfe 

 effcAs, which experience every day places before the eyes of 

 the agriculturift, rather than from caprice or habit, that in 

 certain countries tire grapes are freed from the ftalks, and 

 that this procefs is omitted in others. To attempt to re* 

 duce the whole to one general method would be (bowing 

 ignorance of the effecls produced by the ftalks in fermenta- 

 tion, and of the difference which exifts in the various qua- 

 lities of the grapes. In the fouth, where the wine is natu- 

 rally generous, the ftalks would only add a dilagreeable 

 harflinels to a liquor already too ftrong by its nature. AH 

 the grapes, therefore, deftincd to form wines for the table, 

 are freed from the ftalks, while thofe deftined for diftillation 

 are fermented with them. But what may appear aftoniftiinj:^ 

 is, that in different parts of tlie fame canton in France, we 

 fee fome agriculturifts free their grapes irom the ftalks, and 

 extol their method, while others in the neighbourhood, 

 equallv (kilftjl, reje<il this pru'-Vice, and endcavuiir to fnp-. 

 Vol. IX. LI port 



