i74 VITIS. No, 99 & 100. 



Th 



If a 



sweet wine is desired, more sugar is required, and the 



fermentation must be stopped by racking in sulphured 

 casks. 



S3, There are manj ways to procure the juice of ripe 



grapes. Mashing is the most ancient, and as yet, the 

 most usual. This is done for common and cheap wines 

 by trampling the grapes under naked feet over the 

 boards of the vats, where they are heaped, by walking 

 and dancing over them. Although this antique process 

 appears not very clean, yet it is not more unclean than 

 kneadin«: the bread dounrh with the hands, and besides 



the fermentation purifies the juice completely. 



34, But for the best or valuable wines, the grapes are 

 mashed by rollers in a trough, or ^ peculiar press with a 

 circular trough. Juicy grapes are very easdy mashed ; 

 the hard or tough grapes even require but little pres- 

 sure, and nothing like apples for cider. Our fox grapes 

 with tough pulp, require rather to be left standing after 

 bruising or mashing, so as to allow the pulp to dissolve, 

 before the juice is extracted. 



35. In no case are the seeds to be bruised, else the 

 wine will be rough and harsh : thus any hard pressure 



Ml 



be 



main there during the fermentation, they impart an aus- 

 tere taste to the wine. It is therefore essential to avoid 

 seeds, husks, and peduncles, in making delicate wines, 

 unless we wish to iaiitate Port wine. This may be done 

 by straining:. 



36. Commonly fifteen pounds of grapes ought to aiford 

 one gallon of Must, and 5 gallons of Must ought to give 

 4 gallons of wine, after fermenting, settling, and fining. 

 But juicy grapes give more, and tougli grapes less, thus 

 from 12 to ISlbs. uf grapes may give a gallon of Must. 



37, A deficient Must may be mended by the rules 

 already stated. It is then that sugar, water, brandy, 

 Hme, scented substances, &c. may be introduced to ad- 

 vant.'^'^e before fermentation, so as to incorporate well, 

 which can never be done after it. 



^ o^u- IS not the leaven of wine, as often errone- 

 ously supposed, but the parent of strength aud alcohol, 



