Dr]i Wines and thrir Tnafnient. 089 



by letting some Sliiraz or other red grape riptni to over maturitv, 

 and at tlio time of fermentation reducing the sugar strongtli by tlic 

 addition of Doradillo or some other characterless grape of con- 

 spicuously low sugar str(>ngth. The addition of water for this 

 purpose is contrary to tlic N'^ictorian "Wine Adulteration Act. 



The too acid wine loses its acidity as it matures^ and when blended 

 with the new specially prepar(>d wine only a year in age is lost, an<l 

 the wine will become marketable, whik^ otherwise it mav l)e 

 impossible to find a liuyer for it. 



BiTTEUNESS. 



There are two separate and distinct types of bitterness, one 

 .owing to too long contact with the skins, and the other due to 

 disease. In the first case the bitterness is due to an excess of tannin, 

 and is easily remedied by fining by some gelatinous substance which 

 will precipitate this excess of tannin in the form of an insoluble 

 tanuate. In the second case the wine must be pasteurised and th(ni 

 fined, wlien the germs of the disease will be jirecipitated witli (lie 

 finings. 



S'i'lilNOY Wjn'es. 



In some districts of Victoria, J'ed wines which are quite palatable 

 up to 12 months of age gradually acqiiire a taste of string, lose 

 their body, become thin, astringent, and characterless. This arises 

 from the defective composition of the wine in the first instance through 

 there being a want of tannin, body, and often alcohol. The remedy is 

 an addition of tannin at the commencement of fermentation, and at first 

 racking the wine should be fortified to 26 per cent. These wines 

 when blended with the fuller and fruitier wines of the Murray 

 district become readily suitable for ex]iort. 



MousJivij;>s, 



Often wines, otherwise sound, acquire a sickening aftertaste thiit 

 can only be likened to the taste of the smell of the mouse. Occasion- 

 ally this flavour appears qtiite suddenly and disappears after sulphuring, 

 but as a rule there is no remedy for a wine badly affected and which 

 is only fit for the still. Where there is danger of this taint, the 

 wines must be cleared as soon as possible and never racked in contact 

 with the air, and if possible pasteurised. The Avriter has experi- 

 mented with the pasteurisation of wines sliglitly mousy with good 

 results only in the case of wines not previously oxidised. The cause 

 is probably a diastasic action in connection with the albuminous 

 substances in the wine, which is accentuated l)y any over aeration 

 or neglect. 



MOULLUNESS. 



It is only a questiou of degree when a mouldy wine can or cannot 

 be made marketable. If the fiavour is pronounced, the common 

 treatment by oil is practically of no avail apart from the costliness of 

 the process. If the taint is only very slight a fining with at least 



