22 



the varieties of Sheny ought to have names whereby to dis- 

 tinguish them (as a few of them have), but the difficulty would be 

 to find names for such a numerous family. Montilla is a white 

 Wine from the interior of Spain, of a light dry character. 



Wine is always undergoing change, getting better or worse. 

 Wines of a geod vintage, rich in saccharine, develop strength (or 

 alchohol) as they grow older, but Wines of a poor vintage are 

 weak from the first, and will not keep many yeara. All Wines 

 may be overkept, but the best vintages keep the longest. It 

 follows, therefore, that increased age does not always improve 

 Wine. Age is not equivalent to good quahty, and if Wine does 

 not possess this in its youth, it will not acquire it by being kept. 

 Every Wine after it has reached its climax of excellence, enters 

 upon its period of decadence, which may be slow or rapid in its 

 progress. 



Wines require occasionally to be fortified or strengthened by 

 the addition of spirit (which should be made from grapes, and not 

 potato or any other " evil spirit.") This should not be regarded 

 as an adulteration, but as a preservative (as salt is to meat) since 

 Wine is a perishable article of food, and may spoil by neglect of 

 proper treatment. Wine is sometimes over fortified ; this is 

 injurious to the Wine Merchant, as well as to the consumer. So 

 called " Natural " Wines are such as have no spirit (or very httle) 

 added to them ; but the term is misleading, if people suppose 

 from it that the making of Wine can be safely left to nature, as 

 good Wine would thus become Vinegar, and all Wines require to be 

 carefidly watched and treated according to their progress. 



The development of Wine is much affected by the treatment 

 it receives, how many rackings it undergoes, but especially whether 

 it is allowed to mature in wood or bottle. The right time for 

 bottling a Wine is generally when it is about three years' old. 

 Vintages light in character may be bottled earlier, whereas very 

 frill-bodied Wine may be bottled somewhat later. 



The condition of Wine (by which is understood its brilliancy 

 or the reverse) is a matter of great importance when it is to be 

 drunk, or tasted ; it may be taken as an axiom that Wiae that is 

 not bright to the eye is not right to the taste. It follows, there- 

 fore, that if a Wine tastes well when in bad condition, it wiU 

 taste still better when bright. It is the object of the Wine 

 Alerchant, after he has selected a Wine, to get it into good con- 



