166 On the different Qualilies of JVives. 



3. The different nature of the soils. 



4. Their more or less favourable exposure to the sun. 



5. The seasons being more or less pro[)itious, 



6. The culture being more or less attended to. 



There can be no doubt, but that alt these causes produce 

 considerable influence upon the nature of the grape, which 

 in its turn influences the product of the vinous fermenta- 

 tion. But the manner in which this opeiation is conducted, 

 contributes also to impart to the wine certain qualities which 

 render it more or less esteemed. Of this I treated in the 

 former memoir, and proceed now to the method of preserv- 

 ing the wine, after it has been poured into the cask. 



2. Of the Methods employed for preserving and ameliorating 

 Wines. 

 The juice of the {jrape being converted into a vinous li- 

 quor by fermentation' in the vat is put into casks, where it 

 undergoes a new elaboration, which renders the liquor tur- 

 bid, and reproduces in it a slight tumultuous motion, which 

 is called the insensible or secondary fermentation. This 

 intestine motion is to be encouraged or moderated, accord- 

 ing as the wine drawn from the vat contains an excess of 

 sugar or of ferment. In ihe first case, if we do not wish 

 to have a sweet wine, it will be requisite to permit the in- 

 sensible fermentation to go on, in order to convert the sugar 

 into alcohol, whereby the wine will become stronger; in 

 the second case, on the contrary, the insensible fermenta- 

 tion should be speedily stopped, lest the wine should be 

 converted into vinegar. This is to be effected either by 

 removing the sediment and scum, and clarifying the liquor, 

 so as to extract all the ferment it contains, or by adding to 

 the liquor some sugar, for the fermentation to act upon, 

 which will give a degree of strength to the wine which it 

 "would not have possessed without this management. While 

 the secondary fermentation is going on in the cask, thcfe is 

 disengaged a great quantity of carbonic acid gas, and there 

 runs over from the buughole a considerable quantity of 

 scum, wi)ich renders it necessary to add more wine; and 

 this operation must be repealed until the fermentation has 

 entirely ceased. The cask is then generally bunged up 

 with care, and no further thought taken of the wine until 

 it is fit for use. The liquor, when left at rest, very soon 

 throws down all that is not completely dissolved in it, and 

 even a portion of the tartar, whence results a sediment, 

 known under the name of lees ov freces, which is usually 

 separated from the wine; for this sedimcni acts upon it in 



the 



