If 8 On the different Qualities of Wines. 



fermented; it is known by a ropy, milky, whitish sediment, 

 and the wine then presents a kind of oily appearance, 

 No particular management is requisite to cure this; it is 

 generally sutlicient to leave the wuie to itself during a sea-f 

 son or two, when for the most part, the wine recovers. 

 Exposure in a warm place, or the addition of some sugary 

 substance, will hasten the cure; the same thing will. hap- 

 pen if the ropv wine is mixed with some good wine newly 

 made. 



The fermentesciblc principle appears to be the source of 

 this degeneration; from its not having been completely 

 decomposed durinii the fermentation, a great deal of it is 

 dissolved in the vinous liquor, after the entire decomposi- 

 tion ol- the sugar. And a» tins principle may be afterwards 

 separated fn^m the liquor liy a variety of causes, M. Chaptal 

 imagines, that it is this separation which gives that oily 

 appfaranre to the wine 1 have been describing. 



Of the spontaneous Acescency of lyines. — This takes 

 place most freq'.ieiitlv in very weak wines, especially at three 

 particular periods of the vear, when these liquors are in the 

 greatest siate of fermentation, viz. when the vine is bud- 

 ding, at the lime of its blossoming, and at the time of 

 vintage, it is, therefore, to the presence of the ferment 

 this deterioration is owing, especially when its action is 

 assisted by air and heat. I ha»'e already s^aid, that this ac- 

 tion sometimes proceeds so far as to induce the acetous fer- 

 rneniation. The prevention of this feriTitntation demands 

 the most particular attention, and therefore, all the causes 

 which give rise to it are to be carefully avoided. Unfor- 

 tunately our efforts are not always successful, and we can 

 only arrest the fermentation, or neutralize the acid. For 

 the former purpose, M. Chaptal recommends evaporated 

 must, honey, or liquorice, to be dissolved iu the tart wine. 

 '1 hese not only correct the sour taste by replacing it with 

 sweetness, but also reproduce the spirituous fermentation 

 by supplyinc; the saccharine principle for the remaining fer- 

 ment to act upon. The wme merchants possess a multi- 

 tude of receipts for neutralizing the acid in wines; they are 

 chiefly composed of salifiable bases, such as potass, lime, 

 and even lilharsje. These methods, however, but imper- 

 fectly answer the purpose, and some of them are attended 

 with no little danger. 



3. Of a fusty Taste in Wines. 



This arises from two causes; the first is, when the wine 

 is kept in a cask made of decayed or worm-eaten wood ; 



the 



