and on the Making of Wine. 131 



The examination of casks or other vessels, previous to 

 being used for the vintage. 



Constant attention to keeping casks filled, particularly 

 when the wines are new. Putting fresh rags to the bung at 

 each filling, as, from the evaporation which had taken place 

 previous to each re-filling, the rag will have become dry 

 and sour. 



Neglecting to keep casks constantly full not only subjects 

 the wine to deterioration, but is of considerable loss to the 

 owner, by the progressive increase of evaporation propor- 

 tioned to the space of liquid exposed to the air; further, the 

 confined air in any vessel not kept full, admits a disengage- 

 ment of the spirituous parts of the wine, which become 

 vitiated and immediately generate acidity, which at first i; com- 

 municated to the surface of the fluid, and shortly after to the 

 whole mass. 



Wines cannot too frequently be drawn or racked off, and 

 thereby freed from impurities which must otherwise prove 

 detrimental. There are periods of the year at which this ope- 

 ration becomes absolutely necessary, even to wines of a certain 

 age, viz. : — When the vine begins to shoot, — when the vine 

 blossoms, — when the grapes begin to ripen, — and when the 

 fermentation of the grape takes place, at which periods a fer- 

 mentation more or less sensible is always observable. I have 

 noticed much improvement in wine, if in the operation of 

 racking it be allowed to pass through a blanket or baize, 

 being thereby gradually cleansed of much dirt, without actual 

 fining, which latter operation always tends in some degree to 

 weaken it. 



The use of good brandies for mixing - with wines, is of the 

 utmost importance. The article generally known by the name 

 of Cape Brandy, ought never to be used, even for washing 

 the casks preparatory to the reception of wines ; it is a spirit 

 possessing every quality but that one likely to improve them ; 

 its empyreumatic qualities must alone condemn its uses. It 

 cannor be expected that the Cape should produce brandies 

 from the distillation of putrid husks, stalks, and lees, of a 

 quality proper for wines, when even France with every effort 

 that art can devise in the use of machinery for distillation, 

 has not succeeded in producing from such materials a spirit 

 entirely free from a smoky, burnt, and empyreumatic taste, — 

 this is a fact acknowledged by all French authors who have 

 ted on distillation. 



Cape Town, fl 



