218 THE ART OF WINE MAKING. 



constitute the wines, giving to them their most 

 important force and body, is in general more 

 abundant, in proportion as the saccharine sub- 

 stances themselves most abound. The product 

 of the fermentation may be considered more or 

 less generous, by introducing into the wine ves- 

 sel a greater or less quantity of sugar. It is 

 hardly necessary to add, that this addition must 

 be judiciously made, and at the proper period. 

 We have before said on this subject sufficient 

 to establish the fact, that the wines considered as 

 the most perfect, are those resulting from a must, 

 the proportions of which, in their nature, do not 

 allow too long a retention on either the leaven 

 or sugar. It should however be here observed, 

 that the excess of the one, is not attended with 

 the same inconveniences as a superabundance of 

 the other. In effect, where the saccharine sub- 

 stance predominates, the wine is sweet, dilated 

 and feeble, and with little danger that it will 

 change ; whilst, on the contrary, where the leaven 

 has not evaporated and passed off, it continues to 

 agitate the mass, and so to act on the different 

 principles of the whole, as to expose it to an 

 acidity by which it will be injuriously changed. 

 The good effects resulting from the addition of 

 sugar, have long been disputed by Macquer, 

 who, from numerous experiments, appears to 

 doubt their favourable efficacy. " In the month 

 of October, 1776," says this chemist, "I procur- 

 ed from a garden of Paris, a sufficient quantity 

 of white grapes to make fifteen or twenty quarts 

 of wine. They, were refuse grapes. I chose the 

 fruit in a state of immaturity so unfavourable, 



