THE ART OF WINE MAKING. 223 



light or white cast. The savour was but slightly 

 marked by the taste of sugar, but was lively and 

 piquante, of a generous warm character, but 

 slightly gaseous, and a little sharp. In this con- 

 dition I sealed up the mouth of the vessel, plac- 

 ing it in a cool cellar, that the wine might ripen 

 by an insensible fermentation, during the suc- 

 ceeding winter. On the 17th of March, I found 

 on examination, that the wine was perfectly 

 clear and transparent. The residue of the sa- 

 vour of sugar had dispersed, and none of the 

 acid character remained. The wine was that of 

 a strong full grape, possessing a taste agreeable 

 and pleasant, but without a decided flavour or 

 perfume, as the immature grape, known among 

 the profession as the verjuice, possesses no odour- 

 ous principle, nor rectifying force. In fine, this 

 wine, which though quite new, will improve 

 greatly by the insensible fermentation, and pro- 

 mises to become from age a soft and agreeable 

 liquor. 



Drawing the wine from the fermenting tub. 

 Decuvage. 



INASMUCH as the spirituous fermentation quick- 

 ly degenerates, and settles into the vinous fer- 

 mentation, it becomes important to give to the 

 process at this moment a careful and attentive 

 observation. 



