THE ART OF WINE MAKING. 233 



the action of which in floating through the mass 

 is to induce a constant tendency to acidity, by 

 which the wines are deprived of their delicacy 

 and flavour. 



It is to prevent this acid degeneration, that the 

 burning of sulphurated paper is used, the liquor 

 is impregnated with the vapour of sulphur. The 

 composition of sulphur matches, used in this pro- 

 cess, is different in the different wine countries. 



Some vintners of France melt down the sul- 

 phur, and plunge into the liquid brimstone broad 

 tape of cotton thread, or silk, till it be completely 

 coated with the sulphur, others mix with the sul- 

 phur, before submitting it to the action of the 

 fire, various aromatic substances. In our own 

 country also, there exists among skilful vintners, 

 a difference in the manner of using the matches 

 thus prepared. In some of the districts, the 

 match is suspended by an iron wire, and when 

 ignited, introduced by the bung hole into the 

 cask. When the combustion is complete, and 

 the cask charged with the sulphureous vapour 

 thus disengaged, the vessel is filled, and the bung 

 hole tightly closed. There are some again who 

 put two or three buckets of wine into the cask, 

 then set fire to the match, close up the bung 

 hole, and agitate and roll the cask to and fro, 

 with violence. This is again done when the 

 match is consumed, and repeated until the vessel 

 becomes completely charged with vapour. The 

 operation, in the first instance, causes the wine 

 to be thick and troubled; but finally it becomes 

 clear, and completely re-established. 



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