THE ART OF WINE MAKING. 237 



the blossom drops, and again when the grape 

 commences'to change to purple. These different 

 periods bring with them their several unfavour- 

 able accompaniments, in which we may often 

 remark a perceptible degeneration in wines of a 

 light and feeble character, or which have receiv- 

 ed but little attention in their management and 

 conservation. A sudden change of temperature 

 during warm weather, is often sufficient to aci- 

 dify those wines, which, from their unfavourable 

 situation in vaults injudiciously constructed, are 

 exposed to such an evil. " In countries," says 

 Chaptal, "where wines possess an extraordinary 

 value, and where, as a consequence, avarice 

 frequently induces an admixture of the wines 

 of an inferior 'vintage, with those of a more 

 favourable season, it has been remarked that the 

 first appearance of the acid degeneration is de- 

 tected on the surface of the liquid contained in 

 the cask, whence it descends from time to time, 

 as the change goes on, till it has affected the 

 whole mass." As soon as this is perceived, it is 

 the practice of our most experienced vintners 

 immediately to draw off the wine from the lower 

 part of the cask, so as to separate the sound wine 

 below from that which is thus affected above. 

 In doing this, it is hardly necessary to add, that 

 a great degree of care will be required not to 

 agitate the wine, so as to mix the wine of the su- 

 perior surface with the sound wine below. By 

 this simple, yet effective means, it is apparent, 

 that the moment the change is threatened, it 

 is easy to rescue a large portion of the contents 

 of the cask from the effects of the malady. It 



