THE ART OP WINE MAKING. 239 



the taste of the cask, that of mould or must, with 

 others of the like character. 



It is not always practicable to correct the for- 

 mer, but it may be greatly lessened by means 

 which render the wine a tolerable beverage. 

 The best method is, to draw it from the cask, as 

 clear as can be effected, by avoiding carefully 

 all movement from which the vessel may be 

 agitated. It is the practice of some vintners, to 

 mix such wines with others that are sound and 

 of strong body. When such mixture becomes 

 complete, it is allowed a few days to repose, then 

 carefully transvased, and put into a cask recently 

 emptied of its contents; or it is frequently de- 

 posited on sound lees, and the cask containing it 

 rolled backward and forward in the vault. It is 

 prudent to abstain by all means from the use of 

 lime water or carbonic acid. 



" It is contended by some skilful vintners," 

 says Mr. P. " that in transvasing the wines into a 

 cask in good condition, well prepared by a fumi- 

 gation of sulphur, and to which has been added 

 a few ounces of peach kernels, it is possible to 

 correct the unpleasant flavour arising from mould. 

 It is the opinion of others, that to take the fruit 

 called medlars, fully ripe, cutting them into quar- 

 ters, running through them a strong twine to 

 keep them together, and throwing them into the 

 wine, where they should remain a month, at the 

 expiration of which time they should be with- 

 drawn, will produce a favourable effect in res- 

 toring an unsound wine. It is 'believed that this 

 fruit possesses the quality of absorbing the un- 

 pleasant taste imparted by the accumulation of 



