294: THE MANUFACTURE OF WINE. 



arises from too small a quantity of the fruit being used, and of 

 course too much sugar and water. On this account, and from 

 the imperfect fermentation, these wines are usually too sweet ; 

 and from a natural bad flavor in the husks, which are often kept 

 in the must, a mawkish taste is introduced. By increasing the 

 quantity of the fruit, which is generally used only in the same 

 proportion as in gooseberry wine, and avoiding the use of the 

 husks, the flavor and quality of the wine are materially im 

 proved. 



At present only sweet wines are generally made from cur 

 rants ; but dry wines may also be fabricated from this fruit by 

 the method already pointed out ; for these the fruit should be 

 ripe. 



Brisk wine may also be made, and then a proportion of unripe 

 fruit should be introduced. The use of tartar, likewise, Dr. 

 MacColloch is of opinion, would be advantageous, and would 

 correct a defect not uncommon, that of having an ammoniacal 

 taste. Another improvement has been put in practice with 

 success, not only in making currant wine, but in all those wines 

 produced from fruits of which the flavor is either bad or which 

 have little or no flavor ; this is by boiling the fruit juice pre 

 viously to fermentation. From this treatment many tasteless 

 fruits acquire a flavor, and many bad flavors are converted into 

 agreeable ones. This is particularly remarkable in the case of 

 the black currant, which, though harsh in its natural state, 

 acquires by boiling a powerful and to most persons an agreeable 

 flavor. Wine made from this fruit in a raw state has no par 

 ticular property, whereas that of the boiled may be, by careful 

 management, brought to resemble some of the best of the sweet 

 Cape wines. The boiling must not be too long continued, as 

 this degree of heat tends to coagulate and precipitate the fer 

 ment, and thus render it ineffective. Some artificial ferment is 

 generally necessary with boiled juice. Great care must be taken 

 in separating the stalks, and if the skins and solid matter are 

 fermented in the vat, they must not, at all events,, be introduced 

 into the casks. Many persons put the pure juice into the casks 

 at once, strained, without any previous fermentation in the vat. 



