78 ON THE ART OF MAKING WINE. 



for the purpose of diluting, and thus diminishing 

 the proportions of those saline matters, which 

 would otherwise confer on the wine a degree of 

 harshness, difficult to overcome. 



As it is impossible to give positive rules to meet 

 the infinitely varying and undefinable degree of 

 maturity, in which the grape must often be used, 

 and as such rules would in fact but tend to mis- 

 lead, I shall content myself with laying down 

 some general principles, as I have done on former 

 occasions, leaving the application to the ingenuity 

 and observation of the operator. 



If the object be to produce a wine which shall 

 resemble Champagne, or the white wines of Bour- 

 deux, a small proportion of crude grape, will be 

 required. Grapes barely half grown, require, for 

 the production of wines of this class, to be used in 

 the proportion of equality to water. If they are 

 more grown, the proportion may be increased ; if 

 less, it may be diminished. If the intention be to 

 make a wine resembling Hock, the proportion of 

 grapes must be materially increased, and the wine 

 at first harsh, austere, and not drinkable when 

 new, will, by a few years residence in the cask, 

 undergo that amelioration which time alone can 

 give. To the proportions which I have described, 

 varying quantities of sugar may be applied. A 

 proportion of two pounds in the gallon of mixture, 

 will yield a very light wine, of no great durabili- 

 ty, resembling (under the proper treatment), 



