AND WINE MAKING. 149 



white is made by simply pressing very lightly as soon as 

 the grapes are mashed, so as to drain off the first run of 

 the juice before it has acquired any color from the skins. 

 The husks are then thrown into the fermenting vat, 

 water and sugar added, and fermented several days ; then 

 pressed, and thus a red wine is produced. I must say that 

 I prefer the wine gained by fermenting, say 24 hours, 

 in a temperature of 65° to 80° on the husks, and all 

 pressed together. It generally contains all the ingredi- 

 ents in better proportions, while the white wine seldom 

 has the due proportion of acid and tannin, and the red 

 generally has an excess of acid, tannin, and flavor. Of 

 course the temperature has a great influence on fermen- 

 tation, as in warm weather it progresses much more 

 rapidly, and the pressing should be done sooner than in 

 cool weather. It is entirely optional with the wine-mak- 

 er what kind of wine he produces ; he can make it to suit 

 himself, and soon learns how to do it. The longer he 

 ferments his must, the more astringent and rough his 

 wine will be ; and the sooner and lighter he presses, the 

 less character will the wine acquire, though it will be 

 much more delicate and smooth. 



Before filling the casks they should be well prepared. 

 They should be perfectly clean and sweet without the 

 slightest mouldiness. If new, they should be steamed, or 

 filled with pure water, and allowed to soak for several 

 days, then emptied, and scalded with two or three gallons 

 of boiling wine. This quantity is for a cask of say 500 

 gallons. Or, if this is not convenient, put in, say a peck 

 of unslaked lime, and about five gallons of water, then 

 put in the bung and turn the cask about, so that all parts 

 of it are touched by the mixture. Then pour out the 

 lime water, and wash with water, then rinse with a de- 

 coction of vine leaves, or warm wine, or better still, pour 

 in a pint of pure alcohol or grape brandy, and light 

 it by a match. The fumes of the burning brandy 



