AND WINE MAKING. 289 



were not choice or fine wines. Their culture should 

 therefore be entirely abandoned, except, perhaps, for 

 liqueur wines, and even for these, I think we now have 

 better varieties. 



I have already alluded to picking each variety at its 

 proper time. This should be done when the grape is 

 ripe enough, but not too ripe. This time is when it con- 

 tains sugar enough to make a wine varying from eleven 

 to twelve per cent, of alcohol, or when the sacharometer 

 indicates from twenty-two to twenty-five Balling, and 

 from three and a half to four and a half pro mille acid. 

 It will then make a lively and pleasant wine, agreeable to 

 the palate, and of good bouquet, as wines deficient in 

 acid cannot develop bouquet. This will necessitate some 

 experimenting with the different varieties, but a little 

 practice with the tonguewill soon enable any man of or- 

 dinary intelligence to make a close guess, and the instru- 

 ments will determine positively. No doubt we can also 

 derive great benefit from blending different varieties of 

 grapes ; for instance, the Zinfandel has flavor and a 

 sprightly acid, but is rather thin in color and taste. 

 The Lenoir will, I think, supply both of these deficien- 

 cies, and I hope still more from Norton's Virginia and 

 Cynthiana. Each locality will have its own special varie- 

 ties in future, which it will produce in the greatest per- 

 fection, and which are suited to its soil and climate. It 

 is generally believed that the southern part of the State 

 will not make as good light, dry wines as the north, 

 while it will excel in the heavy, sweet wines. While I 

 concede the latter as the natural consequence of a longer, 

 and warmer season, which will develop more sugar and 

 body, I am not at all sure of the former. On a recent 

 visit to the south, I found some excellent dry wines 

 made from the Burger and Blaue Elben, by Mr. Rose 

 and others, and also some very fine wines made from 

 mixed white grapes in several cellars, also very fair clar- 

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