252 AMERICAN GRAPE GROWING 



1 



FOB BED WINES. 



The whites of eggs are the best fining for red wines. 

 The albumen in them coagulates by the action of the 

 alcohol and tannin, and forms a precipitate heavier than 

 the liquid, carrying with it as it falls the matters held 

 in suspension. Only strictly fresh eggs can be used, 

 and the yolks must be carefully kept out, as they dis- 

 color the wine. The whites of a dozen eggs are required 

 for each hundred gallons of wine, beaten thoroughly 

 with a small quantity of the wine. For sweet wines, 

 containing so little spirit that the finings will not act, 

 alcohol must be added. But such wines are rarely found 

 here, the deficiency, if any, being in tannin, and that in 

 white wines. This is supplied by adding from half an 

 ounce to an ounce of tannin to every hundred gallons of 

 wine. Dissolve one-half pound of tannin in a quart of 

 strong alcohol, by shaking it thoroughly ; let it stand 

 twenty-four hours, then strain through a cloth. One 

 gill of the solution contains about one ounce of tannic 

 acid. After the finings have been prepared as above, 

 two or three gallons are drawn from the bunghole 

 of the cask of wine to be treated, and added to the 

 finings, and the whole well mixed. The mixing may be 

 done by means of a stick split into several prongs, or a 

 wire or bristle brush. The mixture is then poured into 

 the cask until it is full, and left to rest until the wine is 

 bright, which will generally be in two or three weeks. 

 Just as soon as the wine is clear it should be racked off, 

 or it will acquire a bad taste. 



