22 



pretty nearly definite proportion-:, f^aj from twenty to twenty- 

 five parts of sugar, seventy-five parts of water, and five parts 

 of acid, mucilage, etc. Our native grapes both wild and culti- 

 vated contain -a small amount of sugar, (wild grapes the least) 

 and they also contain an excess of acid (wild grapes the mo 4.) 

 Producers of Avine must study the character of the variety of 

 grapes they use in the manufacture of wine. The juice of wild 

 grapes must be largely diluted with water, and treated to a 

 considerable addition of sugar, nearly equal to one hundred 

 per cent of the former, and from twenty to twenty-five per cent 

 of the latter. It will be necessary to add more or less water 

 to a certain amount of grape juice, according to the amount of 

 acid they must contain. • 



I have stated that other ingredients enter into the composi- 

 tion of wine. I may as well speak of them here, l)efore giving 

 the best methods of making wine in detail. First, a coloring 

 principle. This exists in the skins or peelings of grapes. 

 White wines are made by expressing the juice of grapes and 

 immediately putting it on ferment, without allowing it to stand 

 and digest the skins, and thereby absorb the coloring principle. 

 The opposite course is taken in the manufacture of all colored 

 wines. The pomace is allowed to stand until the rich colors, 

 purple and claret, contained in the grape skins, are thorouglily 

 extracted and incorporated with the juice. So also in the Sec- 

 (md place, the Odoriferous principle or aroma, also contained in 

 the skins of grapes is extracted in the same way by allowing 

 the skins to infuse for a season in the must before it is ex- 

 pressed from the pomace. Third, Tannin, or the astringent 

 tonic principle. This is contained in the stems and seeds of 

 grapes. It is that which gives to port and some other foreign 

 wines their peculiar astringent taste, and renders them valua- 

 ble as medicines. This principle is imparted to wine by bruis- 

 ing or grinding the stems and seeds of grapes, and allowing 

 them to steep in the grape juice. 



