330 GRAPE CULTURE AND 



sugar, has a superabundance of acid and tannin, The first 

 is rather sluggish in fermentation, the last ferments easily and 

 quickly. Here would be a case for successful blending, and 

 there is no question that about one-third of Burger, added to 

 two-thirds of Chauche Gris, will make a better wine than 

 each by itself. But then a difficulty presents itself in their 

 different times of ripening. The Chauche is medium early, 

 and the Burger late in ripening; and even the Chauche 

 ought not to get dead ripe, but be taken when it shows about 

 25 B., when the Burger ought to hang until fully ripe, at 

 least a month later. We can, therefore, not ferment them 

 together, but must make the wine of each separate, when the 

 proper time comes, when each will give us a perfect product, 

 or as near perfection as the two grapes will yield, and then 

 mix them after fermentation. Now let us suppose another, 

 Marsanne and Burger. Here we have a case which we can 

 blend in the fermenting vat, because they ripen at the same 

 time; or Marsanne and Herbemont, or Marsanne and Clair- 

 ette Blanche. All ripen late, Marsanne is very full and 

 smooth, lacking acid, with decided and very full flavor; the 

 others are sprightly, with rather superabundance of acid and 

 tannin. Each by itself will make a desirable wine, but fer- 

 mented together with something like one-half Marsanne and 

 one-half of Herbemont and Clairette, or two-thirds Marsanne, 

 and one-third Burger, will in most seasons produce a nearly 

 perfect wine; and "go through" quickly. 



Another case in point. Refosco or " Crabbs Black Bur- 

 gundy," as it is better known, has fine color, plenty of acid 

 and sugar, fine bouquet, but is rather defective in tannin. 

 Grosse Blaue, or Koelner, has little bouquet, but superabun- 

 dance of tannin. They ripen at the same time, therefore can 

 be blended in the fermenting vat. Very likely two thirds of 

 the first, and one third of the latter would make a successful 

 blend. But the exact proportions will have to be determined 



