WINES. 



325 



per cent. 5 volatile acids, acetic, cenauthic, &c., constituting oiie-fourtli 

 to one-third of the total acidity ; aldehyde, compound ethers, together 

 with the other fragrant, indefinite constituents, which give the wine its 

 flavor and bouquet; carbonic acid gas in small quantities in young wines. 



The fixed matters are : Glucose or grape sugar in small quantities in 

 most wines ; bitartrate of potash, tartaric, malic, and phosphoric acid, 

 partly free and partly combined with potash, lime, soda, aluminum, 

 magnesium, iron, and manganese, of which salts phosphate of lime is 

 the most abundant, constituting from 20 to 60 per cent, of the weight 

 of the ash, the remainder being chiefly carbonate of potash resulting 

 from the calcination of the bitartrate, with a little sulphate and traces 

 of chlorides. Coloring matters : Pectin and analogous gummy matters; 

 tannin, 1 to 2 per cent, in red wines, mere traces only existing in white. 



The following table of the composition of French wines is taken from 

 Wurtz's Dictionnaire de chimie: 



Average composition cf French wines. 



4450 Mo. 13, pt. 3- 



