206 



The Grape Culturist. 



stance whatever was added to this wine 

 in any stage of the process. It was 

 entirely pure and sound. I did not test 

 its keeping qualities, as it was in high 

 demand, and soon consumed by my 

 guests, or sold to friends in Nashville. 

 The credit of it is due to a German 

 vigneron named John Zimmerman, who 

 lived with me three years. 



I hope it will be understood that I 

 allude to this trifle merely to establish 

 the veracity of the Ohio viticulturists in 

 saying that good Catawba grapes do 

 not need sugar nor spirits. Since that 

 time other varieties have been found 

 equally strong in saccharine matter, or 

 intleed stronger, from which wines are 

 constantly made without aid of foreign 

 matter. 



These constitute the wine grapes 

 proper, and this kind of wine is the 

 standard of excellence at which all 

 should aim. 



But sugar is nevertheless used to a 

 very great extent. We may suspect 

 that gallizing is far more practiced than 

 aknowledged. Some, like Mr. Husmaun, 

 acknowledge and defend it ; others de- 

 nounce and practice it. Some refuse 

 to sanction it by word or deed. I do 

 not wish here to enter into the question 

 of its propriety. I may be allowed the 

 opinion, however, that gallized wines 

 are far better than no wines at all, and 

 where, from bad seasons, the must is 

 defective, it is far better to assist na- 

 ture than to throw the must away, or 

 distil it into alcohol, or convert it to 

 vinegar. There is nothing unwholesome 

 in sugar, nor pure alcohol, in limited 

 quantities. Bat I contend that pure 

 wines are possible, and plentifully pro- 

 duced ; and that they are better thaii 



gallized wines, and should be aimed at 

 by viticulturists, mainly if not exclu- 

 sively, and that the distinction between 

 pure (ii:k the sense of being unaided) 

 and gallized wines should be kept up, 

 so that men may know what they are 

 buying or drinking. 



To return to Mr. Longworth. At 

 the time of your visit he was extensive- 

 sively engaged in the manufacture of 

 sparkling Catawba, which is confess- 

 edly a manufactured wine. It was 

 never pretended that it was pure. Hock 

 cand}^ is the principal addition, an in- 

 nocent substance enough, and abso- 

 lutely necessary to reconcile the Amer- 

 ican palate to native wines at all. 

 They would not have been introduced, 

 outside the German and French popu- 

 lation, without it. Americans, inherit- 

 ing the English taste for the heavy, 

 sweetish wines of the South of Europe, 

 would never have taken to dry catawba 

 unsweetened. The taste for pure wine 

 must be educated. Hence, Mr. Long- 

 worth and other early wine makers 

 were driven to the manufacture of 

 sparkling wines, with rock candy. 

 Hence, the boxes. The}^ prove noth- 

 ing with regard to the purity or impu- 

 rit}' of still catawba, or wine proper. 

 All sparkling wines are artificial com- 

 binations of pure wine, sugar and 

 gasses. If yoi will allow me the in- 

 dul'icnce of a prejudice, they are simply 

 abominatious for a healthy wine drinker. 

 But if, by drluding our people into the 

 idea that th-y had something as good 

 as their favorite champagne (which, by 

 the way, is a grand mistake) they have 

 gradually paved the way for the still, 

 dry wine?, they may have served a 

 valuable end. 



