Shovel Wine. 



185 



but hear that the grape vine Fidia 

 (figured in Ma}- number, 1869) is 

 completely destroj'ing the foliage, and 

 even the fruit, of some vineyards in 

 the neighbourhood of Hei'mann. AYe 

 have seen some berries punctured by 

 the Grape Curculio, but i.ot to any 

 alarming extent. 



We have great faith in the recu- 

 perative qualities of the vine, and 

 therefore hope that even those vine- 



yards, which have been so severely' 

 visited by hail, will partially recover, 

 and yield to their owners, if not a 

 full crop, at least a partial one, 

 to compensate them for their 

 labor. 



Will not our readers favor us with 

 their reports ? From what we have 

 been able to learn so far, we think the 

 crop, on an average, will yet be a fair 

 one. — Editor. 



SHOVEL WmE. 



''Under this name, a wine has lately 

 been introduced from Lothringin, 

 which has been much lauded in 

 European Journals, and which took 

 several first premiums at Paris. The 

 method to produce this reallj' exquis- 

 ite beverage is very simple. The 

 grapes, after they are madhed are 

 thrown into a shallow vat, and are 

 then incessantly worked -with iron 

 shovels for 24 hours, from which pro- 

 cess it derives its name. Fermenta- 

 tion, which has so far been suspended 

 or disturbed^ then sets in with great 

 violence and rapidity, and as soon as 

 the husks have settled, the juice can 

 be put into casks, when it is treated 

 as usual. The pure product of this 

 process is not only one third bottoi', 

 but also has the exquisite boquet and 

 development of wine several yeai-s old, 

 so that the vintner can at once sell it, 

 and realize his capital from it, instead 

 of v.-aiting several j-ears. The only 

 draw back to the so produced wines 

 is that small quantities lose their fine 

 boquet if kept in a warm room, which 

 they regain, however, if placed in a 



cool cellar. This could perhaps be 

 obviated by the discovery of Pasteur, 

 who heats the wine, by which process 

 it will not even sour, when exposed to 

 air. The shovelling could be done by 

 machinery, to save unnecessary 

 labor. Will our grape growers 

 try it '/" 



[One of our subscribers sends us the 

 above, clipped from the New York 

 Belletristic Journal, and wishes to 

 have our opinion of it. We think it is 

 " air treatment" in another shape, and 

 eventually tends to the same purpose, 

 and similar results, as Mr. D'Heureu- 

 se's process, namel}- to bring every 

 part and particle of the must and 

 grapes into contact with air, thus 

 inducing rapid and thorough fermenta- 

 tion, and thereby hastening the ma- 

 turity of the wine. As the D'Heu- 

 reuse process is much more simple and 

 convenient, we prefer it, especially as 

 the contact with iron shovels is 

 avoided, which can not be to the 

 advantage of the wine, and it is much 

 less laborious. — Editor.] 



