VINE. 



datum must be added the farther fact 

 that tlie mean heat of the cycle of 

 vegetation of the vine must be at 

 least 59^ Fahr., and that of the sum- 

 iner from 65 ' to 67 -^ Fahr. 



"As the quality of wine depends 

 mainly on the ripeness of the grapes, 

 the vmtage does not take place until 

 this is complete, or until there is 

 no longer any prospect of improve- 

 ment. 



" The must of the grape is procu- 

 red by treading and pressing the 

 fruit ; the juice is run into vats, and 

 the fermentation takes place in cel- 

 lars : different procedures, however, 

 are followed in different places. The 

 fermentation having subsided in the 

 larger vessels, the wine is drawn off 

 into smaller casks, which are care- 

 fully filled up from time to time, and 

 in which it is preserved. 



" Wine may be defective, especial- 

 ly by wanting strength and being too 

 acid. Sharp wine contains an ex- 

 cess of cream of tartar and free ve- 

 getable acids, and is always the prod- 

 uce of grapes which have not been 

 completely ripe. The deficiency of 

 strength is due to the same cause, 

 for it is well known that as the grape 

 ripens, its acids disapjiear andare re- 

 placed by sugar. This deficiency of 

 saccharine matter in the must is now 

 habitually supplied by the addition of 

 a quantity of artificial grape sugar, 

 prepared from starch. In warm coun- 

 tries, where the grape always ripens, 

 the quantity of tartar is small ; the 

 sugar then predominates greatly — 

 sometimes to such an extent that the 

 azotized substance of the must is in- 

 sufficient as a ferment, and it is then 

 that we have wines of too sweet a 

 flavour, such as those of Lunel and 

 of Frontignac. When these musts, 

 which are so rich in sugar, contain 

 the proper quantity of ferment, they 

 produce very strong wines, in which, 

 of course, the sweet flavour no long- 

 er predominates. Such are the dry 

 wines of southern vineyards, of which 

 that of Madeira may be taken as the 

 type. There are some wines which 

 participate at once in the properties 

 that distinguish the two varieties 



that I have mentioned, or that show 

 one of them in excess, according to 

 circumstances ; such are the wines 

 of Xeres, Alicant, and Malaga. Some 

 of these wines are what are called 

 boiled wines, that is to say, a por- 

 tion of the must, as it flows from the 

 press, is concentrated to a fourth or 

 a fifth of its original bulk by boiling ; 

 and this being added to the rest, the 

 strength of the resulting wine is in- 

 creased. Sometimes the concentra- 

 tion of the juice is effected by drying 

 the grapes partially. It is in this 

 way that the celebrated Hungarian 

 wine, called Tokay, is prepared ; the 

 clusters are left upon the vines after 

 they are ripe, and alternately exposed 

 to tlie cold of the night, which prob- 

 ably decomposes, to a certain extent, 

 the texture of the grapes, and to the 

 heat of the sun. They shrivel and 

 become partially dry. In this state 

 the grapes are subjected to pressure, 

 and a very sweet must, as may be 

 conceived, flows from them. In less 

 favourable climates, where the rains 

 of autumn prevent the drying of the 

 clusters upon the vine stocks, the 

 same thing is effected by laying the 

 bunches upon straw in open or well- 

 aired granaries or sheds. It is with 

 the must procured from grapes so 

 treated, that the sweet and often 

 strong wines, which are called vi/ts 

 dc paiUe, are obtained. Wines, when 

 stored in the cask, always deposite 

 with time a copious sediment, the 

 lees. This sediment, in which tar- 

 tar predominates, appears to be the 

 consequence of an increase in the 

 proportion of alcohol in the liquor. 

 The alcohol may increase from two 

 causes : first, by the fermentation 

 which, though nearly insensible, goes 

 on in most wines so long as there is 

 any sugar left unchanged ; and next, 

 from mere keeping. It is well known, 

 in fact, that wine put into the best 

 casks, and kept in a well-ventUated 

 cellar, loses a very perceptible quan- 

 tity by evaporation. It is found ne- 

 cessary to fill up the casks from time 

 to time. The loss has taken place 

 through the pores of the wood, in 

 virtue of an attraction exerted bc- 



831 



