GRAPE VINES. 57 



27. The thin skin grapes require peculiar care in 

 handling. Our native grapes have ali a thick skin, and 

 require little care. Tokay and some other delicate wines, 

 are made with grapes so soft as to drop their juice by 

 their mere weight. All wines thus made without mash- 

 ing, were called Protopion by the ancient Greeks ; they 

 are the very best. 



28. Must and wine are made not only with ripe grapes, 

 but also with unripe ones, also shrivelled or over ripe 

 ones from the vines, grapes kept on straw, scalded or 

 half dried grapes, nay, even with raisins and vine leaves. 

 Very different wines are thus made. 



29. Green and unripe grapes make dry light wines, 

 similar to Champaigne, Hock, Rhenish, Moselle, and* 

 Graves. Their elements are similar to currants and 

 gooseberries, composed of pure acid and extract, but de- 

 ficient in sugar, wliich must be added, else their Must is 

 nothing but verjuice. All our acid wild grapes, sour 

 even when ripe, have a similar juice, and may make a 

 red dry wine with sugar. 



30. The due proportion is 40lbs. of fruit to 5 gallons 

 of water, added by degrees while mashing. Then add 

 SOlbs. of sugar, half a pound of crude tartar, the whole 

 should make 10 gallons of Must at least. Keep 12 

 hours, strain, put in a tub or vat, cover with a blanket 

 and boards, keep two days, put next in casks with a 

 vent hole and peg. Decant in December, fine it several 

 times, and bottle in March. If too sweet, ferment again 

 before fining by exposure to air and heat upon the lees. 



31. All grapes shrivelled or OA'^er ripe make good strong 

 wines often sweet. Some grapes thus used, produce 

 very valuable wines, but the quantity is always less. 

 They never require addition of sugar. Raisin wine is 

 seldom made, although many good sweet wines can be 

 made with them. Raisins must be scalded, pressed, and 

 the juice treated as common Must. 



32. The wine of vine leaves and tendrils is altogether 

 artificial : it is brisk like Champaigne. The process is 

 to infuse lOOlbs. of leaves and tendrils for 24 hours in 

 16 gallons of water, poured boiling hot over them. Press 

 them twice very hard, add to the juice 50lbs. of sugar, 

 and water sufficient to make up 20 gallons of Must. 



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