58 VITIS, OR 



Then ferment it as above for green grape wine. If a 

 sweet wine is desired, more sugar is required, and the 

 termentation must be stopped by racking in sulphured 

 casks • 



33. There are many ways to procure the juice of ripe 

 grapes. Mashing is the most ancient, and as yet, the 

 most usual. Tliis is done for common and cheap wines 

 by trampling the grapes under naked feet over the 

 boards ol the vats, where they are heaped, by walking- 

 and dancing over Ihem. Although this antique process 

 appears not very clean, yet it is not more unclean than 

 kneading the bread dough with the hands, and besides 

 the fermentaton purifies the juice completely. 



34. But for the best or valuable wines, the grapes are 

 mashed by rollers in a trough, or a peculiar press with a 

 circular trough. Juicy grapes are very easily mashed j 

 tlie hard or tough grapes even require but little pres- 

 sure, and nothing like apples for cider. Our fox grapes 

 with tough pulp, require rather to be left standing after 

 bruising or mashing, so as to allow the pulp to dissolve, 

 before the juice is extracted. 



S5. In no case are the seeds to be bruised, else the 

 wine will be rough and harsh : thus any hard pressure 

 that might mash the seeds and husks is to be avoided. 

 AVhen the seeds fall in the vats, and are allowed to re- 

 main there during the fermentation, they impart an aus- 

 tere taste to the wine. It is therefore essential to avoid 

 seeds, husks, and peduncles, in making delicate wines, 

 unless we wish to imitate Port wine. This may be done 

 by straining. 



36. Commonly fifteen pounds of grapes ought to afford 

 one gallon of Must, and 5 gallons of Must ought to give 

 4 gallons of wine, after fermenting, settling, and fining. 

 But juicy grapes give more, and tough grapes less, thus 

 trom 12 to 18lbs. of grapes may give a gallon of Must. 



37. A deficient Must may be mended by the rules 

 already stated. It is then ^ that sugar, water, brandy, 

 lime, scented substances, &c. may be introduced to ad- 

 vantage before fenuentation, so as to incorporate well, 

 which can never be done after it. 



38. Sugar is not the leaven of wine, as often errone- 

 ously supposed, but the parent of strength and alcohol, 



