IIOCIIIIEIM, STEINBERG, AND JOIIANNISBERG. G3 



pressed down whenever the stems or seeds show themselves on 

 the top. 



This mode of fermenting for several hours is not adopted with 

 blue grapes; it is onl}-- used for white grapes, and for making white 

 wine from them. To make white wine from blue grapes, jou 

 must not ferment them, for that will immediately color it. 



The grapes, having fermented for the above-mentioned time, 

 are put in a mass and pressed. In a good year, that is, when the 

 grapes are perfectly ripe and almost raisins, the second or last run 

 makes the best wine. When the grapes are not wholly ripe, the 

 first run, or first pressed juice is thought to make the best wine. 

 The reasons given for this are, that when the grapes are ripened 

 to raisins they contain but little juice, and it is only extracted by 

 a very powerful pressure, and this pressure only comes at the 

 end ; but when the grapes are full, and retain all their fluid, the 

 first pressure gives the finest juice, as after it the pressure becomes 

 greater and crushes the seeds and stems, which then discharge 

 some of their bitter contents, which injures the wine. In the first 

 instance, when the grapes are almost raisins, the stones or seeds 

 are also crushed, but they are dry, and are totally void of juice. 



The juice is then run into barrels, in the cellar, of one stiick 

 (250 gallons) each. These barrels, of course, are only in small 

 vineyards, as in larger ones tuns, containing from two to five 

 thousand gallons, are employed. These vessels, large or small, once 

 fihed, remain for a time covered with a clean rag on the bung- 

 hole. They remain thus until March, when they are drawn ofii" 

 into clean barrels. These barrels, if possible, are sulphured a day 

 before being used. If there is a deficiency of barrels, those must 

 be employed which have already been used, but only after having 

 been thoroughly washed and sulphured. The first year the wine 

 is drawn off into new barrels four or five times. It is first drawn 

 off four or five weeks after it is put into barrels, then in two 

 months after, then in three, then in four. In the second year 

 twice will be sufiacient ; in the third year, once ; then once in two 

 years ; and after that it may remain in the same barrel until it is 

 bottled. The greatest care should be taken never to leave a va- 

 cant space in any barrel holding wine. As our host quaintly 

 said, " You should sooner forget to kiss your wife on returning 

 home than to leave a vacancy in your barrel." 



When any barrels are empty, immediately wash them out thor- 

 oughly ; for each barrel take a sulphur strip, one inch wide and 



