JOHANN CARL LEUCIIS ON WINES. 167 



pumped into troughs, wliich conduct tbe stream till it flows into 

 the bung-hole of the cask, by which process the whole volume of 

 wine becomes more thoroughly mixed. 



Here the wine is never carried in buckets, or poured from them 

 into the barrels, because, by exposure to the atmosphere, wines 

 made from the juice of rotten grapes would be turned into a brown 

 color, which discoloration, although it will partially disappear in 

 time, yet the body of the wine itself will, notwithstanding, be al- 

 ways of a darker tint than usual. 



During the first, second, and third years the valve-bungs are 

 affixed to the wine barrels. These are shaped like an ordinary 

 bung, but they have a small perforation through the centre, which 

 is closed up by the insertion of a cork, adjusted by a steel spring, 

 which apparatus affords a free escape for any evolution of gas. 



On the 17th, 18th, 19th, and 20th days of October, 1831, the 

 work of picking the grapes began( continuing from noon until four 

 P.M. On the southerly sites, where the grapes had become rot- 

 ten-ripe, the gathering of the balance was commenced on the 27th. 

 28th, 29th, and 30th of the same month, and was continued until 

 the 5th of the following November, when the picking was finish- 

 ed. On the 27th and 28th the two best vine3^ards were selected, 

 and their choice fruit picked separate and kept apart from the 

 rest. This work, although slow in being performed, paid for it- 

 self well ; for, after fermentation, the must remained as thick as 

 Malaga, and before the processes of making the wine were com- 

 pleted it sold for no less than 10,000 guilders the pipe, or $14 28 

 the gallon. 



The Cassel vineyard contains 63 morgens, the annual produce 

 of which is 25 pipes; each pipe contains 1300 bottles, worth 24,000 

 florins. In the year 1818 they raised 47, and in 1819 52 pipes 

 of wine. 



This wine contains a large proportion of spirit, and is verv 

 palatable. It ranks in quality with the best wines extant. It is 

 made from the Riesling grape. These grapes are left to ripen 

 thoroughl}^, and not until the wine is a year old is it drawn off 

 the lees. 



The following years have produced good vintages ; 1794, 1802. 

 1804, 1811, and 1822. In 1819 the price per bottle of first class 

 wine was four florins, of second class three, and of third class one 

 and a half. At Hochheim (one hour's ride from Ma3^ence) the 

 vines grow on an elevated table-land, which verges toward the 

 main, and covers an area of 1200 morgens. Its site is exposed 

 fully to the sun, but has little protection from the north winds : 

 and it is, therefore, to the vicinity of the river that this wine owes 

 its excellence. 



The price of one morgen (a little over half an acre) of vineyard 

 near Mayence is 2000 florins ; toward the centre of the heights, 

 1000 ; and on the tops, 500 florins. The most preferable locality 



