172 GR.\JPE CULTURE AND WINE-MAKING. 



rated with small holes. When the fermentation commences, a 

 tube shaped like a bended leg is fitted into the bung-hole perfectly 

 air-tight, the larger end being inserted therein, and the taper end 

 plunged a few inches deep into a vessel of water. Many people 

 iill these vessels with must instead of water, and every two hours 

 empty their contents into the barrel, for the purpose of adding 

 to the must therein the spirit which has been absorbed by the 

 must in the external vessel. When the rapid effervescence sub- 

 sides the tubes are removed, and a bung is placed sideways over 

 ' the vent ; and when there is no longer any sound of effervescence 

 emitted, the barrels are filled quite full, and the bung driven in 

 tight. From this period the barrels continue to be replenished 

 every fortnight until the first drawing-oflf takes place, which is at 

 the end of February or the beginning of March ; the barrels are 

 then again refilled, and the operation is repeated at the stated in- 

 tervals until the time of the second drawing off, which takes place 

 a short time previous to the blossoming of the vines. 



All Rheinwines are completely fermented, and are, therefore, 

 a little tart. They are valued especially for the gayety and buoy- 

 ancy of spirit which they impart by reason of the etherial rapid- 

 ity with which they pervade the system more than any other 

 wine ; and while they exhilarate the frame, they do not molest 

 the head. Age improves them more and more. Of all wines, 

 their good qualities are the most difficult to counterfeit, though a 

 wine very similar to the Rhenish can be manipulated from the 

 French by the following recipe : Three parts sugar, one part cream 

 of tartar, three parts good brandy, to which add of wine lees 

 enough to create a good fermentation. 



To make Rhcinwinc artificially out of sugar or fruit, much acid 

 matter must be added by the use of cream of tartar, or, what is 

 better, tartaric acid. The proportions of these ingredients will be 

 as follows: Of acid, an excess; of saccharine matter, a minimum; 

 and of wine lees, a sufficient quantity to induce thoroughly the 

 fermentative process. 



The most certain way of obtaining genuine wines is for the 

 purchasers to pay a visit to the wine countries themselves; when 

 there they will be sure to obtain the most genuine and excellent 

 productions of the respective districts. All the best vintages arc 

 chiefly in the hands of owners, who rarely sell a single barrel, 

 but they put their whole crops up at auction, or dispose of them 

 in the gross by private sale to foreign wine-merchants. 



The stranger, however, will every where readily find an agent 

 at hand, who knows perfectly well every cellar in the place and 

 its owner, together with his weak points and his private affairs. 

 Through such an agent great bargains can be obtained of the 

 choicest wines at a much cheaper rate and of a purer quality 

 than can ever be procured from foreign winc-mcrchants. Wine 

 can also be purchased to great advantage of the wine-merchants 



