222 GRAPE CULTURE AND WINE-MAKING. 



lime ; if it is gypsum, it will be indicated by tlic smell of rotten 

 eggs. 



Frequently the wines contain mixtures of water, alcohol, sugar, 

 honey, or a decoction of grapes or raisins. These are not detri- 

 mental to the health if the wine, after being mixed with them, 

 has been allowed to remain quietly for some time, until a perfect 

 combination has taken place. Wines of heavier body want two 

 to three years, lighter ones a shorter period, but may be acceler- 

 ated by warm cellars. 



It is said that a mixture of sugar may be detected in a wine, if 

 made shortly before, by turning an opened bottle of it over into a 

 tumbler half filled with water. If it contains a sugar solution, 

 this will transfer itself to the water and sweeten it. If the wine 

 is sweet by nature, this is not the case. 



Also the mixture of alcohol is indicated in this way : that if 

 the wine is distilled, the alcohol changes already at 200° Fahr., 

 while the natural alcohol will not before 212° Fahr, 



The adulterations of the red wines are the most common. They 

 are even frequently entirely fabricated in an artificial manner. 

 The artificial coloring is generally in use even in the most renown- 

 ed wine districts. For instance, Bordeaux imports yearly many 

 thousands of dollars' worth of whortleberries solely for this pur- 

 pose. Besides these. Brazil-wood is extensively used, the berries 

 of the elder-tree, red beets, and flower of mallows. 



According to Mr.Vogel, the natural red wine gives a greenish- 

 gray sediment, that colored by elder-flowers and Brazil-wood an 

 indigo-blue, by red beets a red sediment. An application of lime- 

 water colors natural red wines yellowish-brown ; those colored by 

 Brazil-wood it changes into a reddish-brown ; those by whortle- 

 berries and elder-flowers into green ; those by red beets into a 

 yellowish-white, but again into red by adding an acid. 



An astringent taste is artificially given to the red wines by oak- 

 wood-shavings or walnut-shells. In England they have a fashion 

 of shaking a bottle with a decoction of Brazil-wood and cream of 

 tartar to crystallize on its sides, in order to give artificial red wines 

 the appearance of natural ones. The lower end of the cork stop- 

 per is also colored red. 



Very common is a mixture of the grape wine with apple wine 

 (cider). If it be good it can do no harm whatever, and is not eas- 

 ily recognizable. 



