DR. L. GALL ON IMPROVEMENTS IN WINE-MAKING. 251 



taVs ineihod,^^ is well understood, and, true cnougli, frequently ap- 

 plied in a very improper manner, I, liowcvcr, believe it to be 

 good poliey, in order to break down the misuses, to search into 

 and publish the results as much as possible. 



In a good season, and by the sun-heat of a warm summer, all 

 the dilFcrcnt elements of a grape necessary to form the taste of the 

 juice attain, as a rule, their perfection as well as the sugar, de- 

 pendent on site and soil of the vineyard. But if, in inferior 

 seasons, the perfection of the sugar in the grapes does not take 

 place, so it is with the other parts, and the acids originally con- 

 tained in the grapes remain predominant. Of those ingredients, 

 we only know the grape-sugar as sweetening and alcohol-forming 

 stuff; concerning the rest wc arc still greatly in the dark. If 

 we have no substitute for these, we know, at least, that the grape- 

 sugar may be replaced by an exactly similar artificial article ; and 

 although we may not be able to give by it a wine of a certain 

 known locality, with all its peculiar flavor, yet we may produce 

 a sweeter and more palatable article. 



Somewhat different it turns out in regard to red wines. These 

 contain usually less taste-forming parts, and these, in good sea- 

 sons, very like to those in inferior ones. But the sugar, and, 

 therefore, alcohol contents, as well as the sweetness of the wine, 

 are subject to remarkable changes. By adding the like quantity 

 of sugar in inferior seasons as in good ones, the results will alwaj^s 

 be an agreeable red wine. I produced from a must of the vint- 

 age of 1849, from a medium locality, at a weight of 86 degrees of 

 Oechsle's scale, by adding sugar up to 96 degrees, a very palata- 

 ble wine not inferior to that of 18-18. 



I will, however, here say that this addition of sugar should only 

 be carried up to the must standard of good seasons ; more ought 

 to be classed as adulteration. 



Professor Balling- {Die aUgemeine Galirungs-Ghemie, und die 

 Bereitung des Weines^ P^g, 1845) says : In inferior seasons and 

 localities we find usually the must with very little sugar contents ; 

 these, however, relatively larger of cream of tartar {WeiiisteirC) 

 and free acids. 



Such a must can be improved by adding the sugar that is nec- 

 essary for the production of a good wine. To do this, add to the 

 weak must so much grape-sugar as will be found necessary to 

 give it the desired concentration. By not using too much sugar, 

 the must contains sufiicient yeast (ferment) to effect the ferment- 

 ation perfectly, and it will produce a more durable wine and rich- 

 er in alcohol : 100 pounds of must of 14 per cent, by the saccha- 

 rometer (or 57° of Oechsle) require 7-| lbs. of dry artificial grape- 

 sugar (starch-sugar) ; this will give 107^ lbs. of must of 20 per 

 cent, saccharometer (83° Oechsle). The contents of cream of tar- 

 tar and free acids is in this way distributed in a larger quantity 

 of fluids, and their relative proportion in consequence lesser, and 

 the wine richer. 



