DR. L. GALL ON IMPROVEMENTS IN WINE-MAKING. 275 



IX. 



THE OCCUPATIONS IN THE PRESS-HOUSE. 



Here we have the task of transforming the grapes which we 

 receive from the vineyard into the most adapted state for produ- 

 cing wine. Three principal operations will be wanted to bring 

 the grapes to fermentation in either a crushed state, as "wcwA," 

 or their juice only as "must:" 



1. The picking off' the berries from their pedicles. 



2. The crushing of the grapes. 



3. The pressing^ which is either done before or after the fer- 

 mentation, to gain as much as possible of the wine, in the first in- 

 stance as "must," in the latter as "young wine." 



Dr. Gall says : I am of the opinion that the picking off of the 

 berries ought always to be done, if the skins and seeds are to share 

 the fermentation in the employment of a sugar and water addi- 

 tion. I also consider it prudent to allow the " combs" to ferment 

 only partially, and to draw off the young wines from the husks 

 not later than fourteen days after the main fermentation has set 

 in. Experience has shown that wines that had fermented with 

 the "combs" left when still green, kept, even for a year after, a 

 peculiar taste, owing, it seems, to a particular bitter, not easily 

 soluble matter therein contained, besides the usual tannic acid. 

 Many wine districts do not crush their grapes at all, but bring 

 them directly from the vineyard to the press. Under all circum- 

 stances, it seems, however, preferable, and especially recommend- 

 able if the crushed grapes are to ferment in closed vessels. 



The manner of crushing the berries differs a little in regard to 

 white and red ones, and according as one wants to produce only 

 juice wine, or also husk wine. We will here only consider the 

 management of the white grapes. 



The " crushing apparatus" [crusher], Fig. 9, page 273, is composed 

 of the " crushing-tub''^ A, of about 3 feet diameter and 20 inches 

 high, whose bottom is perforated by about 150 holes, each 2 inch- 

 es wide. These latter have to be burned out with a red-hot iron 

 to an upper width of 2^ inches, and a lower of 4. inches. The 

 tub rests upon two blocks (&, h) above the ^'- juice-tuV (B), upon 

 which, on both sides of tub A, foot-boards (o, c) are placed for the 

 man that has to crush the berries by the aid of a wooden pestle 

 (C), avoiding, however, as much as possible the breaking of the 

 seeds. 



If only the juice of the grapes is wanted, it needs but to bring 

 the vineyard into the receiving-tubs, and from these into the 

 crushing-tub, in such portions as are wanted. After the grapes 

 have been crushed, the husks are taken from the bottom and car- 

 ried to the press. The juice here produced is then put into the 



