Wine-making. 



GRAPE MANUAL. 



Wine-makiny. 7{> 



Fig. 105. 



Fig. 105 shows such a fermentii;g vat, A, im- 

 proved by the practical Oenolog, Antonio dal 

 Piaz. The cover d closes it airtight (with a rub- 

 ber ring) at the top of the vat," held with iron 

 hoolvs an, fastened to the bar ?*, and pressed down 

 to the cover d by the screw r. The perforated 

 wooden false bottom (^ is holding down the rising 

 mash (• by four supports / (two of which only are 

 shown in the cut). By a wooden faucet, i, the 

 must is to be drawn from the mash. 



At first the mashed grapes are put in the open 

 vat. filling it to within about 15 inches; then the 

 perforated false bottom is laid upon them and the 

 sticks / are placed erect thereon, supporting the 

 cover (?, which is to be finally pressed down by 

 the screw c, and a fermenting funnel (Fig. 102) or 

 bung is firmly placed on the top cover. If the 

 mashed grapes were not covered by the liquid, so 

 as to PROTECT them perfectly, after violent fer- 

 mentation, from any contact with the atmos- 

 phere, vinegar formation might set in. 



The fermenting bung or funnel is used the 

 same as in white wines, to exclude the air and 

 permit the escape of the caibonic acid gas. In 

 various wine countries somewhat different meth- 

 ods are in use. but in all and every one of them 

 success depends on a rapid, complete and unin- 

 terrupted fermentation, and this depends on the 

 temperalure of the fermenting room, which should 

 be kept at about 75° F. (18-20° R.) by artificial 

 heating if necessary. 



The further treatment of red wines is entirely 

 the same as that of white wines, and red wines are 

 generally nmch sooner ripe and finished if atflrst 

 well fermented ; but if this has not been well done, 

 its after fermentation and cure will be the more 

 difficult; such red wines will receive a disagree- 

 able sweetish-sour taste, and fining will sooner be 

 harmful than beneficial. 



BOTTLING 



wines is by far more diflicult and requires greater 

 care than is generally supposed. While a com- 

 pletely fermented wine will keep unchanged for 

 years if properly bottled, wines which are not 

 fully ripe for bottling will become turbid if pre- 

 maturely or improperly drawn into bottles, and it 

 is by no means sufficient that it be apparently 

 quite clear. Hence the small producer and con- 

 sumer had better not draw more of his wine in 

 bottles than may be sold or consumed before long. 

 A bottle half filled with wine, seemingly ever so 

 clear and sound, standing in a warm place, will 

 gradually transform the wine into vinegar, just 

 the same as if contained in a barrel or keg that is 

 not kept full to its bunghole. 



Every wine, not too rich in alcohol, if left for 

 several days at a warm place, without keeping the 

 the bottle, barrel or keg full to the cork or bung, 

 will form on its surface a white skin, film or veil, 

 similar to yeast cells (Mycoderma vini, Kahnenor 

 Kuhneu, Gcnnan), and if this white skin is not re- 

 moved soon it will render the wine flat and, grad- 

 ually, turn sour. Old wines are less exposed 

 to the formation of that fungous disease. It may 

 be removed by regularly and carefully filling up 

 such wine through a funnel, reaching down be- 

 low the white skin, so that the fungous veil, swim- 

 ming on the surface, may overflow, running out 

 through the open bunghole or bottle. To deaden 

 any little remnant of the '"Kulmen'" still remain- 

 ing in the vessel, a very small quantity of pure, 

 strong spirit may be used for the last filling. 

 More difficult it is to cure the formation of vine- 

 gar-fungi (Mycoderma aceti) ; if not far advanced 

 it is atte^npted by Pasteurizing (boiling) or by an 

 addition of salicylic acid, marble dust, oyster 

 shells, etc. ; but if far advanced you cannot do 

 better than to make good vinegar from it. Foi' 

 this purpose the diseased wine should be removed 

 from the cellar to the warm kitchen or garret, or 

 other warm place, and where it cannot contami- 

 nate your sound wines. But if the fermentation 

 of your must has been properly conducted, the 

 formation of a dry cover of the mash (hat) has 

 been prevented and your wine kept in clean pack- 

 ages, always refilled, and in a cool cellar, you will 

 hardly ever have any trouble with vinegar acidity. 



All wine-books contain more or less voluminous 

 instructions on various methods of improving the 

 must which is to be made from sour grapes gath- 

 ered during unfavorable seasons, and of curing 

 wines which have suffered either from defective 

 fermentation, or through errors or neglects in 

 their treatment. 



We do not pretend to condemn all these meth- 

 ods, as many others do; but while we consider it 

 justifiable that the producer endeavor to improve 

 his wine by the addition of pure sugar to the 

 must, if it has been insufficiently' developed in the 

 grape, or to add a little pure spirits to the wine to 

 make it more durable ; and while we cannot see 

 anything reprehensible in the fact that wine pro- 

 ducers will try to extract from the pressed husk 

 the large portion of wine-making properties 

 w'hich they slill contain, to make a verj^ good, 

 wholesome and cheap domestic wine, — especially 

 as the revenue laws make their distillation im- 

 practicable, — we do condemn the use of any and 

 all foreign deleterious substances, and of all 

 others, so-called, cellar mysteries. We would 

 also warn the inexperienced against the use of 

 any and all other attempts to improve or to add any- 



