452 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO 1773. 



proprietor is the Prince Trautzon, an old man, at whose death indeed his estate 

 will escheat to the crown ; but many others of the German and Hungarian no- 

 bility have large vineyards at Tokay; most of the gentlemen in the neighbour- 

 hood have part of their estates there ; the Jesuits college at Ungwar has a con- 

 siderable share of the best wine; and besides these, there are many of the 

 peasants who have vineyards, which they hold of the queen, or other lords, by 

 paying a tithe of the annual produce. 



There is never any red wine made at Tokay, and, as far as he recollects, the 

 grapes are all white. The vintage is always as late as possible. It commonly 

 begins at the feast of St. Simon and Jude, October 28, sometimes as late as 

 St. Martin's, November 11. This is determined by the season, for they have 

 the grapes on the vines as long as the weather permits ; as the frosts, which from 

 the end of August are very keen during the nights, are thought to be of great 

 service to the wine. By this means it happens, that when the vintage begins, a 

 great many of the grapes are shrivelled, and have in some measure the appear- 

 ance of dried raisins. 



There are 4 sorts of wine made from the same grapes, which they distinguish 

 at Tokay by the names of Essence, Auspruch, Masslasch, and the common 

 wine. The process for making them is as follows. The half-dried and shrivelled 

 grapes, being carefully picked out from the others, are put into a perforated 

 vessel, where they remain as long as any juice runs ofF by the mere pressure of 

 their own weight. This is put into small casks, and is called the Essence. On 

 the grapes from which the essence has run off, is poured the expressed juice of 

 the others from which they had been picked, and then they tread them with 

 their feet. The liquor obtained in this manner stands to ferment during a day 

 or two, after which it is poured into small casks, which are kept in the air for 

 about a month, and afterwards put into the cellars. This is the Auspruch. 



The same process is again repeated, by the addition of more of the common 

 juice to the grapes which have already undergone the two former pressures, only 

 they are now also wrung with the hands, and this gives (he Masslasch. The 

 4th kind is made by taking all the grapes together at first, and submitting them 

 to the greatest pressure. It is chiefly prepared by the peasants, who have not a 

 sufficient quantity of grapes, and cannot afford the time and apparatus necessary 

 for making the different sorts. It is entirely consumed in the country, and forms 

 the common vin du pays. 



The Essence is thick, and never perfectly clear, very sweet and luscious. It 

 is chiefly used to mix with the other kinds, and when joined to the Masslasch, 

 forms a wine equally good with the Auspruch, and often sold for it. The Aus- 

 pruch is the wine commonly exported, and what is known in foreign countries 

 under the name of Tokay. The following are the best rules for judging of it; 



