WINE MAKING. 427 



ural one, or that obtained from the coloring 

 matter adjacent to and in the skin of the grape. 

 This is obtained by cuvage, or fermentation on 

 the skins. If the juice is pressed before fer- 

 menting in this way, the wine will be white, 

 no matter what the color of the grape may be. 



Fining or Clarifying. Wines, particularly 

 the dry, usually clarify themselves, the impuri- 

 ties gradually falling to the bottom when fer- 

 mentation ceases. Isinglass and other sub- 

 stances are used, but albumen or the whites of 

 eggs will answer the purpose well. The whites 

 of three or four eggs will usually be sufficient 

 for forty gallons ; some use more, but this num- 

 ber . is generally enough. The whites should 

 be " beaten up," mixed with some water or 

 wine, and poured in the cask, the wine being 

 well stirred up. It should be used, if at all, 

 after the second fermentation. 



Several preliminary operations should here 

 be noticed. 



Stemming. This is done by hand, or by 

 drawing the bunches through teeth attached 

 to a grooved board, the purpose of the grooves 

 being to convey to the tub the juice that flows 

 from the bruised berries. Stemming is so much 

 a matter of circumstance that no general rule 



