48 THE GRAPE. 



dates from the vintage. The grapes used for the 

 better kinds of wine are picked over again afterwards. 



When the grapes and stalks are all pressed and 

 allowed to ferment together, it is generally necessary 

 that the fruit should be ripe enough for the stalks to 

 look brown, the hard green stalks would spoil the 

 wine, though they are sometimes considered indis- 

 pensable in order to increase the quantity of tannic 

 acid. 



It is much to be wished with respect to every kind 

 of wine, in order to obtain uniform quality, that 

 grapes enough should be gathered in one day to fill 

 one or several vats of the same size with their juice. 

 It is well known that the course of fermentation 

 depends partly on the quantity of liquid set in fer- 

 mentation at once, that fermentation is generally 

 better and more equally developed in large than in 

 small quantities, and that the wines most prized by 

 the consumer cannot retain any constant properties. 

 These are facts which we admit without bestowing any 

 particular attention upon them. 



Let me make here two observations. The strength 

 and peculiarity of some wines may be explained by the 

 treatment to which the grapes are subjected before 

 pressing. Tokay wine, for instance, is prepared from 

 grapes which have been allowed not only to get over- 

 ripe, but to a certain extent to dry upon the vines ; 

 Vin de paille is obtained from grapes which have been 

 allowed to dry in the sun. In both cases water is 



