CHAPTEE III. 



CLEARING OF WINE. 



THE clearing of wine, as well as the frequent trans- 

 fer of young wine into other casks, is undertaken with 

 the view of removing all the sediment in which albu- 

 minous matters may still occur. As far as the de- 

 composition of the wine is concerned, it is immaterial 

 whether the sediment has deposited itself, or still 

 floats in the wine ; whatever can contribute to pro- 

 mote after-fermentation must be removed, as long 

 as there is sugar enough to cause new fermentation 

 in spite of the quantity of alcohol already formed ; 

 for should any such fermenting matters remain in 

 the wine, they would tend to the production of 

 another chemical change. The wine which is ren- 

 dered turbid by the ingredients of ferment is not 

 durable. New wines must therefore be treated until 

 they become as clear as if they had been filtered. 



There is another reason for undertaking the clari- 

 fying of wine, which concerns the alteration of its 

 colour, and is practised upon red wines. Light-co- 

 loured wines are preferred, and albumen and isinglass 

 are added, which, as well from their insolubility in 

 alcohol, as from their combining with tannic acid, 



