108 CELLABI3S-Q. 



still further ; the concentration of the wine, or rather, 

 the diminution of water, which is continually replaced 

 by wine, causes a constant increase of tartaric acid in 

 the wine. Wines which are poor in sugar may easily 

 become too sour, and all wines cannot, therefore, 

 undergo this process. The quantity of tartar in the 

 wine is not increased, for, being insoluble in alcohol, 

 the continual increase of alcohol precipitates it. That 

 which is increased is tartaric acid, which is soluble in 

 alcohol, and not insoluble cream of tartar. Madeira, 

 and such like wines, are sent to warm countries to 

 improve. I have had Madeira, which had been seveii 

 times (in cask) to the East Indies and back, and truly 

 such nectar was unknown to the gods of the ancients. 

 The drier the atmosphere is which surrounds the 

 casks, the greater will be the evaporation. To avoid 

 this, care must be taken to prevent draughts, and to 

 keep the air of the wine stores or cellars moist. 



The larger the casks, the smaller will be the sur- 

 face in proportion to the contents. The observation 

 has been made with respect to Sauterne wine, that 

 whilst in casks containing 200 quarts, the evaporation 

 = ^th ; in casks holding 4716 quarts, the evaporation 

 only amounted to 2%th.* In order to replace regu- 

 larly the wine which is lost from the cask by evapora- 

 tion, it has been recommended to fill a bottle with 

 wine, render it air-tight, place it with its neck down 



* Sidiel in Dingler's Polyt. Journ. Bel. 89, s. 320. 



