CHAPTEE XIII. 



FEEE ACIDS IN WINE, 



acids are found in all, even in sweet wines, 

 and in larger quantities than one might be disposed 

 to expect. In almost every case the free acids are 

 more or less masked by sugar. 



Under the term "free acids," I include the acid 

 equivalent of cream of tartar and other soluble bitar- 

 trates found in wine, besides such acids as are quite 

 uncombined, such as tartaric, malic, and acetic, and the 

 insignificant amount of free tannic acid. 



Flavour alone will not lead us to any just con- 

 clusions as to the amount of free acids in the wine, 

 since a much smaller quantity is often found in acid 

 wines, than in sweet ones, where the larger pro- 

 portion of sugar conceals the free acids. In such a 

 case, and, indeed, as a rule, the presence of a con- 

 siderable quantity of free acid in any kind of wine 

 with a proportionate amount of sugar, very materially 

 improves the flavour of the wine. 



To determine the quantity of free acid contained in 

 wine is of sufficient importance for us now ; we shall, 

 therefore, reserve to a later period the question as to 



B 



