CHAPTER XX. 



ODORIFEKOUS VOLATILE ALKALI OF WINCKLER. 



AEOMATIC wines contain, according to Winckler, 

 not only acids, and compounds of ethyl with acids, but 

 also a substance of an alkaline nature, to which he 

 principally ascribes their aroma. We find this sub- 

 stance mentioned in the Journ. de Pharm. torn, xxiii. 

 p. 374; and at p. 469 an extract is given from 

 "Winckler' s works, " Beitrage zur genauen kenntniss 

 der chemischen Constitution des Weines, Landau, 

 1852." 



The matter may be shortly stated as follows : 



Winckler distilled off all the volatile substances of 

 wine, mixed the residue with water and unslaked 

 lime, and re-distilled it, taking care to have the 

 receivers well cooled. The volatile base which passes 

 over has a strong alkaline reaction, neutralizes acids, 

 and possesses, in a high degree, the smell of wine. 



By filtering the liquid which remained in the retort, 

 and saturating it with sulphuric acid, he obtained 

 from the distillation a volatile acid, which had a 

 very agreeable smell, and when mixed in right pro- 

 portion with the volatile base restores to it the vinous 

 aroma. 



