310 SUBSTANCES FOUND TO POSSESS 



How now is oenanthic acid produced in wines in 

 process of formation ? 



The existence of this acid, not only in the fusel oil 

 of wine but also in that of moutwyn and potato 

 spirit, dissipates every idea of its being present in 

 grape-juice. But it is possible that this acid is formed 

 from a fat existing in the juice, skins, or stones of the 

 grape, and also in potato flour and moutwyn. This 

 is the more probable, as margaric acid, C 34 H 34 O 4 , 

 exists in all fusel oil, even in that of wine. It is 

 known that sugar gives rise to fats. Wax is partially 

 formed from grape sugar (honey) ; animals which get 

 nothing but starch without fat, starch which passes 

 into sugar, are thus furnished with fat, as was proved 

 ^Jby infallible experiments a few years ago. Avequin 

 found a kind of wax (cerosine) on the sugar-cane, 

 when there was much fat.there was proportionably 

 less sugar. The white wax upon purple grapes and 

 plums is fat, and it is formed from sugar of the 

 fruit. 



The origin of oenanthic acid might be accounted for 

 by either of these causes, but which is the real one ? 

 This is a question which cannot be immediately 

 answered. Fat exists in the grape-juice, and more 

 especially in the stones (p. 44). Much fat is not 

 required to originate the odoriferous substances 

 found in wine, and the fat of the grape stones is more 

 than sufficient to furnish the fatty acids necessary for 

 the ethyl and methyl compound in wine. There is 



