ADULTEEATION OF WINE. 359 



been added, examination by chemical methods is im- 

 possible, unless the limits by which the composition of 

 a particular kind of wine are regulated have been over- 

 stepped. The attenuation which the addition of water 

 causes all the ingredients of wine (alcohol excepted) to 

 suffer, can never be sufficient to allow of a perceptible 

 chemical difference between them and those in un- 

 diluted wine ; if it were so, taste would decide the 

 matter, for we have said that a certain variety exists 

 in the amount of different constituents common to 

 wines of the same character, and we have shown this 

 in detail in respect of 4 wines ; Port, Madeira, Tene- 

 riffe, and Ehine (p. 165). 



Experienced wine tasters find, however, a great 

 difference if water and alcohol have been mixed. In 

 this case it may easily happen that all the non- volatile 

 components sink below the minimum of what is 

 usually found in genuine wine of the same kind. 



"With respect to these two additions (alcohol and 

 water), I may just observe that in order to determine 

 their presence, comparison with a normal wine of the 

 same kind is necessary, and that not only with respect 

 to the quantity of alcohol, but also of the non-volatile 

 ingredients. Such an analysis must therefore include, 

 a determination of the specific gravity of the wine, of 

 the specific gravity of the wine freed from spirit and 

 restored to its original volume by means of water, of 

 the alcoholic contents (the other two estimates serve to 

 determine this, p. 159) evaporation of the wine, and 



