118 [Assembly 



matter ; the grapes were then run through a pair of wooden cyl- 

 inders to crack the berries, and the liquid or must that run off 

 showed a specific gravity of 1,102, or 102 grades on the wine- 

 must scale. The wine fermented on the hulls about twenty-four 

 hours, which gave it its reddish color. The clear must was then 

 run off from the hulls and fermented in closed barrels, not entire- 

 ly filled, by running a tin tube through an air-tight set bung, one 

 end of the tube being six or eight inches from the fermenting 

 must, and the other end terminating in a vessel of water, through 

 which the carbonic gas escapes. Wine prepared in this way in 

 Germany is called Straw wine, and is highly prized. 



Specimen No. 2. The grapes were run through the grape-mill, 

 immediately after cutting, and the first run of must separated 

 from the pressings in order to obtain a wine free from astringency. 

 The fermentation was carried on in closed vessels. The must 

 showed a specific gravity of 1 ,095, or 95 grades on the must scale ; 

 and after fermentation a specific gravity of 0,992. Wine No. 2. was 

 more palatable than No/ 1 , in consequence of not having ferment- 

 ed on the hulls ; but No. 1 . requires two more years to bring its 

 full boquet out. No sugar or brandy was added to either speci- 

 men. We annex the report of the judges : 



A. C. 



Castle Garden, October 23, 1850. 



The committee on wine have examined the samples of the 

 vintage of 1848, made by Mr. L. Rehfuss, of Cincinnati, Ohio, 

 from the Catawba grape, and have found it wine of good quality, 

 and with suitable age and full maturity promises to be of very 

 fine quality. 



CHARLES H. HALL, 

 EDWARD BOKER, 

 WILLIAM NIBLO, 

 GILBERT DAVIS, 



Committee. 



