PROCEEDINGS OF THE FARMERS* CLUB. Ill 



in sufficient quantities to prevent the wine undergoing the acetic 

 fermentation instead of the vinous ; and then we had vinegar 

 instead of wine — unless we added sugar, which produces as we 

 said before, rum and juice instead of pure wine. Grape sugar 

 and cane sugar are chemically different, therefore we conclude 

 the alcohol produced by the fermentation of the two is different. 

 Although chemists cannot or do not tell us in what the difference 

 consists, yet we know that they act differently upon the human 

 system. A grape to make wine that is palatable, and that will 

 keep, must contain sugar enough to produce a certain amount of 

 alcohol ; but not in such quantities as we get in our imported 

 trash, or in wines made from our poor sour grapes, with sugar 

 added. None of the best pure light wines of Europe are ever 

 imported, for the very reason that they will not bear a sea voyage 

 unless they are recharged with alcohol. We have been so accus- 

 tomed to sweet wines, and sweet drinks of all kinds, that we do 

 not appreciate a pure wine if it is a little sour, as most of the 

 pure wines which contain but a small per cent, of alcohol are. 

 The acid of wines is tartaric acid mostly, and therefore compaar- 

 tively healthy. The preservative qualities are alcohol and tannic 

 acid, with a small quantity of malic acid. Sometimes, when 

 there is not sugar enough to produce alcohol sufficiently to pre- 

 serve the wine and a sour wine is not objectionable, the juice is 

 fermented with the stems and seeds, so as to extract more of the 

 tannic acid which is mainly derived from these. The wines 

 made in hot climates are more alcoholic than those of colder 

 countries ; and when we get grapes here that will make 

 wine that is sweet enough for our tastes, or our tastes become 

 modified or cultivated so that we can appreciate a pure wine, 

 then we may rest assured that this latitude of the United States 

 will produce as pure and healthy wines as any other country of 

 the globe. Now, the question arises, shall we ever produce such 

 wines ? Certainly. We have done so already, and we hope to 

 prove to you to-day that good wines are not only being made, 

 but will continue to be made every year, showing a marked im- 

 provement in their quality. In substantiation of this assertion, 

 we shall offer for the inspection and taste of the members of the 

 club some wine made by John E. Mottier, of Cincinnati, Ohio, 

 who has been a wine producer for more than twenty years ; and^ 

 from the appearance of his vine-yards and wine-cellars, one would 

 expect nothing but pure juice of the grape, as everything aboiii 



