460 



described further on. Some grapes, like malbec, yield a wine 

 showing this defect in a more pronounce^ manner than others. 

 These grapes treat as indicted under the heading " Earthy taste." 



Heated taste is noticeable in wines which have been fermented 

 at too high a temperature. 



Low alcoholic strength, the produce of grapes having a must of 

 very low specific gravity and poor in sugar. Blending with a 

 stronger wine or light fortification will correct this defect. 



Deficient colour can be remedied by blending with a dark- 

 coloured wine. 



Dull-coloured Wines. Wines thus affected have a kind of 

 leaden colour, and, in the case of red wine, may even appear black. 

 Several causes bring about this trouble, viz. : Aeration of wine 

 containing iron, low acidity or excess in tannin of such wines, the 

 action on wine of new casks improperly seasoned, the fermenting of 

 grapes rotting from exposure to wet weather, the fermenting of over- 

 ripe grapes grown in particularly rich ground, the action of cold on 

 wines. Such wines require energetic treatment to bring back their 

 brilliancy and their normal colour. 



The following treatment has been found satisfactory : Add to 

 the wine quarter of a pound of common salt per 100 gallons ; fine 

 with fresh blood, with clots removed, half pint to every 100 gallons ; 

 this blood mix with a little wine and pour into the wine; by 

 means of the pump, inject air into the cask by continuous pumping 

 for an hour or two ; this will cause all the particles of substance in 

 the wine likely to blacken to do so ; after this, with the fining rod, 

 stir the wine up thoroughly, so as to cause the blood to thoroughly 

 mix with the wine ; then let it rest ; the fining will coagulate and 

 settle down into the cask, drawing along in its meshes every 

 particle of impurity which caused the dull colour ; rack after a 

 few days. It is sometimes desirable to run the wine through a 

 filter, not exposed to the action of the air. An addition of two to 

 three ounces of citric acid per 100 gallons of the wine is advisable. 



Putrid Decomposition. This defect is rare in Western Aus- 

 tralia, where the wines are rich in spirit and in tannin, two elements 

 which impart to the wine vigour and tone. Blending, fortification, 

 and a small addition of tannin remedy this defect to a certain 

 extent. 



Casky Taste. Wine run in old casks, left unused for a long 

 time, do sometimes contract an unpleasant, casky taste, which often 

 spoils their sale. The use of pure olive oil, well beaten into the 

 wine, and allowed to float over through the bunghole, has long been 

 recommended ; some have also advised the use of powdered 

 mustard, in doses of 4 to 6 ounces per 100 gallons, to be thoroughly 

 stirred into the wine, which is then allowed to rest for 24 hours. 

 Others have had good results from spent coffee (Hlb.), Florence oris 

 powder (loz. per 100 gallons), to be well stirred into the wine, which 

 rack after four or five davs. 



