477 
Bitterish—. densely coloured wine, rich in tannin, like the 
malbee wine. (tenerally disappears after the first rackings 
and a fining. 
Earthy Taste is detected in the posterior part of the tongue; 
it is either due to the soil, the manures used, or the weeds 
infesting the vineyard, and is located chiefly in the skins. 
Prolonged maceration of the skins in the fermenting must 
develops it. Prompt fermentation and separation of the 
skins from the wine, rackings and maturing reduce it. 
Cooked Taste, as of caramel. Due either to the boiling down 
of the must, or by an over-ripening of the grapes in very 
hot weather. 
Mousey Taste—A disagreeable odour and flavour suggestive 
of mice; generally due to unclean and mouldy casks. 
Beating with pure olive oil and pasteurisation will party 
correct it and stop its progress. 
Sulphur Smell—Due to excess of sulphurous acid used, turn- 
ing sometimes into hydrogen sulphide, and smells of rotten 
eggs. Racking at frequent intervals will reduce the taint. 
When used excessively, sulphur fumes destroy the colour 
and impart to the wine a displeasing taste. In time sul- 
phurous acid changes to sulphuric and then into sul- 
phate of potassium. 
Artificial Odours.—Added to the wine to impart to it a cer- 
tain fictitious bouquet, generally not successfully. Have 
not the fragrance of true bouquet and sére. 
Wood or Cork Taste-—Given to wine by new, ullaged, or by 
mouldy casks. Olive oil, lemons, or refermentation with 
a small quantity of fresh grapes will sometimes reduce it. 
Taste of the Stems or Stalks—Due to prolonged maceration 
of the stems or stalks in the wine. Generally a harsh, 
bitterish wine. 
Taste of Lees-—-Want of racking by allowing the wine to 
stand long on the lees, produces a bitterish taste of decay. 
Commen defect of many otherwise very good Australian 
wines. 
Mouldy Taste—Caused by bad casks or mouldy grapes; beat 
with olive oil and rack in clean, sound casks. 
Sharp, Sour, Pricked—A wine with an undue proportion of 
acetic acid. Generally retains its colour and limpidity. Char- 
acterised -by the odour and taste of acetie acid, which is 
chiefly perceived at the base of the tongue. It is easy to 
prevent the development of the micro-organism which 
