WINE. 



fpirit ; that is, they contain from a fixteenth to an eighth 

 part of their quantity of pure alcohol. 



Wines that are a little four ferve not at all the worfe for 

 the purpofes of the diftiller ; they rather give a greater 

 vinofity to the produce. This vinofity'is a thing of great 

 ufe in the wine-fpirit, whofe principal ufe is to mix with 

 another that is tartarized, or with a malt -fpirit, rendered 

 alkaline by the common method of reftification. All the 

 wine-fpirits made in England, even thofe from the French 

 wines, appear very greatly different from the common 

 French brandy ; and this has given our diftillers a 

 notion that there is fome fecret art praftifed in France, 

 for giving the agreeable flavour to that fpirit ; but this 

 is without foundation. 



When we diftil Sicilian or Spanifh wines, we do not 

 produce Sicilian or Spanifh brandies ; and the true reafon 

 of this is, that the wines which they diftil on the fpot 

 into brandy, are very different from thofe which they 

 export as wines. 



Thofe they diftil are fo poor and thin, that they will not 

 keep many months, nor can poffibly bear exportation. 

 If we had in England thofe poor wines they diftil into 

 brandy near Bourdeaux, Cognac, or up the Loire, there 

 is no doubt that the fpirit we made from them would be 

 univerfally allowed to be French brandy. We have proof 

 of this from fome of the Scotch diftilleries, where they, 

 with no peculiar art, or fecret method, procure from 

 fome of the poor pricked and damaged wines received 

 here, brandy fo nearly refembling that of Francf, that 

 a good judge will fcarcely be able to make the diflinc- 

 tion. Wine-fpirits and brandies, therefore, are the fame 

 thing, only with this difference, that the former is the 

 produdl of a rich wine, and the latter of a poor one ; or, 

 at the utmoft, they differ only as our two home produfts, 

 the cyder-fpirit and the crab-fpirit, do. 



The wine-fpirit, diftilled in England, is not eafy to be 

 had pure and unmixed at our diftillers, nor under a price 

 almoll equal to that of French brandy ; fo that if it 

 ever be required out of the trade, it is as well to ufe the 

 French brandy, which will, in all cafes, ferve the fame 

 purpofes, unlefs where a high flavour or a copious effen- 

 tial oil are required. All other fpirits are carefully di- 

 vefted of their oil in the reftifications ; but the wine- 

 fpirit is coveted only for its oil, and all that can be ob- 

 tained is preferved in this, its principal ufe being to give a 

 flavour to a worfe fpirit, and to cover the tafte of a dif- 

 agreeable oil in it. 



When a caflc of wine chances to turn four in private 

 hands, it is worth while to diftil it for the fpirit. The 

 lees, alfo, if in any confiderable quantity, will yield fuch 

 a proportion of the fame fort of fpirit, as to render it 

 worth while ; and as the high flavour is not required 

 in this intent, it will be beft to draw off the fpirit very 

 gently, either by the cold or hot ftill, and afterwards it 

 may be reftified without any addition, and reduced to 

 the ftandard-ftrength of proof. It thus makes a very 

 clean and pleafant fpirit, though very different from the 

 brandy from the fame country whence the wine came. 

 Shaw's Effay on Diftillery. See Spirit. 



Wine, Philofophic Spirit of, in the writings of fome che-. 

 mifts and phyficians, a phrafe that often occurs as the 

 name of a liquid prepared from wine, and endued with 

 very remarkable properties. 



It is generally fuppofed that this was the fame fort of 

 liquor, which we at this time call by the name of fpirit of 

 wine ; but this is a very erroneous opinion, and has led 

 many into errors, about the operations in which it was 



concerned. It was truly no diftilled liquor, but the fpi- 

 rituous parts of wine condenfed and concentrated by the 

 freezing of the more aqueous part. 



Wine Vinegar, Method of making of . See ViNEGAR. 



Wine, Laivs relating to. 



Wine may be imported only in Britifh-built fhips, or 

 veffels of the built of that country of which the wine is the 

 produce, legally navigated ; or in fhips the built of the 

 country in Europe under the dominion of tlie fovereign or 

 ftate in Europe, of which the wine is the produce, or of 

 the ufual place of fliipping. Penalty, forfeiture of the 

 wine and the ftiip. 12 Car. II. c. 18. and 27 Geo. III. 

 c. 19. 



No other than Rhenifh wine may be imported from the 

 Netherlands or Germany, on forfeiture of fliip and goods. 

 13 & 14 Car. II. c. II. But wine, the produce of Hun- 

 gary, may come from Hambro' ; alfo wine, the produce of 

 Hungary, the Aultrian dominions, or any part of Ger- 

 many, may come from the Auftrian Netherlands, or any 

 place fubjeft to the emperor of Germany or houfe of 

 Auftria. I Ann. ftat. i. c. 12. and 22 Geo. III. c. 78. 

 Wine may not be imported in veffels under fixty tons bur- 

 then : wine and veffel forfeited. 24 Geo. III. c. 47. 

 26 Geo. III. C.J9. and 45 Geo. III. c. 121. Spanifh 

 and Portugal wines may not be imported in any cafl< con- 

 taining lefs than a hogfhead, except for private ufe. 

 18 Geo. III. c. 27. and 25 Geo. III. c. 69. French 

 wine the fame ; and, except French wine in bottles, from 

 France, Guenifey, Jerfey, or Alderney. 18 Geo. III. 

 c. 27. and 27 Geo. III. c. 13. By the 5 Ann. c. 27. a 

 hogfhead is to contain 63 gallons, or 231 cubical inches of 

 wine. Wine {i.e. not Spanifh nor Portugal) may not be 

 imported in flafl<s, bottles, or calks, containing lefs than 

 25 gallons, except of the produce of the dominions of the 

 grand duke of Tufcany, in open flaflcs, or any part of the 

 Levant, and alfo wine for private ufe. i Geo. II. ftat. 2. 

 c. 17. and 25 Geo. III. c. 69. Wine may be imported in 

 cafes containing fix dozen reputed quart bottles at the 

 leaft. 39 & 40 Geo. III. c. 83. 42 Geo. III. c. 44. 

 and 45 Geo. III. c. 121. Five reputed quart bottles 

 deemed a gallon in charging duty. Wine not to be im- 

 ported unlefs accompanied by a manifeft, attefted by tlie 

 conful at the place of fhipment. 26 Geo. III. c. 40. 

 Wine muft be entered at the cuftom-houfe and excife-office 

 within 20 days after the fhip has reported, or it may be 

 fold for the duties, and muft be removed from the quays in 

 10 days. 26 Geo. III. c. 59. and 35 Geo. III. c. 118. 

 Wine landed without payment of duty is forfeited 

 ( 20 Geo. III. c. 59.) ; but wine may be warehoufed under 

 fchedule B, without payment at the time of entry of tlie 

 duties due on importation, on the importer giving bond to 

 export the fame, or pay the duties within 12 months. But 

 duty muft be paid when taken out, on any excefs or defi- 

 ciency, from the quantity taken at the time of landing ; and 

 no wine to be warehoufed in caflcs lefs than 45 gallons. 

 43 Geo. III. c. 132. Wine that has been warehoufed 

 may be exported, and wine that has paid duty may be 

 fliipped for drawback ; but muft be packed in the pre- 

 fence of the proper excife-officers, and the caflis to be 

 fealed with tlieir official feals, and if they are afterwards 

 damaged or broken, the party offending to forfeit 50/. for 

 each caflc or package. Due notice to be given in writing 

 of the times of packing and fhipping. 26 Geo. III. c. 59. 

 f. 46, 47. The exporter to give bond before fliipping 

 that the fame fhall be exported to the place entered for, and 

 fliall not be relanded or unfhipped. To be landed in Great 

 Britain, on forfeiture. 26 Geo. Ill, c. 59. f. 48. 

 3X2 35 Gvo. 



