CHAPTER VI. 



OF THE DURATION OF THE FERME.YTATIVE PROCESS. 



As yet there is no other rule than custom to determine the moment 

 for drawing off from the vat. The rule with some, is w^hen the wine 

 drawn off has no bubbles in it. nor froth upon it ; with others, they 

 work a stick around in the liquid and see whether it wheels, as it is 

 called, or makes a circle of foam; others judge by the deep colour: 

 others by the coldness of the vat ; others again by the mild and sweet 

 taste. 



As a principle, 1st if the vat is very large and warm the must should 

 remain in it but a short time ; 2d if the saccharine matter abounds, and 

 the must is thick, and the temperature low, the fermentation will be 

 longer. 3d A defective fermentation in the vat, may, in a manner, be 

 remedied, in the casks, by closing them sooner ; 4th, but there are no 

 means of curing a wine that has overpast the due limit and become 

 fart, or musty, or spoiled with carbonic acid, so as to restore it to its 

 proper qualities. 



The wines of St. Basle, Verzy, Versenay, and Mailly (de la Marne) 

 knowni for their fine colour, great dehcacy, high raciness and fra- 

 grance, remain only 6 hours in the vat. The most superior wines of 

 the departments of Saone and Loire, Cote-dor and I'Yonne, and 

 especially those from the Vine-grounds of Pouilly, Meursault, Ton- 

 nerre, and ChabUs, cannot stand the vat longer than from 6 to 10 

 hours. The wine from Volney, which is the lightest, most delicate 

 and agreeable of all the wines of the hills of Beaune, or even of all 

 France, is left in the vat no more than 6 hours. But there are some 

 wines not yet perfect afler nine days of fermentation. 



The length of time required for the vat is sometimes only important 

 on account of the colour ; as in the case of Pomard wine for instance. 

 But if tlie pressing crushed the whole of the grapes sufficiently, so 



