SOUTHERN CULTIVATOR. 
341 
INSTEUCTION ON THE AET OF MAKING WINE. 
BY C.AnBT-nK-V.VL'X. 
thi.l4hhcd hn (>r(kr oj i/ic f'rcuf k (n'vcrii /nrn/ . j 
TRANSLATED BY J. B.. <n' Al'CESTA. (A'oRfAA. 
[Concluded from nnr O tober nmnber.^ 
OF srr.PHuiious FUJiir,.‘vTioNs. I 
The author proposes sulphuiuiis (umigations as t!ie j 
means of preventing acetous deijeneraiion, but this is in : 
opposition with the tl.eory previonsiy established by inni i 
concerning the conversion of must into wine — according j 
to this theory there is no doubt that one oi' the principal { 
means of preventing spirituous fermentation to fall into 
the acetous, is to keep the saccliarine principle in due pro- 
portion to the saline |)rinciple. Whenever the last will 
predominate there will be a tendency to acidity; now, 
what is the consequence when the hogsiieads are sulphur- 
ed 1 — external air is replaced by the sulphurous gas, 
Avhich, increasing the acid in tlie wine, makes it pass into 
a higher degree of acidity. | 
Experiment conjirviinp thi^thennj : — A cooper was em- i 
ployed to decant six casks of acidulous wine; lie had al- 
ready filled two casks that had gone through the process | 
ot sulphuring, when I made him put the four remaining- 
into hogsheads that had not been sulphured; the v.dne | 
contained in the four last became much sooner potable; it 
was compared at the end of six months with that of the 
two first casks, and it was of a much superior quality ; the 
second on the contrary, was harsh and sharp. A motive 
no less powerful ought to make us very economical in the 
use of sulphur, liecause the sulphurous gas, being disen- 
gaged, and meeting the oxigen, produces sulphuric acid, a 
theory which has been confiimed by the following ex- 
periment : The soldiers in the military hospital of Xanc y, 
complaining of the quality ot wine furnished by the pro- j 
vider, and particularly of its tartness, the physicians in ; 
attendance invited the apothec.ary to analyse the wine ; j 
among other experiments, he introduced in the wine a ! 
dissolution of mercury in nitric acid, and he obtained the j 
oxide of yellow mercury or mineral turbith, which left itj 
beyond any possibility of doubt that the wine contained ; 
sulphuric acid ; a report of this transaction being made ; 
to the commissary of war, he ordered the provider to lake ■ 
back the wine, and threatened to prosecute him — this man ' 
convinced of his innocence, lequcsted a second visit, and 
c died on me to attend — the experiment when renewed; 
giving the same result, I became apprehensive ofhis guilt. ; 
However, I asked for some of the same wine from anoth- . 
er cask ; the addition of the above dissolution did not pro ^ 
duce the same cfTect. Wc were seeking for the cause of | 
these different result.s in a wine which differed only by i 
the vessels containing it, when, h um pcsidve information, 
it was proved tiiat the director had used old casks which i 
had been sulphured to receive the first wine; we tlien did | 
not hesitate to pronounce that the sulphuric acid was the | 
product of the sulphurous fumes. The wines of that liar- ! 
vest were naturally acidulous, and what interest ormodve j 
could this man have had to increase the acidity 1 It is a j 
fact that fumigations of sulphur slacken the fermentation ! 
of the must, and will produce still wine; but, in wine al- ! 
ready made, in wine wiiere tiie acid predominates, sul- ; 
phuring will incieasa the acetous principle ; the use o! _ 
sulphur, conseq'tently, is contrary to those wines contain- ■ 
ing any acid, and its excf s.-s in general may prove injuri 
ous. The means proposed by the author to restore ropy 
wines appe u- inadequate, unless in the beginning of their 
degeneration, and when the principle which alters the 
mueoso saccharine matter is found o ;ly in small quantity. 
He also recommends the exposing of ti.e bottles in an airy ’ 
garret, and the shaking and uncorking of them in order 
that the confined gas may become free and escape with 
f. oih and smoke. As little of the gas as possilde should 
be let to escape : the remedy will not take effect unless 
fhev'’ exi.st^ in lit qn Midiv tn disnlvr the muno- 
I so sar.charine matter, which is the true cause of the alter- 
’ atirn ; wlvn tlv 'N ;r,-n«rannn is carried m a certain 
Xlcgree, there cannot be enouijh ol the gas. fn this case 
the isinglass is puv. erless, and lias the iuciinvenience of 
precipitating the essential as well as the nscless principles 
— we cannot dispovrr whnt can be expected from one or 
two drops of an acid, such a.s that of citron. The means 
to correct wine, thus altered, is simple: this i.s done by 
restoring to it its fir.-^t iicid, the a,cidulous tartrite of potash, 
commonly called cream of tartar, at the cose of one or two 
ounces for every sixty gallons, according to the degree of 
alterations. 
Tills saline sub.staiice, drawn from wine, is apt to dis- 
solve the excess of the mucoso saccharine matter, and 
serves as a leaven to establish a motion which accelerates 
this dissolution ; but, as in this degeneration tfiere are 
some insoluble parts, ilie tartar is mixed with the white 
of eggs welt beat up, and this mixture incorporates inti- 
mately with the wine. Alter a few days, the wine is 
clarified, and has acquired a degree of quality proportion- 
ate to the dissoluiion of one of its constituent principles. 
OK TIIK ACIDITV IN AAINE, 
The author lecommend.s the use of ashes, lime, or chalk 
to correct the acidity in wine. It must be observed that 
the action of ashes is proportioned to the salts they con- 
tain, and particularly that of the carbonate of potash; this 
salt i.s found in very unequal proportious, and in a state 
of alteration more or less marked— ashes, besides, often 
contain extraneous substances, metalic oxide especially. 
The carbonate of potash, as we obeerve, is found in un- 
equal proportions, and in a state of alteration more or less 
marked, its formation depending on different causes, viz; 
the nature of the vegetable or animal substances produc- 
ing it ; the action of fire more or less ardent or continued ; 
the form of the utensil in which it has been made, and 
the contact of the air more or less prolonged, etc. Sup- 
posing ashes to i-e pure and containing a suffiiciency of 
carbonate of potash to saturate the acetous acid, this cor- 
rective ought in be rejected as it changes the color of the 
wine, gives it that of onion peel, r.ud determines its de- 
crepitude. Lime has the property of saturating the excess 
of acid in wine, but has -Iso the inconvenience of chang- 
ing its color anti causing it to pass from youth to old age 
— tlie result of iliis combination being briny and bitter, has 
the efiect of deteriora.ting it. As to chalk, which is no- 
ticing more than lime impregnated with carlrotiic acid, it 
lias besides the inconvenience btdonging to lime, tiiat of 
creating useless acid, since the only desideratum is to satur- 
ate that which is already in excess. Calcined magnesia 
is the true corrective ot sour wines ; the dose is from one 
to two ounces for every sixty gallons, according to the 
degree of atddiiy. The srdt resulting from the combination 
of the magnesia with acetous acid, cannot alter the qual- 
ity tif wine, and its use can be productive of no in onveni- 
ence. 
THE IlESri.T OF THESE or.sEIlV.niON.S IS : 
1. That grapes must not be separated from the bunch 
when they are in a perfect state of maturity. 
2 That tlie bunch must he cut as close as pos-siiile, so 
rs not to leave any tail to it when the fruit has attained its 
degree of maturity. 
d. That grapes must be separated fioni the buncli when 
their maturity is not complete. 
f. That in general sulphurous fumc.s should be used 
with great caution. 
. 1 . That acidulous wines must be put in ca.sks that have 
not undersone the above openiiion. 
G. That the corrective of turbid and roj,-y wines is the 
acidulous tartrite of potash commonly called tartar. 
