SKMI- TROPIC CAL IFORNIA. 
Mint Piling* 
OS THE PREPARATION OP SWEET WINES. 
BUT CHIEFLY MUSOATEL. 
nr jon tr j. ulsabhh 
I.K, O.D.. i 
Editok ‘'SuMi-Tnort.' Cau«i**U: - 
A French gentleman ctuif mailt with th 
sweet wine*. called Lunel, informed me. 
few weeks ago, that he laid been shown 
sample of Angelica winn at the Bshl'vi 
Hotel in this oitjr, which os mo up to his 
ides of what such kind of wine should he. 
1 bsve not seen it; but I infer from our 
conversation that it had hern grown and 
matured on Mr. Maid win's property, some 
where in the wine district* of Los Angelo, 
enmity, From time to time 1 here met 
with wines from those district* ut the must 
opposite characters, which convince im 
that within a comparatively small country 
there are to be found cliuiatuv as varlou.-, a* 
could be found between the north of 
France and tins south of Spain. For in- 
aUnce, some months ago Mr. I, J, Hn*.*, of 
San Gabriel, sent me some samples of 
young white wines for-analysis, which w re 
truly surprising—a IJIaue lClbcn and a 
Ui-rger especially. They were very thin, 
line, firm,young wines, wi ill jilent y of tan 111n 
Tliuy kept their color without clomlines- 
for several days after the bottles were 
ciputird. About the aarue time 1 was 
favored with throe or four sample* of IV.il 
and old Sherry, which for richness and f u 11- 
nuts of liftvor_ approached the special 
growths of Spain and Portugal, a* nearly 
a* wiues well could when prepared fu.m 
any grape, but those alone in use in the 
above named countries. These were J. de 
Barth Shorb’a. 
1 refer to those u»u«r* just now because, 
in addition to the sample, or wiur.» refer red 
to, 1 have seen sample*, of Muscatel omi.i - 
from Lua Angeles, which Convince un- ilmf 
th.ro must be in those wine district* many 
localities peculiarly suited by nature lor 
the production ol tin. highest oU... n| 
Muscale! wine, the fyvtur wine whbth will 
i.roei wants market so loug as there i* a 
lady left in the land. 
Slow, without disputing the ia*t<- of ile*.e 
experts who can go into raptures ore. .!» v 
l'raimgnati, 1 would rwsp-afully s*y il.m 
thr juice uf the Muacstel grape i* d.. . m ,-,| 
by nature u. bo niude into sweet win* „„d 
•6tO liekt [n tfai preparing 
tnent of it, 1 deferentially *4 
lowing hint* and direction* 
“Ur 1 !.«>» r..u..(l Own i: h, 
r“™“* *" J "****“'}■' "« no. 
nowever, at present treating of comm, roia 
wine, aueli as must be manufactured on tin 
g.u,<l «..!>, I.ut ol o» Irec i.l t, 
trn ranked, when perfect, a mono the I 
ol high art in wine. To this ef,d, j 
TH* OIUl’Kfl 
Should be tu* ripe a. poaaible, consist,.„t 
with aouuduesa, and of the |U 
ind manage 
out the lot - 
known varieties, vie.: the Muscatel of 
Alexandria, with long trailing bunch, 
the Gordo Blanco, with round, large, often 
j greenish, pin in p berries, and full bunches; 
and both the dark and white varieties, with 
small, compact bunches, and round berries. 
These kinds are used in about the billow¬ 
ing proportions: one half Alexandria.; of 
thr rc.*t, half Gordo Blatioo and half small 
bunches. 
I hi*ery faulty berry must be removed 
from the bunches,and care taken that there 
is no spider's web in the bunch, whirl, 
sometimes is met within the Gordo Blanco. 
The stalk, should be removed from all but 
the small kinds, and theirs should be taken 
out as the crushing goes on. 
cjiimtitsct tiii; KnitAiss ash iia.\oi.ini. 
tub Miara. 
The grapes stripped from the stalks re¬ 
quire tv. be very thoroughly crushed. The 
pulp, for Bitch it is in those hard, Ueshy 
grape*, must be freed, as far as possible, 
from the skins. During this process, or 
directly afterwards, and before any ferment¬ 
ation B*.ts in, it must be thoroughly and 
repeatedly aerated; that is to say, every 
particle of it should be again arid again 
brought in Ootiiiwt with atmospheric nir. 
Nothing yet discovered has reached the 
perfection with which long trending with 
the human foot accomplishes this indis¬ 
pensable cotuliii.m of sweet and full-bodied 
wines. Oxygen is neccaaary to the vinou* 
fermentation; and all of it that a must is 
to have, must begot into it before ferment 
align commences to any considerable cx- 
tunt, Perhaps tin- simplest method would 
bo to pump air through the liquid for a 
considerable timo, or force the liquid through 
a hose with a finely perforated hose on the 
It in nnt too much to say that most of 
tlie uouapiouous defect* in California wines 
are caused by the vmeynnliala following 
Frounh nr German methods with riajj 
musts, more particularly in the hotter por¬ 
tions of the State. French and German 
methods me excellent for those countries, 
but it must be remembered that wc h.-r>' 
are 1J degrees nr latitude nearer the 
equator than most of the wine districts ol 
Fri.ro>', and can alwaya depend upon a diy 
autumn am) jtunriy weather. In Fiaro .; ft 
I* truly and often stated that ©Very auntiv 
day in vintage time adds 6uH*idar*b)y to 
, 1 hanne matter in the grape, but we 
must rom. rnber that in autumn thu weather 
i» »lros cloudy and dull, whilw tliat of thin 
fortunate country >« clour and bright. A* 
1 '"fand Mp*in, so bare, if wc dyiirc 
to make Wine as free as possible from what 
wo call i'u/tAy uat... and the French 
•A O-i/u/r, the expressed juice must be uer- 
ared perfectly. .Such being the oa*e with 
all rid, must.*, it yet has a peculiar signifi- 
entice 111 the lrikluncu ol the thick puli’, v or 
yrupy inusta of the MusoaUd of Alexao- 
dna. Gat air into it by *otue Dieaua hv 
,1 Tl» fin., riel, ,„„.u ol 'u„ 
Alto Douro are troddao by men at the rate 
of one man to every o,, B hundred gallon*, 
for more tlran alglitcun hour* oOnauouli v«| y ; 
and after a short rwt, for six hour. more. 
The hulls must not be entirely removed; 
about a quarter should be left in; but in 
this case a little experience is the safest 
guide. It must bo kopt in view that the 
aitn is to make n true wine, not a confec¬ 
tion like most of that called Angelica. 
Tannin is indispensable, and tartaric acid 
to Jwnovc the pot ash, and malic snd other 
aeid* to form the bouquet. Tannin is ob- 
mined from the skins as the alcohol goes 
on forming in the process of fermentation, 
snd also tlm coloring matter for that exquis¬ 
ite gold-yellow, which is to this eye what 
bouquet and aroma are to the noRe and 
palate. 
I.KSUTn or KEBMHXTATIOW. 
A certain latitude is to be allowed for the 
time reqoired under the varying conditions 
of temperature at which the fermentation 
is carried on; but, roughly, it may bn 
stated at between six and nine days. In 
vpry hot localities where ibo fermentation 
would naturally become tumultuous, live 
Jay* might wull sullico. 
About the fifth or sixth day the best 
I'uui-' in follow ia U> distil a little of the 
must, which can be easily and accurately 
dotte in one of Snlcruira small stills. This 
is better than Beauinc's instrument. If it 
show nine (It) of alcohol, stop the violent 
Fermentation by a dose of three per cent, 
of goud winu-brandy of 50 proof at least. 
Kin] h" kill a large portion of the ferment. 
II this be not enough to stop it, then a 
llUli’ more, arid an early wracking, with 
sulphuring, say within a fortnight. The 
additional spirit will assist in dissolving 
tannin and coloring matter from the hulls. 
At the end of fourteen to twenty days, 
Iran off tbo young wine into pipes or 
hogsheads, clean washed with a bath of 
crude tartar, dissolved in hot water; then 
Milphured, and when filled left witli the 
Imngliole covered with a tag of muslin or 
a bflck to allow a certain amount of gas to 
escape, and to keep Hies and dust out. The 
voting wuic may then remain in this state 
"S**' 1 * vu ' B k , » tlimn g which lime it. will 
pan through acvorul phases, such as bo* 
coining turbid, milky, very sour, tartaric, 
•'tc., of which no account need l.e taken, 
unlr it be to carefully pour in it bottle of 
bfiHidy so as to remain about the bung 
huh . At the end of a short time, when 
«oli one's observation will form tlm best 
guiilv in hi* own case, tiro bung may bo 
Jriyen borne, and the wine left at real. 
tniiOUK, «0-CAJ,L«i> IJY llix fUMl'IXtUM. 
This nr rob 6 is quite iroli.ponai.bin hi 
making turn wine* of tlm Muscatel liqueur 
'Charade!; and I might Imre properly dr- 
scribe tlm method of u,, pri'.pnration. For 
tlu. pnrpo-M tiro richest and best and most 
vuc- luirmo grapes should elected, carefully 
freed from any imperfect berries, .....1 
"talks, and pressed there and .., perlmtm 
tllfl hands being the best Implement* on 
Mia stnull scale, and tlm must at ouoe.be- 
“"- v ( r fiueutation can ink.- place’ put 
' i" 8 iron or tin dishes, ami uvap- 
rei. ' 1 out cd dviots, when, there u no dust 
flytng about, over a fire-pUcc constructed 
* law bricks or stones, at a modurate 
