36 
ON  THE  BOUQUET  OF  WINE. 
strong  sulphuric  acid,  a  new  volatile  acid  of  a  highly  specific, 
almost  balsamic  odor  is  obtained,  which  being  neutralized  by  the 
necessary  quantity  of  the  first-obtained  nitrogenous  base,  yields  a 
neutral  volatile  salt,  which  possesses  the  peculiar  odor  ("bouquet") 
of  the  employed  wine  in  the  highest  degree.  There  is,  therefore, 
no  doubt  that  this  compound  is  not  only  contained  as  such  in  the 
wine,  and  constitutes  the  "  bouquet,"  but  that  it  is  this  nitrogen- 
ous compound  which  determines  the  chemical  constitution,  the 
durability,  and  all  those  changes  to  which  it  is  subject  by  keeping. 
Although  for  the  present  only  six  different  sorts  of  red  and 
white  grape  wine  from  various  districts  of  the  Grand  Duchy  have 
been  examined,  yet  the  results  are  so  uniform  and  decisive,  that 
there  exists  no  reason  to  doubt  their  correctness.  The  contrast 
was  very  striking  on  comparing  the  "  bouquets  "  of  a  fine  red 
Oberingelheim  wine,  of  1846,  with  a  very  excellent  sort  of  white 
Bergstraszer  of  1846,  and  with  one  of  the  worst  qualities  of  1851, 
from  the  latter  district.  The  first  two  sorts  yielded  quite  a  dif- 
ferent bouquet,  of  a  very  pleasant  odor,  whilst  the  latter  betrayed 
but  too  distinctly  the  year  and  quality  by  its  unpleasant  earthy 
smell. 
Beer  also  contains  a  considerable  proportion  of  nitrogen,  which 
can  be  obtained  from  it  in  the  same  way  as  from  the  wine.  It 
is  this  component  from  which  beer  obtains  its  importance  as  a 
nutiient. 
The  author  has,  moreover,  found,  that  the  coloring  matter  of 
wine,  and  chiefly  that  of  red  wine,  is  closely  connected  with  this 
nitrogenous  compound  ;  that  most,  and  perhaps  all,  fresh  vege- 
table juices  contain  nitrogen,  and  undergo  during  the  process  of 
vegetation,  changes  wdiich  are  analogous  to  the  fermentation  of 
wine  ;  that  the  fragrancy  of  the  vine-flowers,  and  very  likely  also 
the  odors  of  most  flowers  and  leaves  are  dependent  on  similar 
compounds,  which  are  characteristic,  and  of  a  peculiar  chemical 
composition  in  each  genus  of  plants  London  JPharm.  Journ., 
from  Jalirbuchf.  praet.  Pharmacie,  Bd.  xxv.,  Hft.  1,  p.  7. 
