452 
OUR  NATIVE  WINES. 
per  cent,  (part  of  this  being  sugar  and  coloring  matter,  the  rest 
free  and  combined  acids). 
The  principal  acids  found  in  Still  Catawba  are  tartaric,  tannic, 
phosphoric,  acetic,  and  malic. 
The  tartaric  acid  varies  from  two  to  seven  per  mille,  being 
greater  in  new  than  in  old  wine.  Upon  this  acid  is  based  the 
foundation  of  the  wine-boquet. 
The  tannic  acid  is  seldom  more  than  one  per  mille.  Upon 
this  depends  its  clarification,  and  consequently  its  durability, 
and,  to  a  certain  extent,  its  roughness. 
The  phosphoric  acid  exists  in  this  wine  in  a  proportion  vary- 
ing from  one-half  to  five  per  mille.  Upon  the  presence  of  this 
acid  depends,  to  a  certain  extent,  its  medicinal  value,  especially 
for  those  cases  where  there  is  a  deficiency  of  this  element  in  the 
organism.  It  has  been  ascertained  that  those  wines  most  esteemed 
in  Europe  as  medicinal  agents,  such  as  Maderia,  Tokai,  Malaga, 
and  the  Rhenish  Wines,  contain  more  of  this  element  than  others 
deemed  less  valuable.  An  analysis  by  Dr.  Kletrinsky,  of  Vienna, 
showed  that  the  Catawba  ranges  with  the  Rhine  Wines  in  its 
proportion  of  phosphoric  acid — the  former  averaging  1*56  per 
mille,  the  latter  1-57  per  mille. 
Acetic  acid  exists  in  sound  Catawba  Wine  in  but  small  pro- 
portion, from  one-quarter  to  one  and  one-quarter  per  mille  ;  but 
when  the  must  is  not  fermented  with  care,  avoiding  too  great 
temperature  and  contact  with  air,  it  is  found  in  greater  abun- 
dance. From  this  acid  is  formed  the  acetic  ether  always  present 
in  old  wine,  and  which  adds  to  its  aroma,  increasing  it  with  age. 
Malic  acid  exists  in  the  unripe  grape,  and  is  present  to  a  slight 
extent  in  this  wine. 
It  will  be  seen,  that  the  value  of  Still  Catawba  as  a  medicinal 
agent  is  much  lessened  by  the  presence  of  this  excess  of  acidity, 
rendering  it  ineligible  for  use  by  elderly  persons  or  others  re- 
quiring a  strong  wine,  free  from  acidity  ;  this  renders  it  also 
somewhat  injurious  to  the  nervous  system.  It  is  eligible  when 
an  acid  reaction  is  desirable  in  the  stomach,  rather  than  an  alka- 
line one. 
If  Catawba  Wine  is  kept  for  several  years,  in  order  to  fully 
ripen,  as  it  is  termed,  it  loses  a  great  portion  of  its  acidity,  the 
tartaric  acid  being  deposited  in  the  form  of  tartar  upon  the  sides 
