DS aa QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 Ocr., 1898. 
materially improved by fining. This latter class of wine would require several 
years to lose its astringency naturally, although, but for that defect, it might 
be in fit condition to be drunk; much time and expense would therefore be 
saved by giving it a properly proportioned fining, rendering it at once fit for 
consumption. 
Fining is also employed to lessen the colour of wine, more particularly 
in white wines which are too dark. As the tannin and colouring matter 
in wine are intimately connected, any substance which acts upon, and removes 
part of, the tannin will also remove part of the colour matter. 
On the other hand, if a wine is perfectly bright, sound, and of good taste 
and colour, it is a mistake to fine it. No good can be done to it by doing so; 
on the contrary, it may do it some harm. Always avoid adding any- 
thing to wine which is not necessary, as it must affect its natural 
qualities, no matter how slightly. Most finings being composed of 
albuminous matters, are prone to decomposition; and although the tannin 
is supposed to remove it all from the wine, some. may remain in wines 
-weak in tannin and prove eventually a source of danger to the wine. 
To tell if a wine is’ perfectly bright, a glass of it should be examined 
in front of a lighted candle in a dark part of the cellar, which will at once 
reveal any cloudiness or floating particles if the glass is slightly shaken. 
Should the wine under this test prove perfectly bright, and the flavour, colour, 
and proportion of tannin be all that is desired, then that wine requires no 
fining and should be rigorously left alone. 
There are two classes of finings—those that act mechanically, and those 
that act chemically and mechanically. The former, which comprise kaolin, 
Spanish earth, and similar substances, are now seldom used; they are slow and 
uncertain in their action, are very liable to leave an earthy taste in the wine 
unless very carefully washed previously, and in some cases, having an alkaline 
reaction, they affect the acidity of the wine, which is to be avoided. The 
colour is also liable to be spoilt by the alum which some of these earths contain. 
For the above reasons, this class of fining should be avoided, but if any vigneron 
should wish to experiment with them let him first make a trial ona small 
amount of wine to see the effect. 
Hinings which act chemically and mechanically are blood, white of eges, 
isinglass, and gelatine. On the addition of any of the above substances to 
wine, the tannic acid, which is the astringent principle of wine, combines 
chemically with the albumen, coagulating it, and as it is in a very finely 
divided state it slowly settles to the bottom of the cask, carrying with it, 
mechanically, all other impurities. The two first are generally used for red 
and the latter two for white wines. 
RED WINES. 
Blood should only be used for coarse red wines, abundant in colour and 
tannin, as it is liable to take away from the body of finer qualities, and leave 
them with a flat mawkish taste. Use only the blood of bullocks or sheep (the 
former is the better), which must be as fresh as possible; whip the blood 
whilst still warm with a small birch of twigs to remove the fibrin, which will 
rise to the top asa spongy mass, otherwise the blood on cooling will coagulate 
and not mix with the wine. The quantity to be used will depend on the 
quality of the wine, but for general purposes one tumblerful to every 20 
gallons will be found sufficient. If the wine is very astringent, more can be 
putin; a little experience will soon teach the amount required. The blood 
should be first well mixed with a gallon of wine which is poured into the cask 
to be fined, and the whole well stirred with a fining-rod. A fining-rod ean be 
made of any piece of hardwood, 4 feet long and about 2 inches square; the 
lower half being pierced through with a number of holes half-an-inch in 
diameter on both taces, the upper two feet being rounded for a handle. 
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