IVINE.
huh, Kliainr, . . A RA B. Vinutu, LAT Taa-pyit-ya, . . IS u Bu-angur, . . . MALAY.
Tii CUM. Mei, ..... Mks.
Vin, Vinho, . . . . POKT. Wein, . . . . GER, Wino, Wino-grakInoe, Oinoa, Cu. Dralcalia-rass, . SANR/E.
Dakh-ka-mad'h, Msdira, . . . „ Ungur-ka-shrab, . „ fiarayam, . . . TAM.
. . . IT., Sr. Sarayi, Tr L.
Wines used in the south and east of Asia are almost all imported from Europe, only to a small extent from Australia. The quantities received into British India of wines and liqueurs have beer, latterly as under:— Galls. Galli. Rs.
1874-75, 564,921 47,46,951 1878.79, 487,787 41,41,744 1876-77, 464,242 40,69,58.5 1879-80, 443,978 39,27,310 1877-78, 496,733 43,60,198 1882-83, 418,173 38,45,719 Wine is mentioned a.s having been known to Noah (Genesis ix. 21), who drank of the wine, and was drunken. The allegory of the trees in Judges ix. 13, speaks of the vine which cheereth God and man ; and St. Paul (1 Timothy v. 23) recommends the use of a. little wine for the stomach's sake. Before his time Homer had said,— ' The weary find new strength in generous wines ;' and Martial had Regnat nocte ealix, volvuntur MaDC,Cum Phcebo Bacchus dividit, imperium,' which has been All night I drink, and study hard all (lay.
Bacchus arid Pliwbus hold divided sway.' In Europe, in the manufacture of wine ripe grapes are trodden by rnen or cattle in a vat, and the juice which is thin forced out is called most. The marc or solid parts being mixed with the tnust again iu wooden tanks, fermentation aoon takes place, much heat is developed, and mrbonic acid gas is copiously disengaged ; the mare now rises to the surface of the tank, and when the effervescence ceases, the subjacent wine is drawn off from below, and the mare then subjected to strong pressure.
lf the wine be bottled before the fermentation has terminated, it has the property of foaming in the glass in consequence of the suddcu liberation of carbonic acid; champagne is thus manufac tured. In the preparation of white wines the mare is removed before fermentation.
According to Humboldt, the conditions of climate essential for the manufacture of good wine are, a range of temperature from 62° to 50° or even 47°, provided the winter heat is not lower than 38°, nor that of summer below 66° or rather 68°. At a higher mean temperature the juice passes too rapidly into the acid fermentation. The manufacture of witio thus becomes impractic able in the plains of India; moreover, the rains act in so soon after the ripening of thegrape, that the inanufacture of raising by sun-drying is equally impossible. Dr. Royle informs us of the existence of luxuriant vineyards in Kanasvar, between lat. 31.• and 32° N. (or nearly tluit of Madeira), at All elevation of 9000 to 10,000 feet, the grape being of delicious flavour, and the climate exactly suited for both the wine and raisin manufacture. Grapee
are also abundant iu Kashmir, Kiibill, and Boklutra, and afford both raisins and wine. The most celebrated of eastern wines, however, is the Shiraz, prepared in the districts of Khollar, near the village of Bendamir. There are two varieties, red and white , the former containing 15i, the latter nearly 20' per cent. of alcohol.
The Mosaic law prescribes drink-offerings. of a particular measure of wine at the ordaining of priests, and also at harvest festivals and on other occasions of solemnity during the year. In the ancient Greek ritual, not only wine, but other drinks were Used, and almost each. god and each feast had its appropriate libation of liquids as well as its offering of flowers, fruit, cake, or fleSh. Hardly a sacrifice was complete without the use of wine. It was dashed over the brows of the horned victim when immolated, and poured over the cakes which were spread upon the altar. The wine to be used at every meal was first offered in libation to the gods.
2'urlas.—Timur and his ladies appear to hay e been confirmed wine-bibbers. Ruy Gonzalez de Clavijo, who visited their court as ambassador from the king of Castille and Leon in 1403, in describing a feast given by Hausada, the wife of the eldest son of Timur, says that when the ambassadors arrived, the ladies were drinking, and the way they drink is this : An old knight, a relation of the lord, and two small boys, his relations, serve the cup, before Hausada, and before the other ladies, in this manner : they hold white napkins in their hands, aud those who pour out the wine, pour it into small golden cups, which they place on flat plates of gold. Those who serve the wine then come forwardovith the pourers-out behind, and when they have got half-way, they touch the ground three times with their right knees. When they come near to the ladies, they take the cups, with their hands wrapped in the white napkins, so that they may not touch the cups, and present them kneeling, to the ladies who are going to drink. . . . -You must not think this drinking is of short duration, for it lasts a long time with out eating. Cano, the wife of Timur Bee', came to this feast. After the drinking had Fasted a long time, Cano called the ambassadors• before her and gave them to drink with her own hand, and' she importuned Ray Gonzalez for a long time, to make him drink, for she would not believe that he never touched wine. The drinking was such that some of the men fell down drunk before her. and this was considered very jovial, for they think that there can be no pleasure -without drunken men.' The ambassadors could not with stand the temptation. Neither the Jewish nor the Christian religion prohibited wine or strong drinks.