"It generally happens that when two distinct wines are mixed, the proms of fermentation is partially renewed, or the mixture, in technical languege,frces. This observation lute led to a valuable practice in this manipulation, namely, frettiree-in, technically so called. It is found by experience that mixed wines unite into one durable and homogeneous liquor only in consequence of this fermentation. A season and circum stances are therefore chosen, in which one or both of the wines to be thus mixed are either in a state of renewed fermentation or show a tendency to it." (McCulloch.) When wine is thus far made, it is left in the cask, or as it is termed, in the wood, to mature. The length of time required for this differs much in the different wines. It is the modern practice to send several wines either on voyages to warm climates or even leave them there for years. This is particularly the ease with Sherry and 'Madeira ; the fine qualities of the latter wine are very greatly developed by a few years' sojourn at Madras. Considerable evaporation, as well as tillage, occurs during this time ; but it is remarkable that during the first years that the wine remains in the cask the watery particles chiefly evaporate, so that the wipe gains in alcoholic strength, as well as flavour. Afterwards the alcohol begins to evaporate ; and it is probable that at the period when the wines begin to lose alcohol they cease to improve in flavour. They are then fit to be bottled. The amount of evaporation varies with the climate, and the kind of wood of which the cask consists. In some cases it is RS much as one-twelfth per cent. per annum—especially if the cask is of Spanish chestnut, which is a most objectionable wood from the taste it imparts. Memel or Danzig oak is exclusively used for the finer Port wines ; American oak is cheaper, but not so good. The presence of two staves of chestnut In each cask has been known to impart a taste, slight at first, but at last so marked as to lead to the rejection of the wiue. The tillage is greatest in new casks ; and hones old ones, when clean and Bound, are preferred. But large casks of glass are now proposed : in these ulkip is impossible.
During the stay of the wine in the wood, a deposit of tartar and other substances occurs. The colour undergoes a change, especially of the red wines ; which is not similar in all. Thus while Port wines become lighter, those of Medea become deeper: hence, to give the appearance of age to Port wines, white Port is added ; but to Clarets the black wine of Cabers is added. The wine is thought to ripen better in large than small casks : this led to the construction of the enormous tints of Heidelberg. Where any of the wine is drawn off, it is necessary to fill up the void as speedily as possible with wine nearly of the same quality, otherwise the air causes the remainder to become sour. Where wine is not to be had, the introduction of a quantity of olive oil protects the wine. A fungus Is very apt to stretch across the surface of the wine, if one or other of these precautions is neglected. While in the vaults or cellars, the casks are likely to become affected with the dry—of, by which much tine wine may be lost, especially if the cellars be damp. To guard against this, the casks should be carefully inspected from time to time. Cellars and vaults should be as remote as possible front streets and other ways by which waggons pass, the vibration caused by these often disturbing the more delicate wines. When wines have been kept in the wood for the period which experience has fixed as that proper for attaining maturity, they are generally put into bottles or flasks. In these some further change goes on, by which they are still further amelionited. In many red wines a deposit occurs, forming a crust on the lower aide of the bottle. The operation of bottling should take place in fine weather, if possible in March or October. Before this is done the wino must be lined, either with white of eggs, very fresh, or isinglass; after which the cask must be left to repose ten or fifteen days, according to the weather. The bottles must be perfectly clean, and if not new, care must be taken that no lead-drops remain in them, as these spoil the wine and render it deleterious. The corks should be perfectly sound, and as elastic' as possible, ao that when driven home they may expand beyond the contracted part of the neck of the bottle, and thoroughly exclude the air. To assist In this object, as well as to pro tect the corks from insects, the mouth of the bottle is often dipped in melted wax. As Champagne Is bottled after remaining at longest only three years in the melt, considerable deposit takes place in the bottle.
When recorkod this is got rid of by the process of degownwnt. The bottle is inclined, the mouth downwards, till all the sediment is lodged In the neck ; the cork is withdrawn, some of the wino rushes out, carrying before it the lees; the escape of the rest is hindered by an adroit adaptation of tho fore-linger. To fill up the void caused by the wino which has escaped, a solution of sugar-candy in any of the common red wines of the country is added : the permanent cork, or the caoutchoue stopper, is now introduced ; when the latter, a simple but convenient piece of mechanism Is used : it is then wired down, and occasionally covered with tin-foil. If preserved in a cool good Champagne may be kept in perfection from ten to twenty years. In the great stores at Rheims the breakage amounts on an average to ten per cent. The Italian wines often have only olive-oil poured into the neck of the bottle. without using a cork.
Wines are classified according to the predominance of certain ingredients. When much alcohol is present. they are termed strong or gensroas; when otherwise, /OM or weak; when much sugar undecom posed, meet or luwious (vans de liqueur) ; when little, dry ; if a free acid in considerable proportion be present, they are called acid or acescent ; when much carbonic acid is present, then sparkling or effervescing (nnousseux of the French, schaumwein, German). Water is more abundant in wines made in wet seasons, and in the wine from new vineyards or young vines. These are also most prone to become sour. tti ith the ancients it was a great object to get rid of the watery por tion, for which purpose they employed various expedients, and often rendered them as thick as tar. The plan now adopted is best, to add starch-sugar to the must. The alcohol present in wines exists from an early stage of the fermentation, nod is not a product of distillation. The quantity, according to Christison, varies from 16 per cent. in inferior Itudesheimer, to 37 per cent. in the strongest Port and Madeira ; this being the per ceotage of proof-spirit estimated by volume. The con dition in which alcohol exists as the natural product of the primary and secondary fermentation of the grape is very different from that in which it is found when obtained by distillation, even of wine, as in the case of the finest French brandy. The addition of any distilled spirit to wine is always to be reprobated, as it destroys the finer qualities of the wine, snaking it flat and mawkish. " The first and most conspicuous effect is the loss of that undefinable lively or brisk flavour which all those who possess accuracy of taste can discover in French wines or in natural wines ; and a flatness, which must be sensible, by the principle of contrast, to the dullest palate which shall compare the taste of Claret with that of Port, or that of Hock or Grave with Lisbon or Bucellas" (Dr. AP Cu lloch). It tends equally, although in a greater length of time, to destroy the union of the colouring principle, which is well known to be deposited in Port winos, and apparently in a great measure from the action of this foreign substance. This fact explains why dis honest wine-merchants add brandy to their I'ort wines, to give them earlier the appearance of age, by producing the crust, a criterion by which no experienced or intelligent wine-drinker allows himself to be misled. Moreover no quantity of brandy can hinder the process of acetification, if the circumstances favourable to it are present. The pure light wines of France and Germany produce an agreeable exhilaration of mind, very unlike the mere physical excitement which results from the largely brandied wines, which are too much in vogue in England. The diseases also which attend spirit-drinkers, chiefly disorders of the liver, are commonly met with among the consumers of wines to which brandy or whiskey has been adventitiously added, though such disorders rarely if ever follow even the intemperate use of pure wine. Intoxica tion is a very rare occurrence among the inhabitants of the wine-pro ducing countries. Acid is another component in wine. A free acid is necessary for the development of the fungus with which the progress of fermentation seems closely connected, for the evolution of the bouquet, for the agreeableness of the wine, and probably for its whole someness. In the best Rhine wines it is about per cent. It is, therefore a popular error to denounce the acidity of wine. The kind of acid present is however a very important point. Tartaric acid is the best. Whether nialie acid be ever present in good pure wine is doubtful, except in red Bordeaux, in which no lactic acid is found. (Mulder) ) ltacemic, silicic, and, perhaps, formic and glucic acid, may be found in some wines. (Mulder.) It is said to prevail in wines made io wet seasons. Citric acid is perhaps found in wine made from unripe grapes. It is not certain that oxalic acid is ever found in wine. It may be formed in some rare instances. It is very likely, however. to exist in considerable quantity in the spurious wine now largely made from the garden rhubarb. On many persons it must have, a very hurtful effect. Acetic acid, or vinegar, is' that which mostly abounds in low poor wines, especially of northern countries, and in good winos which have been mismanaged end alluwed to spoil. The flat taste of the fluid and a smell of vinegar declare its presence. When wine is drunk on draught or from tap, it is most apt to form acid, unless the consumption be rapid. It is to disguise its presence that one of the most dangerous practices is adopted by vintners, namely adding sugar of lead to the tainted liquid. When this is sus pected to have been used, sulphuretted hydrogen will reveal its pre sence. Sometime, it is preaent in bottled wine from a leaden shot being left in the bottle. A small iron chain is safest and best for cleaning bottle.. Carbonic acid not only renders the wine sparkling, but increases its exhilarating action, as felt in Champagne. Tannic acid is present in l'ort and 'fent, to the former of which it imparts both roughness and astringency. Port, both red and white, has less free said than some of the finest Sherries. In the German wines Berzoliva states that there exists tartrate of alumina and potass. Bi tartrate of potass is more common. It is precipitated along with the colouring matter, and termed argot, found in wine-casks.