Historical Document · 1860

The Manufacture, Imitation, Adulteration, and Reduction of Foreign Wines, Brandies, Gins, Rums, Etc

Author: Harper
Year: 1860
Type: Historical Document

wine

° A TREATISE ON THE MANUFACTURE, IMITATION, ADULTERATION, AND REDUCTION or FOREIGN WINES, BRANDIES, GINS, RUMS, ETC. ETO. INCLUDING “QLD RYE’ WHISKEY, “OLD RYE MONONGAHELA,” “WHEAT,” AND “BOURBON” WHISKEYS, FANCY BRANDIES, CORDIALS, AND DOMESTIC LIQUORS. BASED UPON THE “FRENCH SYSTEM.” BY A PRACTICAL CHEMIST, AND EXPERIENCED LIQUOR DEALER. Vines fil SO Aewn. = ( PHILADELPHIA: PUBLISHED FOR THE AUTHOR. 1860. Chery 79sec | 19€3,.00) “ fp /. SO . Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1859 by JOHN STEPHEN, M.D. In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. PREFACE. In presenting this volume to those who are in any man- ner engaged in the manufacture or sale of spirituous or vinous liquors, the author is confident that he has pro- duced a practical treatise on the subject of which it treats that will prove useful to those for whom it is de- signed. It has been his study to combine with his own experience all the information which it was possible for him to obtain from men of practical experience and from widely-scattered sources; and to condense into a volume of small size and convenient arrangement, information which will render to every person who is pecuniarily inter- ested in the business of which this work treats, a large equivalent for so small an outlay. Every well-informed person is aware that the adulteration of brandies, wines, ete., have been effected by the use of poisonous and dele- terious compounds, to an enormous extent. This system is still in use, and will so continue until the “ French system,” which is almost unknown in this country, will (iii) iv PREFACE. fortunately take its place,—the French system of manu- facturing, imitating, and reducing liquors being based on scientific principles; which cause us to unite with the “pure spirit” forming the “basis” of all liquors, those constituents, and those only, which are found by chemical analysis to exist in the foreign liquor which we seek to imitate. The object of this work is to do away with the use of noxious and poisonous adulterations, and to instruct the purchaser how to produce brandies, wines, cordials, and other liquors, equal in every respect to any foreign importation. Nearly all the spirits shipped to European countries from the United States undergo the same operations which are taught in this work, and are returned to this country in the form of brandies, wines, cordials, gins, etc., and are here sold at high prices. This work, in the hands of every one engaged in any manner in the manufacture or sale of spirituous or vinous liquors, will prove exceedingly valuable; not only as a guide to instruct them in the “arts and mysteries” of imitating and reducing pure foreign brandies, wines, etc., but likewise pecuniarily beneficial, comprising as it does a larger amount of practical information and valuable formule, than any work of the kind ever published in the United States. THE AUTHOR. CONTENTS. WINE. Definition of..........0 cesses secees sosses cossecaee oes senses sosses sesees seeees _ Different varieties Of... secssssee sceseeccesee covecsees senses sovveeoee oe Whence derived............ssesccces ccscsceoess sscnes sescescvases cesses ssceee Kinds generally imported.........000 cesses The art of making......... ...ecc0se Grapes, how gathered..........sesescsssss sovessseceee soeeee cesses seeeee soe Must, constituents Of..........00ssccsscrscee sossscens cece cocee sesesccees Fermentation...... cccsscssses cesses sneces coeces cssees seeceesecees sosses seeee How checked.......... Rules to be observed in making.........0ccccses cesses cocees sevsenenees Constituents Of WiMG........cccscsccce seep eosceccoscssccs cesses sos cee cesses Claret, properties Of......cc.sssescsscseccsssses cesses conor cee edb eveeeeees Port, properties Of.......s+ccscsscerecer eee sesceeees sence cae ssenes cesses ee Teneriffe, properties Of.........ssscccsseoessseee cessor ceseneser sce sassoe eee Madeira, properties of.... Sherry, properties Of.......s.ccscsscercescescesccecescsen see cesses cen caceee Champagne, properties Off... ........ssssccecssccc cessor ses seeeesceesesene Red and white wWines..........cccescsececcsssseevocees Whence derived....... Spirituous Wimes.......ccccccececcecccsescce cesses cesses senses cesses eae sseces 1* (¥) 18 14 14 14 14 14 16 16 20 19 24 25 29 81 81 81 81 82 82 81 81 81 vi CONTENTS. Bweet.....cccsscseccrcssssseves cscs sssccsccecas see cceseeces ser ces cee ses ces cen eee Acidulous... os eas toe nee cee Taferior.........ceeccecssccecseceecccene scene neeans cesses corsee cesses eseceeees Sparkling ...........0cccsesececcecescoeecevesecs ces cesses see eee css sseees see ees Management Of....0....sesccessescenececsscesseesescecere cen cne ees cesses ences AZe..rcercessesccvcnncee sor vesceeseeenscce sees ens ers ccecen ces ecs see see cneaeeceeee Bottling... ssoscccsscerccesseceesssacesescssseesscee ene cee cee cun cee cee ene ceeee Corks for bottling, how prepared... Cellaring .. oo wee coccesccece ee cee cee cee Peery eee co vceeccee 00 cee cocee Coloring......cesceeceeccecsnceecseseeeseesensee nnn cee see cuncae see see ces ces eee Distemper in..........sessesceesscee sen cee ccesee cee see cecseces cee cas senccee ees Flavoring ....0.ssscsscesesscneccesecee sees cee eessee see ccecacece cee cee see see Fining......csecssccsccecccssese ace cnsces cee cee sees cee censen see cee cee cee cee cee Management of casks........ccccssccecrrcescsscenees con ceeeescesess ces ceses IMITATIONS. Basis fOr... ....secsserses sos cceceeceeces ove cnscee css coecnsens sesersesesses cesses How prepared..........s0.ssccsccccceces ces ceecescee ccs sesseesee ces cns see sees Portree cssccccercacccecessscccsceenccercee cee coe cesccseee ce ses ese res cee eee cee Madeira..........00 Temeriffe... sss .cesse sce cesses ces ccscescsseves cee sees ces ces see cesses senses cssees Claret... ....0.cssceece-seceeecnsces see cceces ces ccc eeeserensece ccs cecees ees ces eee Malaga... .scocccsscoecescsscceesssee sence sesene cee eesesse cece ces cane see eee cate Lisbon... ..ccoecsecen cee cne ces veecee cee ces vee ees ces ces see suceas ses cee aee cee -eeee 7 CHAMPAGNE... 0000 see cee cad soe cccees con eens cons cneaee senses ens eeeaee senses PAGE 81 82 82 81 31 82 82 382 37 37 88 89 39 86 40 89 87 85 36 86 42 45 50 52 54 56 60 62 64 CONTENTS. DOMESTIC WINES. Raspberry... ......sssccecssccecreceeccsecccns ces cen een cse ees cvecescss cusses ees Strawberry... .cecercerececeseeeee Elder... ...s00cee see cceevecesceee Morello-cherry... Gooseberry .......00 0s ceecssovene coeace cee see cesses cos ceecesces cee ces sesseeuss Whortleberry .........000c00ceseee corsnee vos Apple... csssoceeccnseeenence soe cssces cos sccsenecs ous ses sensess soe cns ees veces ees MUulberry.......0.ssseeeccecrsscccre cesses ces ccecceseeeere vee ces cee conser see cee APricot.......seceecorceecreeeecceene cee ces coscesees ences sone orsseevesseescasees Other Einds....uc.scesroe -sccecsscose css seee sons senses cusses see coe see see cre BRANDY. Definition of......... seeeeaees tteeee ceeeee seseeeceeceeesceee oe Varieties......... see seveeeees se ececeeeeene ae caveesees deaeeeves soeces seseevecs . Manufacture Of.......... ssccsscccvecccscecoecee sosceccee see oveee sensewsescce Strength ........ccccsscsesceceescecece sesces coeeees seeeseee ees deeb oeeeee soeee tee Constituents of......... seeeees os coseeesee senceeee soneseces coneseeee cesee tone Intoxicating power Of...........0scssees IMITATIONS. Cognac...... dence cneses coeces soscecees sosneessccoscccessenecs eoeeseess coesees - Bordeaux....sscceccesscces cosees covsere senses csees t seeneeces seveesseeens teneee AYMAQTAC....00000 corres coseseces corssceee seseee rosccnees peneees ererrrr ett REDUCED BRANDIES. Cognac.......s.seececeee coneecoes sor coseeenen seceen seenen anenesn eee seceee coeees Rochelle...... oe f vccensaccen cesses seseeeeee PAGE 67 68 69 70 72 78 74 74 74 74 74 17 17 79 78 80 80 85 87 89 90 viii CONTENTS. CHEAPEST BRANDIES. PAGE COgmac...ececrcceesee coceeecoseceoes vecees scaces senses coves aoe corseseces seeee - 95 Rochelle......... .scscsoes secserenssscoe soesee aes cncees cece cacees enccescceserees 96 FANCY BRANDIES. Remarks, in regard to........0000 ees a seaseenese so escons ances sevceesccses 97 101 103 103 104 Orange...ccccceveecccoes coccecece soncce cosescese seccsonssecescsceesccssceessens LOB Pine-apple.........ccerececeeee ve soeneee scevcccccveccccveceee LOG « 106 107 Lavender......... sescccses sseeee ve stecees coseescneses coccsececsescceers 108 GIN. Varieties......... coeneeeee coscee toe eseeeeeeeee ssecenee cocves ane cesesesce voeees 109 Manufacture...... cece seeseececees 110 Constituents...... 2.0. eee eee . 110 Imitations, difficulties of........0cscssssessssecee ceceescossccesescsscsssces LA Imitations...... ee eeee cereeeee teeees coscceees coceee cesses coenceves sccescssees LIG sooo 122 Reduced Gins. eoeecevee RUM. Definition......... oeceee ceeseceee cosececes coceeeese cee eee cee cevcees cecces cee wwe 124 Manufacture......secresscssesccsces coves cescccccsccenesccscscses cesses cesses LOS Varietios.......00 cee CONTENTS. ; ix PAGE Constituents .......0.cscccsees cocccescs cosseecesseccscceesseesscces senses cesses 128 TAMBiCh 0.0000 ceoses coseenees snescvens coccecece cacces soascs sesece seccssseeees 129 St. Croix.......00 cooseeees . seoeeee 131 WHISKEY. Definition...... .seccccecsssccsccssccccs covers ccsscs covess cseses cesses sccessvee LOZ How obtained......... ccscsssccsess cesses cesses cocsss cesses csseesccsessceeees 183 Trish .......ssscssesscsens sovececccesscce cosccscsssces cesees cascesescees seseceees 180 Scotch..... 185 Monongahela...... ..sssocsess soesssceecceccscecsecsescessceses ceseseees cvsees 186 WhEAL......060 csevce sooceeene vocvevees sesseecscesssesces secssssseses cesses cesses LOT Old Bourbon...... see eeaeee ceeee . 139 Apple whiskey, reduction Of...... ...scccse cee ssrsesveosen sosscesaecevees 140 CORDIALS, Definition.......sscccccesescesccscssscs cocsessccscs sscesescssessescsscsssscees LAL Manufacture... .scccscssere secees soeees sesovceee 141 Sweetening............ssceesscssseces cceserccseee sascescesseceesssceceseessece LAL Filtering.........scssscsee sscoosces coscsssccecssorerevcces sosece cesses ssvencees 148 Fiming......... scsececosscs cence: cecees sosceccescescee secves sccscsces cossccssees L44 Rose Cordial .....ssse sssesscsesse corcencen soscesene soscen soressses sence severe 145 Amise-seed ........ cece ceccoesscceessesseesscoscsces sescecesscsscerecsccseseses 146 Citron........... coe cen ces enecceccsccecescorcen cee sscscsccssessassccessssscccsses LAT 147 ~ 148 Peppermint.......0. sssocecescce esses srsees cesses cccccsess sosssseescceccseee 149 Cinnamon... ...sccccoces ces ceeccesee Clove... ...... 00 seeee Lemon.......cs. ccssccsce coccsecsevee scenes seasscsescssessce sosccsese cveseevoceee 150 150 Strawberry... ...ccssecsssssces scsseceer coccssncs crsssessseessesscees seesesses LOL Orange.... x CONTENTS. BITTERS. Preparation............ dee ceseenees cosecee coeeneee . Effect on the system........cccccos ssseeees tas seseeeee coeee tee secees ceeeee Wine bitters.............. so eseeee eeeesecee 194 Brandy...... ccceee eococeetcecneestseenaceseeses sone: 0 ce eeee sseeee cneeees 197 Spirit......s0e sesesscoceee cossevees vevees soscevese osese oveeee sonnes cove oe oeeeee 199 DISTILLATION. Definition.......0. secceee secesee Process......000 sseseececececce coceeccesceeeeecces coeeee eveseee ceeeevee sovsseees 162 Different methods.........cceesssereccosee cosenceee coe peeeee ceceee -eoeeseeeee 152 From saccharine juices.........cesescssee seeveees «~ 155 From apples, pears, etC........0.s-sscceee deacee ceeeeseee oo seeeeees aeeeveee 156 From fecula, or starchy materials......... , 157 Mashing......sc0 ceceeeceoeeeese deasencceceeeeeces eosseeees cooeee tesees seeeeees - 159 Cooling....+ sssees cocees veoveesoees 4 eases seccee cocees coeeece cavcosees cones eee 168 Fermentation.......0. cccsssoes cosseceee coeeee seeseeeee secre cocecsccssccece » 164 Whiskey from damaged grain..........s.ccsses seeeee oes anneenacee cove 167 How remedied.........0. sssecscsscecses esccee cnscceese ssceesseseses encsneens 168 - RECTIFICATION. How performed.........0..sceses secees cosnes soeees senesceees Improved method........ Packing the rectifiers.........001sscosesecasesesseeeees asec cvesseeee coseee 172 Preserving the Coal.....c- sseerscceeccees soseee ceceee ceoeens eee 172 VINEGAR. Definition ...........sccesecseecceee soceas socees soessseeescecees sevesscrenceces 178 Manufactured from what.........s00.ssssssereee oe Varieties.......ccccscserecces coesees Malt Vimegar.......s. cosssssersscsenes sssencnge conse soceeeces CONTENTS. xi PAGE HOW Made.....ccee cesses cecceesesces scocees sees 174 Wine from...... .csccscscsee vee dee coeeee vescee neesecees cevcees te coseee cocereere 175 How manufactured....... dates cence cecees cence cenece ceeces ooeee: o beesceeee 175 Varieties of........0...secese ce + ee eeoneces 176 Cider from ...........csescosecsece coos coven ceeeeeececee coeeeeeee seseeceee seeeee 176 Manufacture; mode of....... German method IMITATION LEMON SYRUP. Lemon syrup seesee cee Lemon syrup, aromatic Lemonade, acidulated......... .sscssce cocsssoes sossscees sosseeces saseees « 203 Lemonade, French Lemonade, Imperial......... 0.200. ssssceess ssvecese covvesses sessesees sevens QUB Lemonade, Queen cup......... .sccsees secccecen soscreees consscees snssosene 203 ORANGEADE, OR SHERBET. Orangeade...... ..eceee o eeseeeene cocnee eoeee te veseeeeee soeeee ae sesees enceee 204 Orangeade, effervescing...........sece sssceeseceee covecevee ce or anes severe 204 xii CONTENTS. FORMULA. TINCTUBES, PAGE Kino, tincture Of............csccee csecccces cecece snccecees soceee secees cee wee 205 Rhatany......... coeeeeees orescence nee Catechu,.....cscce ssvcscces coseceese CLOVES ...... ccsece contcecee socee: sence coescaseeeees soecees soneeesce coceee senses Cinnamon ..........cee0e ove cece ceeee cocneececees teneeeces coceee coaee a tenees 206 Allspice........ccssees ssccsneee socnsencesce ceennseee cones soeees seeeeesee seeees 206 Cardamom seed ........csscsceccescscces socees soeeceeccescecen: conces caneceeee 206 Red sanders.........cccecs cesses sevens cecees secces cocsesees ones te neces eeeese 206 Saffron......seesecccscncces csvecssee cosccsceen sessecece soceee cnccen eae coess 206 ESSENCES. Lemon.......2.scccecececcecccscsssccecessceece coccesecccees cosces sesees soseseses 207 Orange-peel............. 207 ORANGE-FLOWER WATER. How prepared 207 COLOR. Beet-root..... 207 SIMPLE SIRUP. How prepared 207 COLORING FOR LIQUORS. How prepared 208 BEAD FOR LIQUORS. How prepared 208 WINE Vin, French; Wein, Germ.; Vino, It., Span. Wun¢ is the fermented juice of the grape. The strongest wines come from the Southern States of Europe. The grapes of those countries, con- taining a larger quantity of sugar, afford a more abundant production of alcohol; consequently, the best Sherry, Port, and Madeira are fur- nished from that portion of the continent. Bur- gundy, and other temperate climes, produce the finest-flavored wines, which cannot be done in countries farther north, in consequence of the difference of the degrees of temperature. Wines derive their names from the different 2 (18). 14 “WINE. countries in which they are made: for instance, PortuGaL produces Port and Lisbon; FRANcE, Champagne, Burgundy, Hermitage, Vin de Grave, Sauturne, and Claret; Spain, Sherry, Saint-lucar, Malaga, and Tent; Grurmany, Hock and Moselle; Huneary, Tokay; Sicity, Marsala or Sicily Madeira, and Lissa; The Care oF Goop Horst, Constantia; Maprira and the Ca- NaRIES, Madeira and Teneriffe. The wines used in the United States come almost entirely from Europe, the most extensive importations being Port, Teneriffe, Madeira, Sherry, and Claret wines of France. The art of making wines is regu- lated by general rules, which should not be deviated from: the grapes are gathered, placed in wooden vessels with perforated bottoms, and pressed or trodden under foot, (unless the wine- press is used,) generally in the evening, and the resulting must or juice is received in separate vats; at the end of from six to ten hours, the temperature of the air being about 60°, the fermentation gradually takes place in the must, _ WINE. 1d as shown by the froth or scum which forms on the surface, and increases in thickness, caused by the more solid parts being thrown to the surface, by effervescence created by the escape of carbonic acid gas. This scum is called the head. After the lapse of some time this scum is removed with a skimmer, and the thin liquor returned to the vat; sometimes two or three coats are removed in this manner. When the regular vinous fermentation has begun, all the remaining froth is taken off; the liquor having acquired a strong vinous taste, and become per- ‘Yfectly clear, is considered formed, and is trans- ferred into barrels. The fermentation, however, still progresses for several months longer. The precipitates form a deposit, which constitutes the wine-lees. ‘ Grape juice does not ferment in the grape itself; this is owing to the exclusion of atmo- spheric oxygen, the contact of which is neces- sary to effect some change in the gluten, to enable it to set up the fermentating process. 16 WINE. The expressed juice of the grape, called must, (mustum,) is composed of the following :-— By Pxovst. By BERAgD. Extractive. Odorous matter. Sugar. Sugar. Gum. Gum. Glutinous matter. Glutinous matter. Malic acid. Malic acid. Citric acid. Malate of lime. Bitartrate of potash. Supertartrate of lime. Bitartrate of potash. , Must undergoes the vinous fermentation, as before stated, when placed in a temperature of between 60° and 80° Fahr., this fermentation being the metamorphosis of sugar into alcohol and carbonic acid, and this process continues until all the sugar is completely decomposed. ' The elements of the ferment, however, take no part in the transformation, or rather do not enter into a chemical combination with the WINE. 17 elements of the sugar, for which reason some difficulty has been experienced in accounting for its agency in exciting fermentation. It has been ascertained, however, that the substance which possesses the power of exciting or induc- ing fermentation, in a new solution of sugar, and which has received the name of ferment, is a yellowish or gray insoluble body, containing a large proportion of nitrogen, produced by the fermentation of the grape juice, in addition to the alcohol and carbonic acid already men- tioned. The alcohol and carbonic acid are produced from the elements of the sugar and the nitrogenized substance above mentioned, from the azotized constituents of the grape juice—vegetable albumen. “The manner in . which this vegetable albumen or gluten is con- verted into a ferment is by the oxygen of the water, or of that of the sugar, combining with the gluten, hydrogen being set free, and enter- ing into new combinations, or new compounds, ax . 18 WINE. containing a large proportion of hydrogen and a small quantity of oxygen, together with the carbon of the sugar, must be formed.” (LiEsIG.) The enanthic ether and enanthic acid are other products of the deoxydation of the substances dissolved in the fermenting liquids; and although cenanthic ether and other volatile substances are formed from the deoxydation or interchange of the elements of vegetable albumen and sugar, there are other causes which influence their production and peculiarities... The wines grown in France, owing to the large quantity of tar- taric and other acids which they- contain, pos- sess, in a marked degree, the peculiar taste and odor, or Boquet; whereas the wines of warmer climates possess little or none, owing to the absence of those acids. In the wines from the Rhine the perfume is powerful; the grapes, ripening late, and containing the largest pro- portion of acids: showing conclusively that the characteristic perfumes, and the acids of wines, have a certain connection—the acids seeming to WINE. 19 exercise a certain influence on the formation of the perfumes. Wines are divided into the Red and White wines. Red wines are derived from the must of black grapes, fermented with their husks. White wines are derived from white grapes, or from the must of black grapes fermented apart from their husks. White wines which, from a deficient supply of tannin, might be disposed to become stringy, can be preserved by adding the fuot-stalks of ripe grapes. The white wines should be racked off as soon as cleared by the first frosts, and at the latest by the middle of February; in this manner the fermentation, which would take place on the return of spring, is prevented; otherwise the sweetness of the wine would be destroyed by the remaining portion of the sugar being decom- posed. The modes in which the fermentation of wines is conducted, and the ‘relative propor- . tion of the constituents of the must, regulate or 20 WINE, form the other qualities of the red and white wines. Water, sugar, and a ferment are the essential ingredients of the must, as a fermentable liquid. If the juice contains a large portion of sugar, and sufficient ferment to sustain the fermenta- tion, the. conversion of the saccharine matter into alcohol will proceed until checked by the production of a certain amount of the latter, and a spirituous or generous wine will be formed. If the ferment be deficient in quantity, while a large portion of sugar is contained in the juice, less alcohol will be formed, and a sweet wine will be generated. When both the sugar and . ferment are in considerable amount, and in the proper relative proportions for mutual decompo- sition, a dry wine will be formed. Grapes which contain a small amount of sugar, will produce what are called light wines, which, should acetous fermentation take place to excess, become sour. In case the bottling of the wine takes place before the fermentation is WINE. 21 fully completed, the carbonic acid that is gene- rated will impregnate the wine, and render it effervescing, and form the sparkling wines, (Vin The astringent wines owe their flavor to the tannic acid derived from the husks of the grape, and the acidulous wines to the presence of car- bonic acid, or a large proportion of tartar. Sparkling wines are manufactured from black grapes of the first quality, the juice being ex- tracted as gently as possible, so as to prevent the coloring matter of the skin from entering into the wine. Inferior wines are formed from the after-pressings, on account of the tint ac- quired from the husks. Casks are then three- fourths filled with the colorless must, fermenta- tion soon begins, and is allowed to continue under the control of M. Sebille Auger’s elastic bung for from twelve to eighteen days, and then three-fourths of the casks are filled up with wine from the rest. The bung is then well secured. 22 WINE. The clear wine should be racked off in the month of January, and fined by isinglass dis- solved in old wine of the same kind. From thirty-five to forty-five days after, a second fining takes place, and, if the lees are consider- able, a third may be found necessary. The clear wine is drawn off in the month of May into bottles, adding to each a small measure of liquor, which is merely three per cent. of a sirup made by dissolving sugar candy in white wine. When the bottles are filled, and the corks secured by pack-thread and wire, they are laid on their sides, with their mouths sloping downward at an angle of twenty or twenty-five degrees, so that any sediment contained in them may fall into the neck. At the end of from six to twelve days the slope is increased, when they are slightly tapped, and placed in a vertical position; then, in the course of some days, the cork is partially removed, to allow the sediment to be forced out by the pressure of the gas. An additional quantity of liquor WINE. 23 and fining should be added to each, in case the wine be still muddy, and the bottles again placed in the inverted position. In several months the process must be repeated if the wine be still deficient in transparency. The wine prepared as above is generally fit for use at the end of about twenty or twenty- five months, depending on the seasons. Weak wines ought to be consumed within sixteen months after being made, and mean- time kept in cool cellars. Casks containing white wines should be kept constantly full, and carefully excluded from contact with the air, and racked, before the whole quantity of sugar has become decomposed, too much fermentation injuring them. Strong wines may remain from twelve to eighteen months upon the lees, so as to pro- mote their insensible fermentation, before being racked off; for which purpose a siphon should be preferred. Wines, though consisting mainly of water and 24 WINE, alcohol, contain besides, blue coloring matter of the husk in red wines, yeast, acetic, tannic, ma- lic, tartaric, and carbonic acids ; sugar, extractive matter, gum, tartar, tartrate of lime, volatile oils, _ and cnanthic ether, The characteristic odor and aroma possessed by all wines is, in a greater or less degree, produced by the essential oil. The enanthic ether is obtained toward the end of the operation of distillation, and is from about 1-15,000th to 1-40,000th part of the wine. It is an oily, colorless liquid, having a peculiar smell, almost intoxicating when inhaled, and is analogous to the fatty acids, the ether being liquid, but insoluble in water. Its specific gravity is 0-862, and boiling point 0-435. The other ingredients mentioned are not all present in every wine. Sugar is present in sweet wine; carbonic acid in sparkling wines; tannic acid and tartar in rough wines. Malic acid, in small portions, is present in some wine, and absent in others. The alcohol contained WINE. 25 in wines is intimately united with the other ingredients of the liquor, and constitutes the intoxicating principle; hence their strength depends on the quantity of alcohol which they _ contain. This has been the subject of careful investigation by a great number of chemists; but as the results must vary with different seasons, they can only be received as merely approximative, An abstract of the results of three of the most distinguished chemists—M. Jules Fonte- nelle, Dr. Christison, and M. Brandt—is given in the following table, the proof-spirit taken at the standard of 0°825 :— Table of the Proportion, by measure, of Alcohol contained in 100 parts of different Wines, sp. gr. of Alcohol 0:825. Lissa (mean average) 25°41 Raisin wine (mean) 25°12 Marsala, Sicily Madeira (mean)........... 25°09 Port (strongest) 25°83 26 WINE. Port (mean) 22°96 Port (weakest) 19-00 Port (strongest, C.) .20°49 Port (mean, C.) 18-68 Port (weakest, C.) 16-80 White Port (C.) 17:22 Sherry (strongest) 19°81 Sherry (mean) 19-17 Sherry (weakest) 18°25 Sherry (strongest, C.) 19°31 Sherry (mean, C.) 18°47 Sherry (weakest, C.) 16:96 Sherry, Amontillado, (C.)..cccececsusssnsu 15:18 Malmsey Madeira 16°40 Malmsey (C.) 15-60 Lunel 15-52 Lunel (J. F.) 18-10 Sheraaz 15°52 Madeira (strongest) 24°42 Madeira (mean) 22:27 Madeira (Weakest) ..n.cccssscncnnee sn 19-24 Madeira (strongest, C.) 20°35 . Sercial Madeira 27 21°40 Sercial Madeira (C.) 18°50 Rousillon (mean) 18:13 Claret (strongest) 17-11 Claret (mean) 15:10 Claret (weakest) 12:91 Claret (weakest, J. PF.) 14:73 Claret (Vin-ordinaire, C.)...cnnssussssn 10-42 Claret, Chateau Latour, 1825, (C.)..... 9°38 Claret, first growth, 1811, (C.)............. 9-32 Teneriffe 19°79 Teneriffe (C.) 16°61 Colares 19°75 Syracuse 15-28- Sauterne 14:22 Burgundy (mean) 14:57 Hock (mean) 12:08 Lachryma Christa 19°70 Sheraaz (C.) 15°56 White Constantia 19°75 Red Constantia 18-92 Lisbon 18°94 28 _ - WINE. Lisbon (C.) 19-09 Bucellas ‘ene B49 Red Madeira (mean) 20°35 Cape Muschat 18°25 Cape Madeira (mean) 20°51 Grape wine 18-11 Calcavella (mean) 18-65 Vidonia 19-25 Alba Flora 17-26 Zante 17-05 Malaga 17-26 White Hermitage 17-43 Currant wine 20°55 Gooseberry wine 11-84 Orange wine 11:26 Elder wine 8-79 Brown stout 6°80 Nice 14:63 Barsac 13°86 Tent. 13°30 Champagne (mean)... 12°61 Champagne (J. F.) 12:20 WINE. “99 Red Armitage 12°32 Vin de Grave (mean) 13°37 Frontinac (Rives Altes)... 12-79 Frontinac (J. F.) 21-80 Frontinac (C.) 12-29 Cétie Rétie 12°32 Tokay. 9°88 Rudesheimer (C. first quality)............... 10°14 Rudesheimer (C. inferior) secs 8°35 Hambacher (C. first quality)................. 8°88 Cider (average) 751 Perry 7:26 Mead 7:32 Burton ale 8:88 Edinburgh ale 6:20 London porter. 4:20 . Though the intoxicating power of any liquid is generally in proportion to the quantity of alcohol it contains, wines are an exception; the other constituents of the wine having the power of modifying the strength of the alcohol, 3* i 30 WINE. rendering it less intoxicating than the same quantity of alcohol, separated by distillation and diluted with water: for a brandied wine— that is, a wine to which brandy has been added—is much more intoxicating than wine equally strong in alcohol to which no brandy has been added. “Dealers” endeavor to rem- edy this by the operation of “fretting in,” thereby effecting the chemical union of the foreign spirit with the constituents of the wine, by a renewed fermentation. Dr. Christison con- siders it a mistake to suppose that wines be- come stronger by being kept a long time in a cask, his experiments proving the reverse. The flavor of wine i improved by being kept a long time, and its body, or apparent strength, increased. Authorities, however, do not agree in regard to the latter. | As before remarked, Teneriffe, Madeira, Sherry, Port, and the Claret wines of France are most extensively imported, and therefore require a passing notice. Claret, (vinum Rubellam,) known WINE. 31 in France as the Vin de Bordeauz, is a slightly acidulous, astringent wine, of a deep purple color, delicate taste, and is ranked as a light wine. The most esteemed Clarets are the pro- duce of Lajite, Latour, Chdéteau Margaux, and Haut-Brion. It is made in large quantities around Bordeaua, from which port it is shipped. It contains, on an average, fifteen per cent. of alcohol. The Clarets are the least injurious of all wines. Port is an astringent, rough, sweetish wine. When long kept it loses its astringency, sweet- ness, and coloring matter. It is one of the strong wines. Its color is of a deep purple, and it contains about twenty-three per cent. of alcohol. Tenerife is a wine of good quality, and fine aromatic flavor. It contains about 19-79 per cent. of alcohol. It is a white wine, slightly acidulous. Madeira is more stimulating than Sherry, slightly acidulous, is esteemed the strongest of 32 WINE. the white wines in general use, and is more adulterated than any of the other commercial wines. When in good condition, it has a fine aromatic flavor, containing 22:27 per cent. of alcohol. Sherry is a Spanish wine, prepared near Xeres, in Spain; hence, in English, it is called Sherry. It is a dry wine, of a deep amber color, and, when pure, possesses a dry aromatic flavor, without any acidity. It is one of the strongest of the white wines. Champagne is a white wine, brisk, frothing, sparkling, effervescing, and much used. The reader must, by this time, have per- ceived the necessity of observing certain rules, without which the manufacture of wine be- comes impossible :— Ist. The grapes should be plucked in dry weather, at the interval of a few days after they are ripe, and transported to the vats in ~ dorsels sufficiently tight te prevent the juice from running out. WINE. 33 2d. Whenever a layer of fourteen or fifteen inches thick has been spread on the bottom of the vat, the treading operation begins, (unless the wine-press is used,) which is usually re- peated after macerating the grapes for some time. When an incipient fermentation has softened the texture of the skin and the inter- . nal cells, the grapes should be well and equally bruised and trodden, for the first juice contains little mucoso-saccharine matter, and consequent- ly does not ferment freely, that substance being chiefly contained in the insoluble organized parts, and the skin, which also contains the greatest part of the acid, resinous, extractive, and coloring matter. 3d. The temperature at which fermentation takes place must be conducted at about 60° to 75° Fahr., below which it languishes, and above which it proceeds too violently. When it pro- ~ ceeds too slowly, add a little boiling must. 4th. The contact of air is necessary in the commencement, affording another reason for 34 WINE. the perfect bruising of the fruit, as much air is absorbed in that process. But after the fer- mentation is well begun, the air must be ex- cluded; the French chemist, Chaptal, recom- mending the vats to be covered with boards and linen cloths, for the purpose of preserving the aroma, which would otherwise escape. 5th. The greater the bulk the more perfect the wine. 6th. When the wine is ready to be racked off, it ought to be subjected to the operation of sulphuring,—that is, exposed to sulphurous acid, either by burning sulphur matches in the cask, or by the addition of wine impregnated with the acid, to render the glutinous matter incapable of re-exciting fermentation. After having obtained good wine, the preser- vation of it depends on its future management, every wine containing within itself the sources both of improvement and decline. Guard against sudden transition from cold to heat, or - the reverse, as wines are very liable to become WINE. 35 sour by being exposed to the vicissitudes of temperature and the contact of air. Neglect in properly fining likewise favors acescency. Fining too often repeated also impairs the flavor and body of the liquor. ; On racking wines, if the burning sulphur be extinguished in plunging it into the cask, it is a proof that the cask is unsound, and unfit to receive the wine, in which case it should be well cleansed, first with lime-water, then with very dilute sulphuric acid, and lastly with boil- ing water. Sometimes a violent fermentating movement takes place after the wine has been run into casks, and if tightly closed may burst the hoops or open the seams of the staves. This must be prevented by adding about 1-1,000th part of sulphite of lime; or, better still, to in- troduce half a pound of mustard-seed into each barrel, and as soon as the movements are allayed, the floating ferment, which has been the cause, should be removed by fining. 36 WINE. When a wine contains too little alcohol, or has been exposed too largely to the air, or to vibrations, or to too high a temperature in the cellar, it becomes sour. Mix it immediately with its bulk of stronger wine in a less ad- vanced state, fine it, bottle it, and consume it, for it will never prove a good-keeping wine. This distemper in wines gave rise to the prac- tice of adding litharge as a sweetener; the oxide of lead formed, with the acetic acid, acc- tate of lead, which, being sweet, corrected the - sourness of the wine, but at the same time was productive of the most serious consequences to those who drank it. This gross abuse has been entirely abandoned. Ropiness or viscidity renders wine unfit for drinking, and is owing, as was ascertained by M. Francois, to an azotized matter analogous to gliadine, (gluten;) the white wines, which con- tain the least tannin, being most subject to this malady. This can be prevented by pure tannic acid, or powdered nut-galls. The tannin may WINE. 37 be added under a more agreeable form—namely, the bruised berries of the mountain ash, (Sor- bier,) in a somewhat unripe state, of which one pound, well stirred in, is sufficient for a barrel. After agitation the wine is to remain quiet two days, then racked off. The ropiness will, by this time, be removed, and the wine is then to be fined and bottled. When wine is put into casks that have re- mained long empty it sometimes tastes of the cask. This is best remedied by agitating the wine for some time with a spoonful of olive oil. An essential oil, the cause of the bad taste, combines with the fixed oil, and rises with it to the surface. Wines, before being bottled, must, as before stated, go through the process of fining, and may be fined with isinglass, in the proportion of two ounces of the purest isinglass dissolved in two pints of water, and mixed with two quarts of the wine—this being sufficient for a hogshead. Red wines are fined by beating the white of 4 38 WINE. eggs into a froth, and mixing them with three times their bulk of water, then adding two gal- lons of the wine, in the proportion of twenty- eight eggs to the hogshead. Bullock’s blood, which was at one time much in vogue, is now seldom used. Other articles are frequently used, but possess no advantages over the eggs and isinglass, which answer every indication, and are easily obtained. In bottling, care should be taken that the bot- tles have been properly cleansed, being clear and dry and free from odor. Prepare the corks by placing them in a bucket, and covering them with a solution made by dissolving two ounces of bicarbonate of soda in one gallon of boiling water, then standing twelve hours. Then place them in a bucket of boiling water containing half a pound of loaf sugar. After standing another twelve hours, soak them in clear cold water, and they are fit for use. After bottling put the bottled wine in the place where it is to remain, which should be, as before stated, a WINE. 39 cool, dry wine-cellar, paved or graveled, with openings toward the north, and of such depth as to insure the proper temperature, which can only be ascertained and regulated by having one or more thermometers suspended on the walls. The fining of the wine can be done to the greatest perfection by bottling or racking off during the clearest and coldest weather in win- ter, at which time it will, of course, deposit most of its soluble matter. “This was an im- portant secret kept and practiced with much success by a celebrated Philadelphia wine-mer- chant.” - Coloring matters are very generally employed to deepen or change the tint of wine. In Spain boiled must, of the consistency of mo- lasses, and having a similar flavor, but with a strong empyreumatic taste, is employed to deepen the color of Sherry. Caramel or burnt sugar is used for the same purpose, and may be used to color from a light amber to a dark brown. In Portugal the juice of the elder- 40 WINE. berry has been employed to augment the color of Port wine. The extracts of logwood and rhatany are used for the same purpose. For other coloring material the reader is referred to the different formule, and to the “ Appendix.” Flavoring substances are also frequently added to wines. For instance, in Spain a dry kind of Sherry, called Monéellado, is added to Sherries that are deficient in the nutty flavor; and, being very light in color, it is also used to reduce the color of Sherries that are too high. In this country American wines are flavored and colored so as to make them resemble im- ported wines. The alcoholic solution of the essential oil of bitter almonds is, perhaps, more used than any other flavoring material for the purpose of giving a nutty flavor to many weak- flavored wines. Tincture of kino, rhatany, and oak bark, or a solution of their extracts, is used when astrin- gents are required, and a large number of arti- cles possessing the proper fragrance,