1857 The Bordeaux wine and liquor dealers' guide

21

:MANUFACTURING .AND ADU!.tl:R.ATING LIQUORS.

article of commerce, as early as the year 145 before Christ. Albacacis, in the twelfth century, taught the me– thod of procuring spirits from wine, but the process was doubtless known long before that time. Wine is the fermented juice of the grape. The general character and qualities of wine are princi– pally influenced by the climate, soil, and the matu– rity of the grape, as well as by the method of con– ducting the fermentation. The constituents of wine are :-Alcoli.oZ, which is one of the principal ingredients, and on which its power of producing intoxication depends. SugM, which has escaped the process of fermentation, and which is most abundant in sweet wines. E~aet­ in, derived chiefly from the husk of the grape; its quantity diminishes by precipitation, owing to the gradual action of the atmosphere. OoltrriJnf! mat– ter.-T)tls exists in the husk also, and is extracted by the newly-formed alcohol; its natural color is blue or purple ; its red tint is owing to the action of acids. Ta;rl,a;r and bitar'flrate of potassilum consti– tute the most important portion of the saline matter of wine, and appears to exercise an important influ– ence over the fermentation. It is gradually depo– sited, along with coloring matter, by age. Odori– ferOU8 matter.-The characteristic vinous odor ap-

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