1857 The Bordeaux wine and liquor dealers' guide

39

:MANUFACTURING AND ADULTERATING LIQUORS.

and stored in a cool place, having a uniform tempe– rature. To promote the ripening of wine, some per- . sons cover the mouths of the casks or bottles with bladder, and others remove them into a warmer situa– tion. A small quantity of pure acetic or tartaric acidmay be added to the coarser grades for the same purpose ; 2 or 3 drops added to a bottle of some kinds of new wine, immediately gives it the appear– ance ot' being 2 or 3 years old." Bo~tling.-" The secret of bottling wine with suc– cess consists in the simple exercise of care and cleanliness. The bottles should be scnvnd, ckan, and dry, and perfectly free from the least mustiness or other odor. The corkSBhould be of the best quality, and immediately before being placed in the bottles, should be compressed by means of a ' cork squeezer.' For superior or very delicate wines, the corks are usually prepared by placing them in a copper, or tub, covering them with weights to keep them down, then pouring over them polling water, holding a little pearlash in solution. In this state they are allowed to remain for 24 hours, when they are drained, and 're-immersed for a second 24. hours in hot water, after which they are well washed an? soaked in clean cold water, drained, dried out of conta:ct with dust, put into paper bags, and hung up in a dry place for use. The wine should be ckar and

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