1863 The manufacture of liquors, wines, and cordials

XII.

WINES

WINE is the fermented juice of the grape. The juice of sweet grapes consists of a considerable quantity of grape sugar, a peculiar matter of the nature of ferment or yeast, and a small portion of extractive tannic acid, bitartrate of potassa, tartrate of lime, common salt, and sulphate of potassa, the whole dissolved or suspended in a large quantity of water. This grape juice contains all the essentials to the production of vinous fermentation, and re- quires only the influence of the atmosphere and a proper temperature to convert it into wine. When the grapes are 'ripe they are gathered and trodden under foot, in wooden vessels with perforated bottoms, through which the juice, called the must, runs into a vat placed beneath. The temperature of the air being about 60, the fer- mentation gradually takes place in the must, and Preparation of Wine.