1876 Facts About Sherry by Henry Vizetelly

Tlie A ssumed TJnwholesomeness of Sherry. 59>

sucli "vile stuff tliat it could ouly te employed for rinsing casks ■witk, •wkile a furtker expeiiment wliicli kemade intke kodega of a second skipper resulted in transforming tke rvine into Tinegar. Tke puklic, knowing notking of tke motive wkick prompted tkese attacks upon skerry, naturally grew alarmed, and for a time tke sukject formed a common topic of conversation at all dinner-takles, wkere by tke lady at your side you found skerry generally declined witk tkanks. Middle-aged gentlemen, too, perfectly kale and kearty on tkeir daily pint of skerry, fancied tkat perkaps for tkem a day of reckoningmigkt ke near. Tke alarm, kowever, soon subsided, and people returned to tkeir old love; yet it is none tke less desirakle tkat tke trutk of tke matter skould ke made known, and tke pukkc mind disakused of any latent fears upon tke sukject. During my sojourn at JerezIpaid particular attention to tkis plastering question, saw tke gypsum applied in almost a kundred instances, and questioned tke capatazes in scores of vineyards. Imay state as witkinmy ownknowledge tkat gypsum is by no means invariably used in tke vinification of skerry, some tkousands of butts kaving been made during tke past and former years at Jerez witkout a particle of tkis substance. Ikave, moreover, ascertained by personal observation tkat wken it is employed only a small quantity—a few pounds per butt of 108 gallons—is used. Dndoubtedly gypsum is applied in tke great majority of instances; stiUIcan confidently assert tkat 61bs. per butt may be regarded as tke extreme quantity used in dry seasons, and tkat double tkis quantity, or perkaps ratker more, wouldbe tke average amount employedinyears wken great dampness prevails. For tke sake of argument, kowever,Iwill assume tke extreme quantity ever asserted as being employed to kave been used, and will skew, not by pseudo-scientific state ments, but on evidence recorded in text-books and accepted by savants of tke kigkest standing, tkat its employment is perfectly harmless. Tke detractors of skeny can scarcely be aware tkat tke superiority of Burton bitter beer is owing to tke large amount