75 / 104
WINES
AND
SPIRITS
75
perfection.
Mere
age
is
by
no
means
a
proof
of
goodness
or
quality,
though
a
certain
time
in
bottle
is
essential
for
developing
their
flavour
and
character.
Some
wines
will
keep
well
for
very
lengthened
periods,
but
any
excess
of
age
is
always
at
the
expense
of
some
of
the
aroma
and
vinous
pro-
perties.
Effervescing
wines
usually
retain
their
quality
only
to
a
limited
period
;
most
French
wines
are
also
affected
by
time
and
lose
much
of
their
original
character.
Clarets
are
best
when
about
ten
years
old.
Spanish
wines
should
be
kept
long,
as
a
good
age
is
needed
to
bring
out
their
qualities
and
to
secure
mellowness.
Port
and
sherry
are
apt
to
undergo
in
time
a
considerable
change
in
colour
and
flavour.
Liqueur
white
wines,
such
as
Madeira
or
sherry,
should
be
decanted
a
few
hours
before
dinner.
Port
should
be
brought
into
a
warm
room
for
a
few
hours
before
decanting,
but
the
cork
should
not
be
drawn
long
before
it
is
wanted.
Pure
or
unbrandied
wines
should
remain
unopened
till
called
for.
Blending
of
Wine.
Mr.
James
Denman,
in
his
admirable
work,
'
The
Vine
and
its
Culture,'
writes
'
that
to
distin-
guish
wine
that
is
mixed
or
blended
requires
much
experience,
yet
it
would
not
always
be
possible
to
drink
certain
wines
unless
they
were
softened
by
the
admixture
with
others
of
a
kindlier
character,
although
in
all
other
respects
they
may
be
excel-
lent.
*
Hermitage
in
France
is
often
added
to
claret