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58

COMPOSITION

OF

DRINKS,

ETC.

stance

that

is

not

grown

with

the

grape;

according

to

it

wine

must

neither

be

blended

nor

purified,

as

the

very

smallest

quantities

of

any

stuff

used

for

such

a

purpose

that

would

and

will

remain

with

the

wine

alters

the

same,

while

alcohol,

added

for

blending,

originates

from

the

potato

and

not

from

the

grape-

fruit.

This

definition,

to

our

opinion,

is

perfectly

ab-

surd;

the

acceptance

of

it

would

entitle

any

judge

to

condemn

any

wine-dealer

for

adulteration

as

soon

as

legal

proceedings

were

instituted

against

him.

The

main

weight

is

to

be

laid

on

wine

being

a

delicious

beverage from

grape-juice.

It

may

not

al-

ways

be

obtained

from

simple

fermentation

of

grape-

juice;

there

is

many

a

year

when

the

warming

sunrays

fail

to

ripen

the

fruit

of

the

vine,

when

the

must

is

sour,

and

the

wine,

therefore,

turns

vapid

and

pungent,

so

as

to

create

sadness

and

grief

instead

of

gladness

and

joy,

when

taken

by

us

poor

mortals.

Depriving

such

must

of

its

surplus

of

acids,

and

en-

hancing

its

percentage

of

sugar

means

to

produce

a

wine

agreeable

to

the

palate,

and

not

injurious

to

the

health,

while

the

taste

of

the

natural

wine

would

have

filled

every

one

with

disgust.

Adulteration

of

any

article

may

only be

spoken

of

in

case

the

value

of

said

article

be

diminished,

or

substances

be

added

that

are

likely

to

injure

the

health.

In

improving

wine

the

following

methods

are

mainly

adopted,

and

named

after

their

inventors:

I.

Chaptalizing:

The

surplus

of

acids

in

wine

is

neu-