113 / 174
MIXED DRINKS.
113
as has color often deposits a considerable amount of
sediment, and if stored in casks there is a constant
increase of alcohol. Wines which have retained much
albuminous matter and which possess but little tannic
acid cannot resist the influence of time. They become
acid or undergo some other change. This occurs in
the case of Rhine wines which contain but little alcohol,
and all those wines which have much sugar and but
little tannic acid in them cannot be kept very long.
The wine is improved by being kept in wooden casks,
as water escapes by evaporation and the other constitu
ents being thus concentrated exert a stronger chemical
action upon each other and render the wine not only
more condensed but better flavored. Wine must be
added to supply the loss of water or the action of the
air will turn it sour and convert the alcohol into acetic
acid,and the diminution of water which is thus replaced
by wine causes a constant increase of tartaric acid.
■W ines poor in sugar may thus soon become too sour.
The idea more or less prevalent that wine which has
grown old in bottles has become stronger is entirely
erroneous, but tbe color of bottled wine is materially
afiected by age. Liqueur wines and red wines contain
ingno great amount of tannic acidbecome darker, while
wines which are I'ich it tannic acid, like port, deposit a