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Beverages

Alcoholic

it

remains

closely

bunged

up

until

more

tartar

is

deposited,

after

which

is

may

be

racked

off

into

bottles

or

^asks.

When

wine

is

to

be

stored

for

any

length

of

tim^

it

is

necessary

to repeat

the

racking

off

frequently.

Racking

is

performed

by

means

of

a

siphon

inserted

in

the

bunghole

or

by

a

cock

suitably

fixed

in

the

cask.

If

the

racked

wine

is

not

perfectly

clear,

it

is

fined

by

the

addition

of

isin-

glass,

previously

softened

by

soaking

in

a

small,

quantity

of

wine.

After

the

addition

of

the

isinglass

the

cask

is

then

filled

to

the

bunghole,

closed

and

remains

undisturbed

for

about

6

weeks,

and

if,

at

the

end

of

that

time,

it is

not

perfectly

bright

it is

made

to

undergo

a

second

racking.

In

wine-making

countries

blood

and

solution

of

glue

are

sometimes

used

for

fining

red

wines

which

contain

much

tannin.

Milk

is

also

occasionally

employed

for

the

same

purpose.

The

raeking

should

be

performed

in

cool

weather

and

preferably

in

the

early

spring.

The

manufacture

of

champagne

differs

in

its

details

from

that

of

the

so-called

still

wine.

The

best

wine

is

made

from

a

black

grape

of

very

fine

quality,

known

as

the

Noirien, or

Pineau,

and

grown

in-

the

champagne

dis-

trict.

None

but

the

best

selected

grapes

are

used;

all

those

that

are

rotten,

unripe

or in

any

way

unsound

being

rejected.

The

grapes

are

gathered

when

they

have

at-

tained

their

greatest

size.

The

vintage

commences

early

in

October.

To

prevent

the

juice

being

colored

by

the

skin

of

the

grape,

the

fruit

is

submitted

to

pressure

as

quickly

as

possible

after

being

gathered.

Very

powerful

machines

are

employed

for

this

purpose,

since

the

cham-

pagne

grape,

unlike

other

varieties,

is

not

previously

crushed.

Great

care

is

taken

to

apply

the

pressure

evenly

and

to

conduct

the

operation

with

all

expedition,

for

if

this

exceeds

2

hours

the

must

will

be

colored.

The

grapes

are

sometimes

pressed

4

times.

In

good

seasons

the

must

obtained

from

the

different

pressings

is

mixed

together.

In

middling

ones

the

first

yield

is

kept

for

making

the

best

wines,

nor

is

the

fourth

mixed

with

the

other

two.

The

light-colored

must

is first

conveyed

into

a

large

vat,

where

150