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Wines

and

Wine

Making

preservation.

In

Portugal

one-third

of

alcohol

is

common-

ly

added

to

port

before

shipping

it

to

England,

as

without

this

addition

it

generally

passes

into

the

acetous

fermen-

tation

during

the

voyage.

A

little

alcohol

is

also

usually

added

to sherry

before

it

leaves

Spain.

The

addition

of

alcohol

to

wine

injures

its

proper

flavor,

and

hence

it is

chiefly

made

to

port,

sherry

and

other

wines

whose

flavor

is

so

strong

as

not

to

be

easily

injured.

Even

when

alcohol

is

added

to

wines

of

the

latter

description

they

require

to

be

kept

for

some

time

to

recover

their

natural

flavor.

Bottling.

The

secret of

bottling

wine

with

success

con-

sists

in

the

exercise of

care

and

cleanliness.

The

bottles

should

be

sound,

clean

and

dry,

and

free

from

the

least

mustiness

or

other

odor.

The

corks

should

be

of

the

best

quality,

and

immediately

before

being

placed

in

the

bot-

tles

should

be

compressed

by

means

of

a

cork

squeezer,

or

of

one

of

the

numerous

machines

made

for

this

purpose.

For

superior

or

very

delicate

wines

the

corks

are

some-

times

prepared

by

placing

them

in

a

copper

or

tub,

cover-

ing

them

with

weights

to

keep

them

down,

and

then

pouring

over

them

boiling

water,

holding

a

little

pearlash

in

solution.

In

this

liquid

they

are

allowed

to

remain

for

24

hours,

when

they

are

well

stirred

about

in

the

liquid,

drained

and

reimmersed

for

a

second

24

hours,

in

hot

water,

after

which

they

are

well

washed

and

soaked

in

several

successive

portions

of

clean

and

warm

rain

water,

drained,

dried

out

of

contact

with

dust,

put

into

paper

bags

and

hung

up

in

a

dry

place

for

use.

Many

wine

merchants,

however,

disapprove

of

this

course

and

merely

dip

the

corks

in

clean

cold

water

before

inserting

them

in

the

bottles.

The

wine

should

be

clear

and

brilliant,

and

if it

be

not

so,

it

must

undergo

the

process

of

fining

before

being

bottled.

The

bottles,

corks

and

wine

being

ready,

the

utmost

cleanliness

and

care

should

be

exercised

dur-

ing

the

process.

Great

caution

should

also

be

observed

to

avoid

shaking

the

cask,

so

as

not

to

disturb

the

bottoms.

The

remaining

portion that

cannot

be

drawn

off

clear

161