The Cultivation of The Native Grape, and Manufacture of American WinesHusmann, George
Science
The Cultivation of The Native Grape, and Manufacture of American Wines
Husmann, George
Viticulture -- United States; Wine and wine making -- United States
will yet be followed, generally and universally, as sure as the public
will learn to distinguish between good and poor wine.
Let us now observe for a moment the change which fermentation makes in
converting the must into wine. The nitrogeneous compounds--vegetable
albumen, gluten--which are contained in the grape, and which are
dissolved in the must as completely as the sugar, under certain
circumstances turn into the fermenting principle, and so change the
must into wine. This change is brought about by the fermenting
substance coming into contact with the air, and receiving oxygen from
it, in consequence of which it coagulates, and shows itself in the
turbid state of must, or young wine. The coagulation of the lees takes
place but gradually, and just in the degree the exhausted lees settle.
The sugar gradually turns into alcohol. The acids partly remain as
tartaric acid, are partly turned into ether, or settle with the lees,
chrystallize, and adhere to the bottom of the casks. The etheric oil,
or aroma, remains, and develops into bouquet; also the tannin, to a
certain degree. The albumen and gluten principally settle, although a
small portion of them remains in the wine. The coloring matter and
extractive principle remain, but change somewhat by fermentation.
Thus it is the must containing a large amount of sugar needs a longer
time to become clear than that containing but a small portion of it;
therefore, many southern wines retain a certain amount of sugar
undecomposed, and they are called _sweet_, or liqueur wines; whereas,
wines in which the whole of the sugar has been decomposed are called
_sour_ or _dry_ wines.
I have thought it necessary to be thus explicit to give my readers an
insight into the general principles which should govern us in
wine-making. I have quoted freely from the excellent work of DR. GALL.
We will now see whether and how we can reduce it to practice. I will
try and illustrate this by an example.
NORMAL MUST.
"Experiments continued for a number of years have proved that, in
favorable seasons, grape juice contains, on the average, in 1,000 lbs.:
Sugar, 240 lbs.
Acids, 6 "
Water, 754 "
-----
1,000 "
This proportion would constitute what I call a normal must. But now we
have an inferior season, and the must contains, instead of the above
proportions, as follows:
Sugar, 150 lbs.
Acids, 9 "
Water, 841 "
-----
1,000 "
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