The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1874-10-29
Notes ON the Manufacture of Wines,

Many persons suppose that pure un-
adulterated wine is merely the juice of the
grape, fermented and then bottled. While
this is the case in regard to very few of
the wines in commerce, the majority OF
wines sold undergo some peculiar process
of manufacture to which they owe their
flavor, color, or amount of alcohol. And
in stating this | do not refer to the arti-
ficial wines that are made from raisins,
burnt sugar. essential oils, and prOot-spir-
its, but to those which have for their basis
the juice of the grape-genuine port,
sherry, or champagne, fer instance.
The juice of the grape when fernented
without any addition of spirits or sugar
produces what is known as sour wine.
These wines rarely contain over ten or
twelve per cent. of alcohol, and are pro
duced mostly on the Rhine. Claret and
Burgundy also belong to this class.
Port wine is produced in the northern
part of Portugal, and is mostly shipped
from OpOrtO, whence it takes its name.
The grapes are allowed to hang on the
vines for some time after they are fully
ripe, in order that the juice may become
as concentrated as possible. Many of the
vine growers make wine themselves, 9th
ers sell the grapes to the manufacturers.
The grapes are trodden on platforms by
men, and the juice, mixed with the stalks
and husks, is then placed in large stone
vats until it ferments. When the termen-
tation has proceeded so far that the hy-
drometer stands at zero in the juice, the
fermenting mass is agitated by men who
90 into the watts naked. This is in order
to mix the husks and juice so thoroughly
that all the cOlOring matter will be eXtrac-
ted from the former. After this mixing
Z = IF nd in
vessels holding several hundred gallons.
In good years the grapes contain too much
sugar in proportion to the alcohol; some
brandy is threfOre added. If, on the con-
trary, the wine is deficient in sugar, this,
as well as alcohol and colOring matter.
must be supplied. Beet root sugar or
cane sugar is added, or Il portion of the
Juice is concentrated and the sirup
produced is returned to the cask. If it is
too pale, dried elderberries or a peculiar
kind of cherries are added; extract OF
Brazil wood is occasionally used. The
wine is allowed to stay in large watts until
cold weather sets in, by which time it has
deposited its lees. 1t is then drawn off
into pipes containing ll5 gallons in these
it remains until the next spring, when 1t
is sent to OpOrto.
| No port wine is sent to England without
the addition of at least three gallons of
brandy TO each pipe, and, in the case of the
so-called heavy ports, from fifteen to sew
enteen gallons; this is Independent of
what is added after the fermentation. The
use of this brandy is necessary in order to
preserve the wine. If no brandy was adj
/ 1ed. it would be necessary to keep it at
/ OpOrto from five to seven years before 1t
could be shipped. It's impossible to make
natural port containing over sixteen per
cent. alcohol, while most of those sold
contain from twenty to twenty-five per
cent.
Dried elderberries are largely exported
| from Portugal for the purpose of cOlorlng
artificial port. At one time it was made a
| felony for a farmer to have any elder trees
on his land within the limits of the port
wine district, but now the elder is generally
cultivated.
In close connection with the manufac-
ture of port is the making of an article
known as jerOpiga, and also as vinho
mudO; a sHb-varety of this is known as
! ieropiga tinta. and much of it is sent to
| the United States under the name of pure
Juice" 1t is used for sweetening wines
for making artificial port, for doctOring
wines of inferior value, or for making ne
gus. 1t is made in various ways; some
times by adding thirty-two per cent. of
proof spirit to the fermented must; Occa-
siOnally by adding brandy to the pure
sweet must. The tinta is produced by
coloring the above with elderberries.
Sometimes molasses is added to give it
| greater sweetness.-BoSton Journal of
| Chemistry.