The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1883-09-07
GRAPES AND WINE ON THE MOUNTAIN
SLOPES

pect seemed parched and withored by the
drought; when few reports from the coun>
try bring cheerful news, it is pleasant and
refreshing to find one product ffourishing
and affording abundant yield, despite weeks
of burning heat and dust.
III an nSriculturist wishes to be encour>
aged and stimulated to renewed effort, he
has only to visit one of the luxuriant vine
yards which grow near this city weighted
with luscious fruit
In company with Herman Gilrcath,
representative of The Nesrs spent an hour
on Paris Mountain at "Montc Vino" the
uvruuSruS ,utnr Itte Ut.
Marshalrs estate. Stroude Marshall, >on of
the deceased, has not allowed the vineyard
to languish, and is giving it his constant
attention.
A great industry has been fairly begun by
Mr.. Marshall this season. The wine house
built by his father has been perfected in
every respect and the business Of wine
making on an extensive scale is now in
progress.
On the first floor is small machine
which is used for MASKING the grapes.
Scores of hands gather the fruit in baskets.
The fruit, clinging to the stem, just as it
comes from the vine, is poured into the
hopper of the machine, which breaks the
skins and pulp. After the grapes pass
through the machine they are placed in
the press which rapidly brings the juice out.
The juice and pulp are then plIced in iaraA
IermentinS tubs which stand in rows against
the wall. This first fermentation lasts about
three days and clears the juice Of the pulp
and foreign substances which rise to the top.
The juice is then poured into a tank which
feeds pipe running into barrels and pipes
below. The word pipes" as last applied
does not refer to the slender iron conduit,
but to large barrel shaped receptaclcs
holding 500 gallons apiece. The cellar is
cut out of solid rock, and is perfectly
cool and we'll ventilated. There are now
four "pipcs' filled with juice, making 1000
gallons. Besides this there are number
of barrels and casks, containing the delight.
full liquid
The pulps and hulls Of the varieties of
grapes impart different colors to the wine.
Mr.. Marshall is now making port. claret.
sherry and white wine. Tho wine re-
auircs a good deal of tanin- naia, ana- .his 10
obtainsel ffuui'tho- stems in fermentation.
Some varieties of grapes are deficient in
saccharinc matter, and occasionally a small
amount Of sugar has to be added. The
amount OF sugar contained in the juice is at
once determined by "sacchometor," a
small glass instrument which registers the
quantity of sweetness in any liquid to a
nicely. Most of the grapes used by MIR.
Marshall contain enough sugar, and he
does not require that article frequently.
The wine made without the addition of
sugar is regarded as very much finer, being
"dry"
The wine drawn off yesterday from one
Of the fermcnting tubs was of a bright red,
and although exceedingly new, was most
palatable and pretty.
The juice goes through three fermcnta-
tions. First in the tubs as it comes from
the press, then through two more in the
cellar. The wine is then allowed to stand
one year. At the expiration of that time
it is put upon the market and finds a ready
sale, wine dealers buying it eagerly at 81 ,25
per gallon. Our wine made mere in the
mountains then disappears forever, for it
assumes the European imported label in
most instances and is sold at imported"
prices. The dealers are scarcely to blame
for this as our people will take long time
to be converted to the belief that good wine
can really be made outside Of Europe.
Mr.. Marshall has employed Mr.. Jaffreaux,
a Frcnchman to superintend his wine max.
ing. Mr.. Jaffreaux was employed for many
years in France in vineyards and in wine.
making. and is therefore thoroughly ex.
perienced and competent. He declares that
the American grape is much superior to the
French, and says our climate is bett, r
adapted to the cultivation of tho grape and
the manufacture Of wine than France. He
says our wine is really purer than the
French wine, as that is almost invariably
heavily diluted with water. In France it
requires about ten days to ferment the
juice the first time. Here our climate fer
ments it in three days. IF this is the case
there seems to b. no reason why we should
not make our own wine instead Of paying
high prices for the foreign articles Light