The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-10-05
HOW TO Mako "WINE."
Everything Except Grapes May BE
Used, According to an English Elk

pert
From the London Chronicle.
The trade in cheap or spurious wines, for
the terms are usually convertible. is now
very large. The average wine drinker in
England has no idea of the origin Of the
liquor he drinks, and rests content with
neat bottle and a high-sounding title.
Twenty-Five years ago the consumption OF
wine per head of the population was larg-
er than it is to-day but it is now nearly
double that of less than half century
back The wine taste seems to be fairly
constant, and it is largely due TO the low
price of so many of the modern wines.
Our grandfathers did not drink much wine,
because they could not afford it, To-day,
and for the present generation, all that is
changed. Cheap wines are everywhere.
They nave induced many 10 purchase, and
have revivihed the trade. What Is this
cheap wine? The writer does not hesi-
tate to say that a lot Of it is nauseoIs
stuff, sweetened and favored to render it
palatable, and fortified with spirits. Some
millions of pounds OF sugar, often Of the
commonest description, are used annually
by French wine manufacturers; common
spirit unmatured, is obtained, and The in
ferior wines are mixed and blended with
this crude spirit the sugar is added, and
an artificial bouquet, in imitation of some
standard vintage, is impaired by the fur
Their addition of orris root. oil Of cloves,
oil of almonds, and other hayoring sub
stances.
The sophistcation Is carried 10 far greater
length than is Indicated by the foregoing
in France there is a process which Is
euphemistcally termed toning. In point of
fact instead Of adding the ''piquette' or
sour wine, the manufacturers blend
their winss in many instances with de-
cocton of commercial glucose and a lib
eral supply of water. The glucose, it
may be mentioned, contains traces of min
eral acids, chalk, and even arsenic. Forti-
fcation with strong spirit. and this dilu-
ton process, produce an article which, as
W. ruly said in the French Senate, Is
., longer wine after having undergone
such processes" one credible authority
states that he saw factory a Valencia,
in Spain whose stock in trade and piant
consisted of a cistern and pump. aico-
hol. and a favoring and coloring extract
of wine" After due admiXture of the al
cohol and the extract The wine" was
shipped to France for the purpose Of fur
Their treatment in the shape of an addi-
ton of real grape juice, whence II reached
England as a French wine.
As regards the sale of homemade wines
as "claret," etc, it may safely be said that
IL would not be profitable TO undertake the
business 10 any great extent in England,
for the reason that, taking into account
the duty on currants and raisins, and the
heavy charge for the spirits necessary for
fertilization 10 bring the strength up to
that Of a foreign wine, an outlay would be
incurred quite equal 20 that of the duty
on foreign cheap wines produced under the
most economical conditions That such
fraud is practiced is, however, undoubted-
Nv the case, but the wine" thus sold is not
raisin wine solely; any saccharine matter
is good enough, fermenled ana haVoren
with cheap ciaret.
The NINA fraud Is to be found in the inn
nor(ation OF foreign made raisin wine, or
in the sophistcation of foreign grape wine
sold under the name Of good brand. How
"a a that the Merchandise Marks Act IL
not OF sufficient force to deal with these
lmportatlons? In 1890 the select commit
lee recommended that for such cases "the
act should be amended by making the GUS
| toms, ENTRY which must bear descrip-
| ton OF goods imported, trade descrip-
| ton within the meaning OF the act"
| Something was done in the case Of spuri-
Gus rum. but wines" OF similar charac-
| ter stll flow in.
| word as to the excise and homemade
foreign wines" These are made by trad
| FRS licensed under the name of Sweets
dealers" Sweets" being defined as liquor
made from fruit or sugar, or from fruit
or sugar mixed with any other material.
and which has undergone a process OF fer
| mcntation in the manufacture thereof"
Such Sweets" or British wines, cen only
| be retailed by licensed persons holding a
! sweets retailers license; 1t is obvious how
| ever, that If advantage be taken Of the
| privilege accorded Of using limited guam
| tity of foreign wine for iavoring and blend
ing, and the resultant liquid be disposed
Of as a foreign wine by a person holding
q proper license to retail foreign wines. ii
becomes merely a question OF retailing a
wine consisting partly of foreign wine as
foreign wines pure and simp.e--a question
l between buyer and seller alone.