The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-02-18
TRADE IN SPURIOUS WINES.
An Inferior Article often blended
with Crude Suirit.

The trade in cheap or spurious wines, Tor
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 high sounding title,
Twenty-Five years ago the consumption az
wine per head OF the population was larger
than II Is today. but It is now nearly
double that OF less than half a century
back The wine taste seems 70 be fairly
constant. and It is largely due to the low
price of so many OF the modern wines.
our Erandfathers did not drink much wine.
because they could not afford II. Today,
and for the present generation. all that ~
changed. Cheap wines are everywhere.
They have induced many 10 purchase, ara
have revivihed the trade. What Is this
cheap wine7 The writer does not hesitate
TO saw that n lot Of II ia nauseous stuff.
sweetened and favored TO render Il palata-
BILE and fortified with spirits. Some mill
ions OF pounds Of sugar. often Of the COM
monest description, are used annually by
French wine manufacturers; common spirit,
unmatured, "a obtained, and the inferior
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 further
addition OF orris root. oil OF cloves, oil OF
almond. and other navorlng substances
The sophistlcation Is carried 10 far
greater lengths than Is indicated by the
foregoinE In France there Is process
which Is euphemistically termed toning.
In point OF fact. instead OF adding the
'srlouette," or sour wine. the manufac-
turers blend" their wines In many In
stances with a decoction Of commercial
glucose and liberal supply OF water. The
glucose. II may be mentioned, contains
traces OF mineral acids, chalk. and even
arsenic Fertilization with strong sp,ri.
and this duution process produce an arti-
Gle which, as was truly said In the French
senate. Us no longer wine after having
undergone such a process" one credible
authority states that he saw a factory at
Valencia. IN spain, whose stock IN trade
and plant consisted % a cistern and =
punp. nlcohol and a navoFtng and color
ing extract OF wine" After due admlx-
ture Of the alcohol and the extract the
wine was shipped 20 France FOR the
purpose Of further treatment In the shape
Of an addition Of real grape Juice. whence
IL reached England as a French wine
As regards the sale % homemade
wines. as "ciaret" etc, 70 may Re said
that n would not be profitable 10 under
take the business 10 any great extent In
England, for the reason that. taking into
account he duty on ctrrauts and raisins.
and She heavy charge for The spirits
necessary FOR fertilization 30 bring the
strength up 20 that of "a fQrciGu sine, an
outlay would be incurred quite equal 90
that 81 the duty on foreign cheap wines
produced under the most economical con-
ditions That such a fraud IS prscticed IS.
however. undoubtedly the case, but the
wine" thus sold is NOT raisin wine solely
any sacohsrine matter is good enough.
feruentcd and favored With cheap clare.
London Chronicle