Manufacture of Wines in the South, Part II [pp. 251-279]

MANUFACTURE OF WINES IN THE SOUTH.
mum specific igravity of the richest EuTropean must is repre senitd( to be 1128; the two madeiias of Brande require the
nmust to have been 11'2 and 114(8; the two sherries, 1115 and
1125; and the two ports must have been 1136 and( 1168S!
D'rying the,gra,pes, or boiling, tlhe julice, may have produced
sIucl a prioportionI of su,'ai, but it is much more probable that
brandy- was directly added to suit the taste of the Eng,lis'l and
Ameieaiin markets; and it is commercially important to these
coultries to export their bad wines in the shape of brandy,
mnixe(l w-ith the good, if their customers prefebr the mixture.
The wine maniufaicture, like all others, is liable to accident; and
if at bad winie is made, it is transferred to the still and converted
into a good( brandy. This must be sold, and it matters little
whctl)cer it b)e smuggled out mixed with the wine, or in its ownl
caslk rep)resenting what it really is. It may be important to
direct attention to the two classes of wine which I have examinie(l. One is really the natural produce of the gralpe, dependent for its virtues on the flavor, sweetness, etc., of the fi-uit.
Of thlis class are tlhe French anid German wines. They are the
f'iitlft'ul representatives of the must, and express the quality. of
tlhe w-ine. It is this class alone thlat can be hlonestly-r made in
Aiken, and to which all attention shlouli( be directed. The
flavor iand richness will depend upon the kind and maturity of
thle firuit, and if they atre not fac-similes of the Frenclh and Germall standards, habit will soon teachl us to adapt our tastes to
what we have. If the old taste for the other class should prevail, andl men will have the standard of inadeira, slherriy, and
port, we can mix themn as well in Aiken as at Funclial, Xcres,
anl( O)po]to. Our bad wines can also makle good brandy; and
if' tlec world prefer us to mix it, we can effect the a,ccommodation wvithout self-ceinsure; for drunkenness is a suicide that will
occur. whlethler the liquor be mixed in Europe or America.
It is se.areely necessary to remark that the peculiar flavor of
tlhese stionigr wines, as well as tlhe strengthl, is derived from the
ad(de(l lllndy. In their use we are conlsuming a mixture of
brlt(Iv anid wine and it is vain to expect that our grapes will
be peirfect enough to produce such a wine, except we add the
bran(l, in imitation of the Spanish and Portugfuese customs.
We aligrht as well expect our vineyards to yield directly brandy
by- fermentation, as any wine like madeira, sherry, or port.
OF THE ACIDITY OF WINE AND GRAPE JUICE.
tany- attempts to make wine have been made about Aiklcen
froni th~e produce of the vine, but I regret to add wVithout muchl
success. An excess of acidity has generally prevailed, and it is
not ea.sy to restore a taste already perverted by the use of
5Euiopieatn wines to enjoy so different an article, hence they are
not niilch esteemned nor used. The production of an unpalatable w-ilie, by following the European processes with presumed
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