The operation of racking, consequently, is one of great
importance, as it requires to be repeated from time to time.
A copious deposit of lees generally takes place after the first
racking, and a second one should speedily follow. During
the first year young wines are often racked off as many as three
times, but with the older wines once a year, at the beginning,
of spring, may be sufficient. But it is precisely in matters of
this kind that judgment and experience are so much needed.
Now, it has been pointed out over and over again that it
is solely by a correct treatment of Australian wines in the
cellar that we can hope to attain to excellence ; in fact, the
whole secret lies in this direction. And it is very much to
*be regretted, therefore, that cellar management and wine
treatment have not yet been conceded their proper position,
that of being the principal factors in the success of Aus-
tralian wine. Amongst others, this very truth was pointed
out by Mr. Pownall, to whom I have previously referred.
In giving evidence before the Vegetable Products Com-
mission of Victoria in August 1889, he observed : — " In
" some of the cellars I have been horrified with the amount
" of wine which I should describe as 'perished' and as
" ' perishing.' It is astounding. I can hardly express the
" quantity. And very often the vine-grower is so ignorant
" of his business that he shows one wine which is 'tart'
" and ' sour,' and even praises it. I find those wines are
" generally exceeding three years old, and I attribute it to
" the lack of cellar knowledge and treatment, because in the
" same cellar where I find large quantities of bad wine I
" find this year's and last year's -wine good, and promising
" well ; but if longer kept, and so treated, after a few years
" it will be utterly useless."
220 THE AFT OF LTVmG IN AUSTRALIA.
It will only be by paying attention to all the details con-
nected with the cellarage of Australian wines that the
victory will be onre, I have said so before, and now say it
again, that our Australian must is quite equal to, if not
superior to, any in the world. But it is from that very time
that the critical stage in the making of our wines begins.
It behoves our vignerons, therefore, to concentrate their
energies mainly upon that vastly important period which
follows onwards from the very beginning of vinification.
THE TASTING AND JUDGING OF WINES.
Of the five senses, namely, seeing, hearing, feeling, smell-
ing, and tasting, the last is by no means the least important.
It is a wise provision, this sense of taste, in that it enables us
to relish our food, and also to select that which is suitable at
the same time. If we took no pleasure in eating we should ■
probably cease to eat at all, and die of starvation. And if
we had no taste we might eat that which was unsuitable. In
illness, almost the first things that the suiferer will complain
about are that he has lost all desire for his food, and that
everytliing tastes alike to him. The true taste impressions
are limited to the following, namely, bitter, sweet, sour, and
salt. The best substances to mark these four varieties of
taste are quinine for the bitter, honey for the sweet, vinegar
for the sour, and table salt for the last.
Page 148
Presented as published in 1893. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
The operation of racking, consequently, is one of great importance, as it requires to be repeated from time to time. A copious deposit of lees generally takes place after the first racking, and a second one should speedily follow. During the first year young wines are often racked off as many as three times, but with the older wines once a year, at the beginning, of spring, may be sufficient. But it is precisely in matters of this kind that judgment and experience are so much needed.
Now, it has been pointed out over and over again that it is solely by a correct treatment of Australian wines in the cellar that we can hope to attain to excellence ; in fact, the whole secret lies in this direction. And it is very much to *be regretted, therefore, that cellar management and wine treatment have not yet been conceded their proper position, that of being the principal factors in the success of Australian wine. Amongst others, this very truth was pointed out by Mr. Pownall, to whom I have previously referred. In giving evidence before the Vegetable Products Commission of Victoria in August 1889, he observed : — " In " some of the cellars I have been horrified with the amount " of wine which I should describe as 'perished' and as " ' perishing.' It is astounding. I can hardly express the " quantity. And very often the vine-grower is so ignorant " of his business that he shows one wine which is 'tart' " and ' sour,' and even praises it. I find those wines are " generally exceeding three years old, and I attribute it to " the lack of cellar knowledge and treatment, because in the " same cellar where I find large quantities of bad wine I " find this year's and last year's -wine good, and promising " well ; but if longer kept, and so treated, after a few years " it will be utterly useless."
It will only be by paying attention to all the details connected with the cellarage of Australian wines that the victory will be won, I have said so before, and now say it again, that our Australian must is quite equal to, if not superior to, any in the world. But it is from that very time that the critical stage in the making of our wines begins. It behoves our vignerons, therefore, to concentrate their energies mainly upon that vastly important period which follows onwards from the very beginning of vinification.
THE TASTING AND JUDGING OF WINES.
Of the five senses, namely, seeing, hearing, feeling, smelling, and tasting, the last is by no means the least important. It is a wise provision, this sense of taste, in that it enables us to relish our food, and also to select that which is suitable at the same time. If we took no pleasure in eating we should ■ probably cease to eat at all, and die of starvation. And if we had no taste we might eat that which was unsuitable. In illness, almost the first things that the suiferer will complain about are that he has lost all desire for his food, and that everytliing tastes alike to him. The true taste impressions are limited to the following, namely, bitter, sweet, sour, and salt. The best substances to mark these four varieties of taste are quinine for the bitter, honey for the sweet, vinegar for the sour, and table salt for the last.