FoodNetArchive

Cassell's dictionary of cookery

1892

Page 2315

Presented as published in 1892. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
1. The Turning of Wine. — This is a disease which attacks young wine, and seems to occur under special conditions of the weather. The colour grows darker, and the taste first dis- appears, and if the disease continues becomes disagreeable ; the wine becomes turbid and acid. This disease arises from a decomposition of tartar. 2. The liopiness of Wine. — This disease con- sists in the formation of vegetable mucus from the sugar of the wine, and is known as mucous fermentation. The wines liable to this change are those which are deficient in tannic acid. 3. The Bitterness of Wine. — In this we have a disease to which Burgundy wines are specially liable. It appears to arise from a second fer- mentation, inasmuch as a large quantity of car- bonic acid is evolved. It haa been ascribed by some to the fomiation of citric ether, which is very bitter. The disease is caused by the sedi- ment, and is often put a stop to by drawing the wine off into other casks. 4. Th« Acidifying of Wine. — This depends upon the conversion of the alcohol into acetic acid, and may be nipped in the bud by adding alkaline carbonates ; which, however, destroy the colour and affect the taste of the wine. 5. The Mouldiness of Wine. — In this disease mould-plants are produced on the surface of the wine. How and under what condition the mould is formed is uncertain ; all that is known is that the admission of air is favourable to the disease. Wines, Effervescing.— If wines are bottled before the fermentation is over, the carbonic acid is retained in the wine, and what is called an "effervescing" wine is produced. Certain kinds of wine are more favourable than others to this jjrocess; and in all countries effervescing wines are produced. In this coun- try wo are most famiUar with the effervescing wines of France, which are generally known under the name of champagne. Hocks, mo- selles, and even red wines are treated thus ; and, on the cork being removed from the bottle, the carbonic acid begins to escape, and give» them their sparkling effervescent character. When such wines contain much sugar, the fer- mentation in the bottle is arrested before all the sugar is consmned, and they are sweet effervescing wines. In other cases the sugar is all exhausted in producing the carbonic acid, and such wines are then said to be dry. Sparkling or cffei-vescing wines are agreeable to the palate, and in the same way as bottled ales they seme- times appear to assist the digestion of the food with which they are taken. In some cases, how- ever, there can be no doubt that they produce injury. When new, thw communicate the state of change in which they are to the contents of the stomach, and interfere with the healthy process of digestion. ,They arc> less liable to disagree when they ai'C diy and contain but little sugar than when £hcy contain much of this substance. The quantity of sugar varies in champagne from ope hundrc^d grains in the pint to considerably above an omicc. WIN ( m^ ) WIN