Sweating-in. The technical terms ‘sweating-in’ and ‘fretting in’ are applied to the partial production of a second fermentation, for the purpose of mellowing down the flavour of foreign ingredients (chiefly brandy), added to wine. For this purpose 4 or 5 lbs. of sugar or honey, with a little crude tartar (dissolved), are commonly added per hogshead; and when the wine is wanted in haste, a spoonful or two of yeast, or a few bruised vine leaves, are also mixed in, the cask being placed in a moderately warm situation until the new fermentation is established, when it is removed to the wine cellar, and, after a few days, ‘fined down.’
Taste of Cask. The remedies for this malady are the same as those for mustiness.
⁂ For further information connected with the nature and management of wines, and other fermented liquors, see Brewing, Fermentation, Malt liquors, Porter, Sugar, Syrup, Vinous fermentation, Viscous f., Wort, Yeast, &c., and below.
Wine, British. The various processes in British wine-making depend upon the same principles, and resemble those employed for foreign wine.
The FRUIT should be preferably gathered in fine weather, and not until mature, as evinced by its flavour; for if it be employed whilst unripe, the resulting wine will be harsh, disagreeable, and unwholesome, and a larger quantity of sugar and spirit will be required to render it palatable. The common practice of employing unripe gooseberries for the manufacture of British champagne arises from a total ignorance of the scientific principles of wine-making. On the other hand, if ordinary British fruit be employed in too ripe a state, the wine is apt to be inferior, and deficient in the flavour of the fruit.
The FRUIT, being gathered, at once undergoes the operation of picking or garbling, for the purpose of removing the stalks and unripe or damaged portions. It is next placed in a tub, and is well bruised, to facilitate the solvent action of the water. Raisins are commonly permitted to soak about 24 hours previously to bruising them, but they may be advantageously bruised or minced in the dry state. The bruised fruit is then put into a vat or vessel with a guard placed over the tap-hole, to keep back the husks and seeds of the fruit when the must, juice, or extract is drawn off. The water is now added, and the whole is allowed to macerate for 30 to 40 hours, more or less, during which time the magma is frequently roused up with a suitable wooden stirrer. The liquid portion is next drawn off, and the residuary pulp is placed in hair bags, and undergoes the operation of pressing, to expel the fluid which it contains. The sugar, tartar (in very fine powder or in solution), &c., are now added to the mixed liquors, and the whole is well stirred or ‘rummaged’ up for some time. The temperature being suitable,
the vinous fermentation soon commences, when the liquor is frequently skimmed (if necessary), and well ‘roused’ up, and, after 3 or 4 days of this treatment, it is run into casks, which should be quite filled, and left purging at the bung-hole. In about a week the flavouring ingredients, in the state of coarse powder, are commonly added, and well stirred in; and in about another week, depending upon the state of the fermentation, and the attenuation of the must, the brandy or spirit is added, and the cask is filled up, and bunged down close. In four or five weeks more the cask is again filled up, and, after some weeks, (the longer the better), it is ‘pegged’ or ‘spiled,’ to ascertain if it be fine or transparent; if so, it undergoes the operation of racking; but if, on the contrary, it still continues muddy, it must be either again bunged up, and allowed to repose for a few weeks longer, or it must pass through the process of fining. Its future treatment is similar to that already noticed under Foreign wine. (See above.)
The must of many of the strong-flavoured fruits, as black currants, mulberries, &c., is improved by being boiled before being made into wine. The flavour and bouquet of the more delicate fruits are either greatly diminished or utterly dissipated by boiling.
General Formulæ for the Preparation of British wines:
1. From ripe saccharine fruits. Take of the ripe fruit, 4 to 6 lbs.; clear soft water, 1 gall.; sugar, 3 to 5 lbs.; cream of tartar (dissolved in boiling water), 11⁄4 oz.; brandy, 2 to 3% flavouring, as required. If the full proportions of fruit and sugar are used, the product will be good without the brandy, but better with it. 11⁄2 lb. of raisins may be substituted for each pound of sugar.