Crushing.—Mr. Vizitelli’s description is as follows: “The pressing commenced between seven and eight o’clock, and was accomplished in a detached building under a low tiled roof, but entirely open in front. Passing through the gateway, and stumbling in the dim light afforded by an occasional lamp fixed against the wall, over a rudely paved court-yard, we found ourselves beside a row of large, stout wooden troughs, some ten feet square and a couple of feet deep, raised about three feet from the ground, and known in the vernacular of the vineyards as lagares. The bottoms of these receptacles were already strewn with grapes, lightly sprinkled over with yeso (gypsum), which if spread over the whole of the bunches, would not have been greatly in excess of the amount of dust ordinarily gathered by a similar quantity of grapes conveyed in open baskets on the backs of mules from the vineyards to the pressing places in the towns. At Torre Breva, the sixty or more arrobas of grapes (1500 lbs.) required to make each butt of wine, were having from two to four pounds of yeso sprinkled over them, or about half the quantity which would be used in a moist season. I was assured that at last year’s vintage here not a single ounce of yeso was employed in the manufacture of upwards of 700 butts of wine. * * * Rising perpendicularly in the centre of each of the four lagares to a height of about seven feet, is a tolerably powerful screw, which is only brought into requisition after the grapes have been thoroughly trodden. A couple of swarthy, bare-legged pisadores leap into each lagar, and commence spreading out the bunches with wooden shovels; and soon the whole eight of them, in their short drawers, blue-striped shirts, little caps, red sashes, and hob-nailed shoes, are dancing a more or less lively measure, ankle-deep in newly-crushed grapes. They dance in couples, one on each side of the screw, performing certain rapid, pendulum-like movements which are supposed to have the virtue of expressing the juice more satisfactorily from the fruit than can be accomplished by mere mechanical means. Their saltatory evolutions ended, the trodden grapes are heaped up on one side and well patted about with the shovel, like so much newly mixed mortar. This causes the expressed juice to flow out in a dingy, brown, turgid stream through the spout fixed in front of the lagar, into a metal strainer, and thence into the vat placed beneath to receive it. Fresh grapes are now spread over the bottom of the lagar, and, after being duly danced upon, are shoveled on one side; and this kind of thing goes on until sufficient trodden murk has been accumulated to make what is called a pile.”
Pressing.—His description goes on to show that the treaders give place to the pressers, who, with wooden shovels, build up a mound of marc under the screw, conical in form, some five feet high, which is neatly dressed and trimmed, and then wound around with a straw rope or band, about four inches wide, from base to summit. A circular piece of wood is placed on the top, and the pressure is applied by means of the screw, the must passing through the interstices of the straw band.
Treading and pressing goes on nightly for fourteen hours, with occasional intervals for refreshment.
The wine from the press is invariably fermented separately from that of the first run during the treading.
All agree that the grapes are crushed without stemming, but it seems that the practice of pressing with the stems on is not uniform. General Keyes says that he made careful inquiry on this subject, and was informed that only a few of the larger stems were removed, while Mr. Vizitelli states that the sherry wine maker is so much afraid of tannin and roughness in the wine, that the stems are all removed before the pomace is pressed. This is not important, however, as the press wine is inferior, and is usually distilled.
It is almost a universal custom to sprinkle each pressing of grapes with two or three handfuls of gypsum, or from two to six pounds to a butt of wine of 130 gallons, and in wet seasons, even more. Gen. Keyes gives an instance of one wine maker who made several casks of sherry one year without the use of gypsum, and he found no material difference in the product, but he still follows the custom of the country. (See [Plastering].)
Fermenting.—The must is run into casks of about 150 gallons capacity, which are filled only to within ten or fifteen gallons of their full capacity, and is left to ferment in a cool shed, or in a place separate from the storehouse or bodega; new wine is not fermented in the same room with the old.
As soon as the wine falls bright, which it does at any time from January to April, it is racked and placed in the bodega, with still a vacant space in the cask, and brandy is added equal to one or two per cent. to the stronger wines, and three or four per cent. to the commoner ones.
If the wine is deficient in sugar, it may clear by January, but if rich, it may not become bright till April. During the active fermentation, the bungs, of course, are left open, and in the bodega they are left loose, or laid over the hole.
Sometimes the wine is left undisturbed in the bodega until required for shipment, when it is racked, clarified, and again fortified. It is considered best, however, to rack it once a year. The wine is now well fermented, and dry, or nearly so, and the sugar that may be found in it after shipment, has been put in by adding a small quantity of sweet wine.