The art and mystery of vintners and wine-coopers : containing approved directions for the preserving and curing all manner and sorts of wines / by E.T., a wine-cooper of long experience.

  • E. T. (Wine-cooper)
Date:
1734
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The art and mystery of vintners and wine-coopers : containing approved directions for the preserving and curing all manner and sorts of wines / by E.T., a wine-cooper of long experience. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    21/80 (page 21)
    Parts, the grand Medicine is to rack them from their Lee , fo, on the contrary, when they decline and tend toward palling, by reafon of the Scarity of their Spirits and Sulphur ; the moil effectual Prefervative is to rack them upon other Lees, richer and {Longer than their own *, that being from thence fupplied with new Spirits, they may acquire more Vigour and Quicknefs. I fay Prefer¬ vative, becaufe there is, in Truth, no reftoring of Wines after they are perfectly pal Pd and dead ; for nothing that is paft Perfection, and hath run its natural Race once, can receive much Amend¬ ment. < But befides reinforcing of Impoverifh’d Wines by new and more generous Lees, there are feveral Compofitions, by which alfo as by Cordials, the languiihing Spirits of them may be fuflained, and to fome degree recruited. Of which I here bring two or three particular Examples. When Sacks begin to languifh (which doth not often happen, efpecially in this City, where are fo many Sack-drinkers) they refrefh them with a Cordial Syrup, made of moil generous Wine, of Sugar and Spices. For Rhenifh and White Wines, a fimple Deco¬ ction of Raifins of the,Sun, and a ftrong Rented Cask, ufually ferve the turn. For Claret inclining to a Confumption ; they prefcribe a new and richer Lee, and the Shavings of Firr-wood *, that the Spirits being recruited by the additional Lee, may be kept from exhaling, by the undluous Subftance of the Turpentine. Which Artifice I have often obferved, at the time of my being at Paris, to be ufed in the moft de¬ licate and thin bodied Wines of France ; and fee ms to me, no improbable Caufe of that exceeding Dulnefs and Pain of the Head, which always attend upon Debauches made with fuch AVines, as was noted