| Description | ' The Mystery of Wines consists in the making and meliorating of natural Wines. Melioration is either of Sound or virtious Wines sound wines are better, 1 by preserving, 2ly by timely fining. 3ly by mending Colour Smel or Taste.
To preserve wines, care must be taken, that after the pressing they may ferment well; for without good fermentation, they become qually (ie) cloudy thick, and dusky, and will never fine of themselves as other wines doe, and when they are fin'd by art, they must be speedily spent, or else they will become qually again, and then by no Art recoverable.
To preserve Spanish Wines, and cheifly Canary, and thereof principally that which is razie, which will not keep so long, they make a layer of Grapes and Hiesso, whereby it acquires a better durance and taste, and a whiter Colour, most pleasing to the English.
Razie wine, so called, because it comes from Rhenish wine slips sometimes renew'd. The Grape of this wine is fleshy, yeilding but a little juyce.
French and Rhenish wines, are cheifly and commonly preserved by the Match; thus, used at Dort in Holland. Take of Brimstone 20 or 30 pounds, cast into it melted, Spices, as Cloves Cinamon, mace, Ginger and Coriander Seeds; and some to save charges, use the Reliques of the Hypocras bag; and having mixed these well with the Brimstone they draw through this mixture, long square narrow pieces of Canvas, which peices thus drawn through the said mixture, they light and put into the Vessel, at the Bung - hole, and presently stop it close. Great care is to be had, in proportioning the Brimstone to the Quantity and Quality of the wine: for too much makes it rough. This smoaking keeps the wine, long whiter and good and gives it a pleasant Taste.
There's another way for French and Rhenish wine vizt firing it, tis done in a Stone, or else a good fire made round about the Vessels, which will gape wide, yet the wine runs not out. 'twill boyle and afterwar may be soon racked.
Secondly, for timely fining of wines. All Wines in the mustt are more opacous and cloudy. Good wine soon fines, and the grosse Lees settle quickly, and also the flying Lees, of themselves in time, when the grosser Lees are settled, they draw off the wine, call'd Racking, The usuall times of Racking, are Midsomer, and Allholontide.
The Practice of the Dutch and English, to rid the wine of the flying Lee speedily, and serves most for French and Spanish wine is thus perfomed. Take of Issinglasse ½ lb. steep it in ½ a pint of the hardest French wine that can be got, So that the wine may fully cover it. Let them then stand 24 hours, then pull and beat the Issinglass to peices, and adde more wine, and 4 times a day, squeze it to a golly, and as it thickens, adde more wine. When 'tis fully and perfectly gollyed, Take a pint or quart to a Hogshead, and so proportionately. Then over-draw 3 or 4 Gallons of that wine you intend to fine, which mix well, with the said quantity of Golly. Then put this mixture to the peice of wine and beat it with a Staffe, and fill it top full. Note that French wine must be bung'd up very close, but not the Spanish; and that Isinglasse raiseth the Lees to the top of strong wines but in weaker, pracipitateth to the bottom.
They mend the Colour of Sound Clarets, be adding thereto red wine Tent or Alicant, or by an infusion of Tursole made in 2 or 3 Gallons of the wine, and then putting it into the Vessel, to be then (being well stop't) rouled for 1/4 of an hour; This infusion is sometimes, twice or thrice repeated, according as more colour is to be added to the wine. Some 3 hours infusion of the Tursole is Sufficient, but then it must be rub'd and wringed. What Tursole is, See the notes on the art of Glasse.
Claret over red is amended with the addition of white wine.
White wines coming over Sound, but brown thus remedied. Take of Alabaster powder; overdraw the Hogshead 3 or 4 gallons, then put this powder into the bung and stirre and beat it with a staffe, and fill it top full, the more the wine is stirred, the finer it will come upon the Lee, that is, the finer 'twill be.
To colour Sack white. Take of white Starch 2 l. of Milk, 2 Gallons, boyle them together two houers; when cold, beat them well, with a handfull of white Salt, and then put them into a clean and sweet Butt, beating them with a Staffe, and the wine will be pure and white.
One pound of the forementioned Golly of Isinglasse, takes away the brownesse of French and Spanish wines, mix'd with 2 or 3 Gallons of wine, according as 'tis brown and strong, more or lesse to be used. Then overdraw the peice of wine, about eight Gallons, and use the Rod, and then fill the Vessel full, and in a day or two, 'twill fine and be white, and mend its quality.
The first buds of Ribes nigra infused in wines, especially Rhenish, makes it diuretuk, and more fragrant in Smell and taste, and so doth Clary. The inconvenience is that the wine becomes more heady: a Remedy whereof are Elder flowers added to the Clary, which also betters the fragrancy thereof as tis manifest in Elder Vinegar, but these flowers are apt to make the wine roapy.
To help brown Mallago's and Spanish wines, Take powder of Orras roots and Salt- peter of each 4 ounces, the whites of eight Eggs, whereto adde as much Salt as will make a Brine, put this mixture into the wine, and mix them with a Staffe.
To meliorate muddy and tawny Clarets. Take of Rain water 2 pints the yolks of 8 Eggs, Salt a handfull. Beat them well, let them stand 6 hours before you put them into the Cask, then use the Rod, and in 3 dayes it will come to its selfe.
To amend the taste and Smell of Malago. Take of the best Almonds 4 pounds, make therewith and with a sufficient quantity of the wine to be cured, an Emulsion; Then take the white and yolks of 12 Eggs, beat them together with Salt a handfull, put them into the pipe using the Rod.
To amend the Smell and taste of French, and Rhenish which are foul. Take to an Auln of the wine, of honey one pownd, Elder flowers a handfull, Orras powder an ounce, one Nutmeg a few Cloves, boyle them in q.s. of the wine to be cured, to the consumption of halfe, when 'tis cold straine and use it with the Rod. Some adde a little Salt. If the wine be sweet enough, adde of the Spirit of wine lib:1: to a hogshead, and give the Cask a strong Sent. Spirit of wine makes any wine brisk, and fines it without the former mixture.
A Lee of the Ashes of Vine branches vizt. A quart to a Pipe being beaten into this wine, cures the roapishnesse of it, and so infallibily doth a Lee of Oaken Ashes. For Spanish roapy wine, rack it from its Lees, into a new Sented Cask, then take of Allum one pownd, Orras roots powdered ½ a pownd, beat them well into the wine with a Staffe. Some adde fine and well dryed Sand, put warme to the wine. If the wine besides, prove brown, adde 3 pottles of milke to a Pipe. Aliai the Spawn cures roapy wine, used before it begins to frett.
Herring RoEs preserve any stum wine.
To order Rhenish wines when fretting. Commonly in June that wines begin to ferment, and grow sick, then have a special care not to disturb them, either by removing, filling the Vessel or giving it Vent, onely apen the Bung, which cover with a Slate, and as often as the Slate is foul, clean it and the Bung from their filth, and when the fermentation is past, which you shal know by applying your ear to the Vessel, then give it rest 10 or 12 dayes that the grosser Lees may settle, then rack it into a fresh sented Cask.
This mixture melorates vitious wines, both in Smel and taste, especially French. Take of the best honey, one part, of Rainwater two parts, and 1/3 of sound old wine of the same kind, boyle them on a gentle fire; to a third part, scumming them often with a clean Scummer, to which purpose they have a Payle of fair water standing by, to rince it in. Then put this mixture hot into a Vessel of fitt capacity, and let it stand unbung'd till coole. Some to better this, put in a bag of Spices. This mixture call'd by the Dutch Soot, will serve also, to fine any wine new or old. 2ly, 'twill mend the hard taste of wines, (i.e.) putting a gallon thereof to a hogshead, and using the Rod, and then let it rest 5 or 6 dayes at the least; but if mild enough, add white mustard seed bruised.
To mend and preserve the Colour of Clarets, Take red Beet roots q.s. Scrape them clean, and cut them into small peices then boyle them in q. s. of the same wine, to the consumption of a third part, Scumme it well, and when cool, decant off, whats clear, and use the Rod.
Alias. Take of the wine and honey of each 2 li. Rain water a pottle, 12 Beet roots, ripe Mulberries 4 or 5 handfulls boyle them to halfe, and when cool, decant etc ut supra.
To preserve Claret rackt from its Lees. Take, to a Teires 10 Eggs, make a Small hole in the top of the Shells, then put them into the wine, and all will be consumed.
To prevent Souring of French wines. Take Grains of Paradies q. s. heat them in a pan, and hang them, or put them loose into a Vessel. Some use Lavender-tops.
To help Sour French wines. Take of the best wheat 4 ounces boyl'd in fair water till it break, and when cold put it into a Vatt in a bag and use the Rod. Alias. Take 5 or 6 Cinamon canes, bring them up well.
To help Spanish sour wines. First rack the wine into a clean Cask and fill it up with two or three Gallons of water, and adde thereto, of burnt Chalk 4 ounces, and after 3 or 4 dayes, it must be rackt and filld up again, with rainwater if the first time doth not doe it. Some use Loam or Plaistering, if these Ingredients make the wine bitter, correct the fault with Nutmegs and Cloves.
To help stinking wines. Take Ginger 1.2 an ounce, zedoary 2 drachms, powder and boyle them in a pottle of good wine, which put scalding hot, into the Vatt, bung it up and let it lye. The Species of Diambra and Diamoschu duler, doe the same, and so Nutmegs, and Cloves, which also give a kind of Racinesse.
To help wine that hath an ill Savour from the Lees. First rack it into a clean Cask, and if red or Claret, give him a fresh Lee of the same kind, then take of Cloves, Ginger, and Cinamon 2 ounces, Orras roots 4 ounces, powder them grossely, hang them in a bag, and taste the wine once in 3 dayes, and when tis amended, take out the bag. Some doe it thus, Take of Cloves ½ a pound, Mastick, Ginger, Cubebs, of each 2 ounces Spica narde 3 drachms, Orras root 1/2 a pound, make thereof a very fine powder, which put loose into the Vatt, and use the Rod, then make a good fire before it.
Fixing of wines in Germany thus performed . They have in some Vaults 3 or 4 Stones, which they heat very hot, other make fires almost before every Vatt; by this means the Must fermenteth, with that vehemency, that the wine appears between the Stanes, when this ebullition and fermentation and working ceaseth, let the wine stand some days, and then rack it. This firing is onely used in cold years when the wine falls out green.
Stumme is nothing else but pure wine kept from fretting, by often racking and matching it in clean Vessels and strongly sented (i.e.) new matched, by means whereof, it becomes as clear, or clearer than any other wine, preserving it selfe from both its Lees, by praecipitation of them. But if through neglect, it once fret, it becomes good wine. The Bung of this Vessel must be continually stopt, and the vessels strong, let they break. A little Stumme put to wine decayed makes it ferment a fresh, and gives life and sweetnesse thereto, but offends head and Stomach, torments the gutts, and is apt to cause Loosenesse, and some say barrenesse in women.
To fine wine presently. Fill a Cask with Shavings or Chipps of Beech or Oak (which is best) this is to be done with much Art, or else it Seldom hits right, but lasting long. Put these Chips into a Cask, which is called by the Dutch een spaen (i.e.) a Chip, into which they pour in as much wine, as the Cask will hold, and in 24 hours the wine will be fine. Or a quart of Vinegar in 3 dayes will fine a hogshead of wine.
To set old wine a fretting deadish and dull in taste. Take of Stumme 2 Gallons, to a hogshead, put it hot upon the wine, then Set a pan of fire before the hogshead, which will then ferment till all the Sweetnesse of the Stumme is communicated to the wine which thereby becomes brisk and pleasant. Some use this Stumming at any time, Some in August onely: when the wine hath a disposition to frett of its Selfe more or lesse Stumme to be added, as the wine requires.
The best time to rack wines, is, the decrease of the Moon, and when the wine is free from fretting, the wind being at North-east or North-west, and not at South, the Sky serene; and free from thunder and lightning.
Another Match for French Clarets and Spanish wines. Take Orras roots, Mastick, and Brimstone of each 4 ounces, Cloves 2 ounces ordering it all ut supra in Matching wines. This will serve for all wines, adding if you please Nutmegs, Ginger, Cinamon and other Spices. Double the quantity of Orras root is to be used for Spanish wines.
To help Malago's which will not fine, Take of crude Tartar, powdred, Sifted and dyed 2 pounds, mix it with the whites of Six Eggs. Dry pouder and sift them again, then overdraw the Pipe, as much as will serve to mix with this pouder, and fill the Pipe therewith, beating it with a Staffe, as before, and this wine will be fine in ten dayes.
Another speedy way to fine French wines. Hang a piece of sent in the Cask, and when 'tis burnt out, put in a pint of the best Spirit of wine, and Stirre it about. Some adde a little Salt well dryed. This fines the wine in 24 hours.
To keep Must a year. Take Must, put it into a Cask pitcht within and without, halfe full, Stop the Bung close with Mortar. Others Sow the Cask in Skins, and Sink it for 30 dayes into a Well or River. Or else a Garland of Polium montanum hung in the Vessel. Or rub the inside of the Vessel with Chees. All these preserve Rhenish Must, as the Scholiast on Dodanus in Dutch.
Allum put into a hogs bladder, keeps wine from turning flat, faint or browne, and beaten with the whites of Eggs removes it Roapshnesse.
Flat wines recovered with Spirit of wine, Raisins, and Sugar or Molossus, and Sacks by drawing them on fresh Lees.
Our Wine-Coopers of later times, use vast quantitys of Sugar and Molossus, to all Sorts of wines, to make them drink brisk and Sparkling, and to give them Spirit, as also to mend their bad tastes, all which Raisins, and Cute and Stumme performe.
Country vintners feed their fretting wines with raw Beef, and here, their Canaries with Malago, which is added mor or lesse to all Canaries.
The Composition of wines is manifold, the vinters usually drawing out of 2 or 3 Casks, for one pint to accommodate it to the pallate of those that drink it. Most of the Canary is made with Malago and zeres Sack.
I shall conclude with two common compounded wines, Muscadett and Hyppocras, the former usually made with 30 gallons of Cute (which is wine boyled to the consumption of halfe) to a Butt of wine. Or the Lees and droppings boyl'd and clarified. Its flavour is made of Coriander Seeds praepared, and shavings of Cypresse wood. Some in stead of Cute, make it of Sugar Molossus and Honey, or mix them with the Cute. This following is an Hippocras of my own making and the best I have tasted.
Take of Cardamoms, Carpobalsamus of sack ½ an ounce, Coriander Seeds praepared, Nutmegs, Ginger, of each in 2 ounces, Cloves 2 drachms; bruise and infuse them 48 hours in zerez and white wine of each a gallon, often stirring them, then adde thereto of milk 3 pints strain through an Hyppocrasse bag and sweeten it with a pownd of Sugar-Candy.'
The original paper by Merrett was presented to the Royal Society at a meeting on 10 December 1662 and read at the following meting on 17 December 1662. |