and luscious wines, because the leaven is not in sufficient quantity to decompose all the sugar; in the latter, if fermentation is prolonged, the wines become sour, because the moment the sugar is decomposed, the leaven and the alcohol exert their action on the other principles; and develop the acid. In the former case, by the addition of leaven, the decomposition of the sugar may be continued, and a wine obtained which shall be spirituous, without being sweet, or in other words, shall be a dry wine. In the latter case, by the addition of sugar, the action of the leaven may be sustained, till it is all employed in the production of alcohol.
Grapes, though containing little saccharine principle, may nevertheless furnish a good wine; because the fermentation may develop a bouquet, which gives an agreeable taste.
In this case, it is necessary to arrest the fermentation, as soon as the small quantity of sugar is decomposed, and employ suitable means for preventing the action of the leaven on the other principles, in order to shun all ulterior degeneration or decomposition. This is practised in Burgundy, where, in some districts, the vinous fermentation is not allowed to act more than from twenty to thirty hours.
A grape may be very sweet and agreeable to the
