Wine, especially Port, is generally twice spoiled—before it is considered fit to be drank!!!

The Wine-Maker spoils it first, by over-loading it with Brandy to make it keep.—

The Wine-Drinker keeps it till time has not only dissipated the superabundant spirit,—but even until the acetous fermentation begins to be evident,—this, it is the taste now to call “Flavour,”—and Wine is not liked, till it has lost so much of its exhilarating power, that you may drink a Pint of it, before receiving that degree of excitement,—which the Wine-drinker requires to make him Happy. We mean a legal Pint containing 16 ounces. The measure of a Bottle of Wine ought to be as definitive, as that of a Pot Of Porter:—is it not astonishing that the Legislature have not ordered a Standard and Stamped Quart, for the Wine-merchant—as they have a Pot for the Publican?

This would be equally as desirable to the respectable Wine-merchant,—as to the Public.

It would protect the former against the injurious competition of those who at present, by vending Wine in Bottles of inferior dimension, impose on the unwary purchaser under pretence of selling at a lower than the Market price.

The purchaser of a Dozen Bottles of Wine expects to receive Three Gallons of Wine.

Proportions of the Wine Gallon, according to the last London Pharmacopoeia:—

Gallon.		Pints.		Fluid Ounces.		Drachms.		Minims or Drops.
1	=	8	=	128	=	1024	=	61,440

There are	32	ounces in a legal wine quart.
Multiply by	12	quarts in three gallons.
	–—
	384	ounces in ditto.

Measure the number of ounces your bottle holds—divide 384 by it, and the quotient will give you the number of such bottles required to contain three gallons of wine.

Some Bottles do not contain more than 26 ounces.

26)	384	(14 Bottles, 1 Pint, and a Quarter.
	26
	—
	124
	104
	—–
	20

Or,

Multiply	26	i. e. the number of ounces
By	12	your bottle will contain.
	——
	312	the number of ounces contained in your dozen bottles, which
Ought to hold	384	the number of ounces in
Subtract	312	Three Gallons.
	——
Divide by the number}	32)72	(2 Quarts and half a Pint
of ounces in a Quart,}	64	short of measure.
	—
	8	ounces.

So, instead of Three Gallons—you have only Two Gallons, one Quart, and a Pint and a half.

The Quantity a Bottle will contain, may easily be accurately ascertained, by Lynes’s graduated Glass measure, which holds half a pint, and is divided into ounces, &c.—it is a convenient vessel to mix Grog in.

A Pipe of Port contains, on the average, 138 Gallons, of which three must be allowed for Lees, &c.—This is enough for waste, if the Wine has been properly fined, and steadily bottled.

A Butt of Sherry	contains	130	gallons.
Madeira,		110	ditto.
Hogshead of Claret,		55	ditto.

It is convenient for small Families to have part of their Wine in Pint Bottles.

That Wine is much best when quite fresh opened, is a fact it is needless to observe,—half a Pint of Wine (i. e. 8 ounces, i. e. 4 ordinary wine-glasses) is as much as most people (who have not spoiled their stomachs by intemperance) require.

The Rage for Superannuated Wine,—is one of the most ridiculous Vulgar Errors of Modern Epicurism,—“the Bee’s Wing,” “thick Crust52 on the Bottle,” “loss of strength, &c.” which Wine-fanciers consider the Beauty of their tawny favourite, “fine Old Port,”—are forbidding manifestations of decomposition, and the departure of some of the best qualities of the Wine.

The Age53 of maturity for exportation from Oporto, is said to be the second year after the Vintage, (probably sometimes not quite so long.)

Our Wine-merchants keep it in Wood from two to six years longer, according to its original strength, &c.—surely this must be long enough to do all that can be done by keeping it—what crude Wine it must be to require even this time to ameliorate it—the necessity for which, must arise either from some error in the original manufacture,—or a false taste, which does not relish it, till Time has changed its original characteristics.

Ordinary Port is a very uncleansed, fretful Wine—and experienced judges have assured us, that the Best Port is rather impoverished than improved, by being kept in Bottle longer than Two54 Years, i. e. supposing it to have been previously from two to four years in the Cask in this Country,—observing, that all that the outrageous advocates for “vin passÉ”—really know about it, is, that Sherry is Yellow,—and Port is Black,—and that if they drink enough of either of them,—it will make them Drunk.

White Wines, especially Sherry and Madeira, being more perfectly fermented, and thoroughly fined before they are bottled—if kept in a cellar of uniform temperature, are not so rapidly deteriorated by Age.

The Temperature of a Good Cellar is nearly the same throughout the year. Double Doors help to preserve this. It must be dry, and be kept as clean as possible.

The Art of preserving Wines, is to keep them from fretting, which is done by keeping them in the same degree of heat, and careful Corking55. “If persons wish to preserve the fine flavour of their Wines, they ought on no account to permit any Bacon, Cheese, Onions, Potatoes, or Cider, in their wine-cellars. Or, if there be any disagreeable stench in the Cellar, the wine will indubitably imbibe it; consequently, instead of being fragrant and charming to the nose and palate, it will be extremely disagreeable.”—Carnell on Wine Making, 8vo. 1814, p. 124. See also Manuel du Sommelier, par A. Jullien, Paris, 1817.

That Madeira (if properly matured before) improves in quality by being carried to the East Indies and back, by which Voyage it loses from 8 to 10 Gallons,—or to the West, by which about 5 are wasted56,—however these round-about manoeuvres may tickle the fancy of those folks who cannot relish any thing that is not far-fetched, dear-bought, and hard to be had, and to whom rarity is the “sine qua non” of recommendation—it is one of those inconvenient prejudices, from which common sense preserve us!

The Vulgar objection to New Wine—(by which we mean Wine that has been maturing in Wood two years in Portugal—two in England—and in Bottle more than twelve months), is, that its exhilarating qualities are too abundant, and intoxicate in too small a dose—those “Bons Vivants,” to whom “the Bottle, the Sun of the table,” and who are not in the habit of crying to go home to Bed while they can see it shining,—require Wines weaker than those which are usually imported from Spain and Portugal,—however Port and Sherry may be easily reduced to the standard desired by the long-sitter,—“paululum aceti acetosi,” will give the Acid GoÛt,—“aqua pura” will subdue their Spirit “ad libitum,”—and produce an imitation of the flavour acquired by Age, extempore—and You can thus very easily make fine fruity nutritious new Wine,—as Light,—and as Old57,—and as Poor, as you please—and fit it exactly to your customer’s palate, whether “Massa drinky for Drinky,—or drinky for Drunky Massa.”

To ameliorate very new, or very old Wine—mix a bottle of the one with a bottle of the other—or to a bottle of very old Port add a glass or two of good new Claret—to very new, a glass of Sherry.

Of all our Senses,—the Taste, especially for Liquids, is the most sophisticated Slave of Habit—“De gustibus, non est disputandum.”

The Astringent matter, and Alcohol—which render Port Wine the prop of an Englishman’s Heart—are intolerable to the palate of an Italian, or Frenchman.—But a Stomach which has been accustomed to be wound up by the double stimulus of Astringents, and Alcohol also,—will not be content with the latter only,—especially if that be in less quantity—as it is in the Italian and French Wines; which, therefore, for the generality of Englishmen, are insufficiently excitant.

He who has been in the habit of drinking Porter at Dinner,—and Port after—will feel uncomfortable with Home-brewed Ale, and Claret. Mr. Accum, the chemist, analyzed for the Editor, some Port and Sherry of the finest quality—the Port58 yielded 20 per cent—and the Sherry 19-25 per cent, of Alcohol of 825 specific gravity—i. e. the strongest Spirit of Wine that can be drawn, full double the strength of Brandy, which seldom has 40 per Cent, and common Gin59 not more than 30—or 25.

Some people have a notion that if they go to the Docks, they can purchase a Pipe of Wine for twenty pounds less, than they must pay to a regular Wine Merchant—and, moreover, have it neat as imported—as if all Wines of the same Name, were of the same Quality.

Port varies at Oporto in quality and price as much as Porter does in London—it is needless to say how difficult it is to obtain the best Beer at any price—it is quite as difficult to obtain the best Port Wine at Oporto, where the very superior wine is all bought up at a proportionately high price by the agents for the London Wine Merchants.

Brandies and Wines vary in quality quite as much as they do in Price: not less than twenty pounds per Pipe in the country where they are made.

The only way to obtain genuine wholesome liquor, is to apply to a respectable Wine Merchant—and beg of him to send you the best wine at the regular market price.

If you are particular about the Quality of what you buy—the less You ask about the price of it the better—if you are not, bargain as hard as you please.

The Editor buys his Wines of Messrs. Danvers and Clarke, No. 122, Upper Thames Street; his Brandy and Liqueurs60 of Messrs. Johnson, in Pall Mall; and his Spirits, &c. of Mr. Rickards, Piccadilly. A Moral and Physical Thermometer; or, a Scale of the Progress of Temperance and Intemperance, by J. C. Lettsom, M. D.

Liquors, with their Effects, in their usual Order.

TEMPERANCE

70

WATER

Health, Wealth,

Serenity of Mind,

60

Milk and Water.

–

–

Reputation, long Life, and

50

Small Beer.

Happiness.

40

Cyder and Perry.

Cheerfulness,

Strength, and

30

Wine.

–

–

Nourishment, when taken

20

Porter.

only at Meals, and in

moderate Quantities.

10

Strong Beer.

0

INTEMPERANCE

Vices.

Diseases.

Punishments.

10

Punch.

Idleness.

Sickness,

Puking, and

Tremors of the

Debt.

Peevishness.

Hands in the

Morning.

20

Toddy and Crank.

Black Eye.

Quarrelling.

Bloatedness.

{Grog, and

Inflamed Eyes.

30

{Brandy and

Fighting.

Rags.

{Water.

Red Nose and Face.

Lying.

Sore and swelled

Hunger.

Legs.

40

Flip and Shrub.

–

–

Swearing.

–

–

Jaundice.

–

–

Hospital.

{Bitters infused

Obscenity.

Pains in the Limbs,

Poor-house.

{in Spirits.

and burning in

50

{Usquebaugh.

Swindling.

the Palms of the

{Hystericwater.

Hands, and Soles

Jail.

of the Feet.

{Gin, Anniseed,

Perjury.

Dropsy.

Whipping.

{Brandy,

Epilepsy.

60

{Rum, and

Burglary.

Melancholy.

The Hulks.

{Whisky in the

Madness.

{Morning.

Palsy.

Botany Bay.

Murder.

Apoplexy.

{Do, during

70

{the Day and

{Night.

Suicide.

Death.

Gallows.

Those who drink Wine61, &c. for the purpose it was given, as a Cordial, to cheer the Circulation, when it falters from Fatigue, Age, or profuse Evacuations of any kind, “for the Stomach’s sake,” as St. Paul recommends it, and for our “often infirmities” as a medicine—will understand, that of all the ways of saving, to run any risk of buying inferior Wine, is the most ridiculously unwise Economy.

To Ice Wine is another very unprofitable and inconvenient custom—and not only deteriorates its flavour, but by rendering it dull in the mouth—people are induced to drink too much, as they are deprived of the advantage of knowing when they have got enough—for as soon as the Wine becomes warm in their Stomachs,—the dose they have taken merely to exhilarate them—makes them drunk.

The true Economy of Drinking,—is to excite as much Exhilaration as may be,—with as little Wine.

We deprecate the custom of sitting for Hours after Dinner, and keeping the Stomach in an incessant state of irritation by sipping Wine,—nothing can be more prejudicial to Digestion62—it is much better to mix Food and Drink—and to take them by alternate mouthsful.—See page 11.

Our “Vinum Britannicum”—good Home-brewed Beer—which has been very deservedly called “Liquid Bread,” is preferable to any other Beverage during Dinner or Supper—or Port or Sherry diluted with about three or four times their quantity of Toast and Water—(No. 463*): undiluted, these Wines are too strong to be drank during Dinner,—they act so powerfully on the feelings of the Stomach, that they dull the desire for solid Food, by producing the sensation of Restoration,—and the System, instead of receiving material to repair and strengthen it,—is merely stimulated during the action of the Vinous spirit.

However, the dull stimulus of Distention, is insufficient for some delicate Stomachs, which do absolutely require to be screwed up with a certain quantity of diffusible Stimulus63,—without which, they cannot proceed effectively to the business of Digestion,—or indeed any other business—we do not recommend such, especially if they have passed the Meridian of Life, to attempt to entirely wean themselves of it—but advise them, immediately after Dinner, to drink as much as is necessary to excite that degree of action in their System, without which they are uncomfortable, and then to stop.—See Observations on Siesta.

Now-a-days, Babies are brought to table after Dinner by Children of larger growth—to drink Wine,—which has as bad an effect on their tender susceptible stomachs, as the like quantity of Alcohol would produce upon an Adult. Wine has been called “the Milk of Old Age,” so “Milk is the Wine of Youth.” As Dr. Johnson observed, it is much easier to be abstinent than to be temperate—and no man should habitually take Wine as Food till he is past 30 years of age64 at least;—happy is He who preserves this best of Cordials in reserve, and only takes it to support his Mind and Heart when distressed by anxiety and fatigue. That which may be a needful stimulus at 40 or 50, will inflame the Passions into madness at 20 or 30—and at an earlier period is absolute Poison.

Among other innumerable Advantages which the Water-drinker enjoys, remember he saves at least Fifty Guineas per annum—which the Beer and Wine drinker wastes—as much to the detriment of his health, as the diminution of his Finances: moreover, nothing deteriorates the sense of Taste so soon as strong liquors—the Water-drinker enjoys an exquisite sensibility of Palate, and relish for plain food, that a Wine-drinker has no idea of.

Some people make it a rule to drink a certain number of Glasses of Wine during and after dinner, whether they are dry, or languid, or not—this is as ridiculous as it would be to eat a certain number of Mutton Chops whether you are hungry or not. The effect produced by Wine is seldom the same, even in the same person—and depends on the state of the animal spirits at the time—whether the stomach be full or empty, &c.

The more simply Life is supported, and the less Stimulus we use, the better—and Happy are the Young and Healthy who are wise enough to be convinced that Water is the best drink, and Salt the best sauce.

But in Invalids past the Meridian of Life, we believe as much mischief is going on when our Pulse hobbles along as if the Heart was too tired to carry on the Circulation, as can possibly be done to the constitution by taking such a portion of Wine as will remove the collapse—and excite the mainspring of Life to vibrate with healthful vigour.

The following is the Editor’s plan of taking liquid food at Dinner,—when he cannot get Good Beer:—he has two wine glasses of Sherry, or one of Whiskey65, or Brandy, (No. 471), and three-fourths of a pint of good Toast and Water, (No. 463), (which when Dyspeptic he has warmed to about Summer Heat, i. e. 75 of Fahrenheit,) and puts a wine-glass of Sherry, or half a glass of Whiskey, &c. into half a pint of the water, and the other glass of Sherry, or half glass of Whiskey, &c. into the remaining quarter pint—thus increasing the strength of the liquid towards the conclusion of Dinner, after which he drinks from two to four glasses of Port or Sherry—as Instinct suggests the state of the circulation requires—if it be very languid, a Liqueur glass of Johnson’s66 Witte CuraÇoa67 is occasionally recommended as a renovating Bonne Bouche—about a quarter of an hour after dinner, he lies down on a Sofa, and sleeps for about half an hour—this has been his custom for the last twenty years—half an hour’s horizontal posture is more restorative to him—than if he had sat up and drank three or four more glasses of wine.

As to the Wholesomeness of various Wines68,—that depends on the integrity and skill of the Wine-maker,—and upon the peculiar state of the stomach of the Wine-drinker:—when my Stomach is not in Good Temper,—it generally desires to have Red Wine,—but when in best Health,—nothing affronts it more than to put Port into it—and one of the first symptoms of its coming into adjustment, is a wish for White Wine.

One of the chief causes of that derangement of the Stomach, which delicate and aged persons so constantly complain of after Dining out—is the drinking of Wines, &c. which they are unused to.

White, deserve to be preferred to Red Wines,—because the latter being harder pressed, and subjected to a stronger fermentation to extract the colouring matter from the husks of the Grape, are more loaded with feculence.

Of Red Wines, Claret is the best; and it is to be lamented, that the Duty imposed upon it is so great, that to moderate fortunes it amounts to a prohibition—when we make this observation, we do not mean to impeach the prudence which has induced those who no doubt best understand the subject,—to determine that political necessity imperatively decrees that the delightful and salubrious wines of France—must be taxed twice as high as the coarse unwholesome wines of Portugal.

Of the White Wines, we believe that Sherry is the most easy—and Madeira the most difficult to obtain genuine—most of the Sweet Wines are as artificially compounded, as the Beers of this country; the addition of Capillaire to Port wine, makes what is commonly called Tent. Mountain, Calcavella, &c. are made up in the same manner.

For further Illustrations of this subject, see Accum on Adulterations, 2d Edition, 12mo. 1820.

An Inquiry into the Effects of Fermented Liquors, by a Water-drinker, 2d Edit. 1818.

Sandford’s Remarks on Wine. Worcester, 1799.

Lettsom, on the Effects of Hard Drinking.

Trotter, on Drunkenness, 1804.

Accum’s Art of making English Wine, 1820.

Carnell, on Family Wine Making, 1814.

Accum, on Brewing, 1820.

Rawlinson, on Brewing in Small Quantities,—printed for Johnson, 1807, price 1s.; and Home Brewed Ale, printed for Robinson, 1804, price 2s.

Facts Proving Water the best Beverage. Printed by Smeeton, in St. Martin’s Lane.

Manuel de Sommelier, par A. Jullien, Paris, 1817.

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