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Wines, Choice Of

The choice of wines, in laying in a stock, is a matter of considerable difficulty, particularly to the inexperienced. A habit of tasting the superior wines will alone give the palate the power of discriminating minute differences in the aroma and bouquet of the choice kinds. But a very correct taste in wine is a rare quality; and there is sometimes a good deal of pretension in passing a judgment upon them. The particular impression on the sense of taste is also liable to be affected by the state of bodily health at the time, or by the last substance taken into the mouth. Thus, wine after sweetmeats and fruits frequently tastes harsh; whereas after made dishes and cheese wines sometimes appear better than they really are. The first object to be considered, next to the taste, from which the purchaser must judge for himself, is whether the wine is pure and the genuine production of the country whose name it bears; and whether or not it is adulterated with any foreign substance. To distinguish this accurately, in many cases, requires great experience and a very nice palate. It is even said that few persons, except the manufacturers themselves, are judges sufficiently experienced to distinguish and appreciate the different growths of their own territory; and that even these cannot estimate properly the wines of another district. Another kind of ability necessary is to be able to distinguish the condition of the wine; whether it is new, and whether it will keep or will be liable to change. Some wines may appear good that will not keep a year; and others that at first appear indifferent, will improve so much by keeping as to be in the end excellent. Good wine is most frequently to be found among capitalists, who can afford to buy large quantities in favourable years, and who can select in their stock that which is fittest for bottling at any particular time, not sending out any but what is fit for use, and who have a reputation to keep up. It is scarcely necessary to add that there are few articles of domestic consumption in which there are more frauds practised than in wine, or in which more money may be thrown away for want of good management; to say nothing of the pleasure it affords everyone to place good wine before his guests, or the danger of injuring their healths by offering them what is prejudicial.