Home › Wines › Foreign Wines (To Restore Pricked British)

Foreign Wines (To Restore Pricked British)

To Restore Pricked British Wines.

Rack the wines down to the lees into another cask, where the lees of good wines are fresh; then put a pint of strong aqua vitæ, and scrape lb. of yellow beeswax into it, which, by heating the spirit over a gentle fire, will melt; after which dip a piece of cloth into it, and when a little dry set it on fire with a brimstone match, put it into the bunghole, and stop it up close. Another Method.

First prepare a fresh empty cask that has had the same kind of wine in which it is about to be racked; then match it, and rack off the wine, putting to every 10 galls. 2 oz. of oyster powder and oz. of bay-salt; then get the staff and stir it well about, letting it stand till it is fine, which will be in a few days; after which rack it off into another cask previously matched, and if the lees of some wine of the same kind can be got, it will improve it much. Put likewise a quart of brandy to every 10 galls., and, if the cask has been emptied a long time, it will match better on that account; but, even if a new cask, the matching must not be omitted. A fresh empty cask is to be preferred.

This method will answer for all made wines.