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How Wines Are Doctored

Amontillado, is frequently added to Sherries deficient in flavor. A poor Sherry is also much improved by the addition of honey and a little bitter-almond oil. In Portugal, the juice of elderberries is very commonly add ed to Port wine to increase its color, and extract of rhatany for the double purpose of improving its colon and imparting an astringent taste. But the most com mon adulterant of Port wine, both in Portugal and this country, is "jerupiga" or "geropiga"-a compound of elder juice, brown sugar, grape juice, and crude Portuguese brandy. Sage is used to flavor Rhenish wine. An infusion of elderberry flowers will impart a Muscat flavor. Beech leaves improve white wine. A grain or two of ambergris, when rubbed down with sugar, and added to a hogshead of Claret, is very perceptible in the wine, and gives it a bouquet, by some considered a great improvement. Apple oil, when combined with butyric ether, imparts a fine "Old Madeira" flavor. Neroly, dried peaches infused in alcohol, and essence of Sherry, are all good flavors for Sherry wine. (See "Recipe No. 5.") Hop-water, mixed with honey, imparts a genuine Madeira aroma: one pound of hops to one gallon of boiling water, mixed in half a gallon of honey. Torrefied prunes are an esteemed Port wine flavor. (See "Recipe No. 6.") When caution is used, these flavors may all be employed to advantage. We suppose it scarcely necessary to renew the warnings, given in other parts of this work, to avoid the too common error of using an excess of flavoring ingredients. But a long experience in manufacturing wines and liquors, and a practical knowledge of powerful flavoring materials, has taught us that we can not be too careful in this particular. We, therefore, again admonish our readers to refrain from the excessive