Page:A Treatise on the Culture of the Vine and, and the Art of Making Wine.pdf/168

 under the same temperature; and, where this is impossible, they should be kept in a warm place till an equal temperature is acquired. The advantage of having the mass uniformly in a state of fermentation throughout, is the reason for this, and the same principle points out the advantage of having such a number of vintagers as shall complete a vat in one day.

The method most generally practised, is to sever the bunch with the thumb nail; in some places a pruning knife is made use of for the purpose, but a pair of good scissors is recommended, in preference to either of these modes. The stalk should be cut as near the bunch as possible, and great care should be used in rejecting such as have decayed, and leaving such as are uuripe.

In countries where they are jealous of the quality of their wines, the grapes are gathered at different times. The first vat resulting from the first gathering, is always the best. The grapes are better nourished, the berries of each bunch more equal, and the maturity more perfect through the mass. Besides, the first choice is always of grapes which have reached an earlier maturity, in consequence of having been better exposed to the sun; and for this reason, the wine resulting from their fermentation should be superior.

These precautions are only neglected, where