In countries where the production of wine is one of the leading industries, like France and parts of Germany, the composition of the wines made is very well established. Scarcely any article of consumption has been the subject of so much chemical investigation as wine. Thousands of analyses have been published, so that one is at a loss to choose among them for representative figures.

In a general way the normal constituents of a natural wine may be divided into two classes, volatile and fixed.

The volatile matters are as follows: Water, constituting from 80 to 90 per cent. of the weight; alcohol, 5 to 15 per cent.; glycerine, 2 to 8 per cent.; volatile acids, acetic, oenanthic, etc., constituting one-fourth to one-third of the total acidity; aldehyde, compound ethers, together with the other fragrant, indefinite constituents, which give the wine its flavor and bouquet; carbonic acid gas in small quantities in young wines.

1 Bulletin No. 65, Univ. of Cal. Agl. Ex. Station.

The fixed matters are: Glucose or grape sugar in small quantities in most wines; bitartrate of potash, tartaric, malic, and phosphoric acid, partly free and partly combined with potash, lime, soda, aluminum, magnesium, iron, and manganese, of which salts phosphate of lime is the most abundant, constituting from 20 to 60 per cent. of the weight of the ash, the remainder being chiefly carbonate of potash resulting from the calcination of the bitartrate, with a little sulphate and traces of chlorides. Coloring matters: Pectin and analogous gummy matters; tannin, 1 to 2 per cent. in red wines, mere traces only existing in white.

The following table of the composition of French wines is taken from Wurtz's Dictionnaire de chimie:

Average composition of French wines.

Alcohol by volume.

In grams per liter.

Remarks.

Extract at 100°C.

Glycerine.

Bitartrate of potash.

Ash.

Total

acidity as

H1S04.

Red wines.

Per cent.

Mean of French wines.

10.0

18.9

5. 6-7. 6

1. 2-5. 0

1. 2-3. 8

2.5

Extract (max. 40.5, min. 15. 0).

Burgundy..........

16.9

5.8

1.8

2.5

Meursault..........

10.3

Alcohol (max. 13.0, min. 9. 4).

Pomard

11.5

Alcohol (max. 13.3, min. 10.2).

Volnay

10.5

Alcohol (max. 12.6, min. 7.3).

Richebourg, ordinary.

11.2

23.6

Wines six months old.

Petits Burgundy ...

7.8

15.6

Wines one year old.

Beaujolais

10.4

20.7

2.17

Wines three years old.

Bordeaux, ordinary.

9.4

7.1

2.3

1.6-3.0

Alcohol (max. 10.9 min. 7.9).

Bordeaux, superior.

9.1

16.4

2.15

Alcohol (max. 9.7, min. 7.3).

Vins de l'Herault, (not plastered).

10.1

19.0

6.5-7. 6

2.2

1. 7-3. 5

2. 5-5. 6

Extract (max. 23.0, min. 16.0).

Vins de l'Herault, (plastered).

10.3

20. 0-25. 0

..........

..........

3.2-4.0

4. 9-5.1

Aramon (plastered).

10.0

24.0

2.95

4.2

Beaux Narbonnes (1876).

12.4

Narbonnes (not plastered).

10.8

18.8

2.0-3. 0

Alcohol (max. 14.0, min. 8.4).

Petits Narbonnes (1876).

7.8

Rousillons de table (1875).

14.8

2.4

2.66

Vins de la Marne .

11.4

24.1

1. 8-5. 3

Alcohol (max. 14.0, min. 6.7).

Vins de Cahors

10.7

Alcohol (max. 14.3, min. 8. 9).

Vins de la Haute-Garonne.

9.8

23.8

1.4

1.4-2. 0

Alcohol(max..12.4, min. 7. 5). Extract (max.28.8, min. 18.9).

White wines.

Chablis (6 months)..

9.7

4.0

Bordeaux

2.51

Picpoul............

11.5

18.2

3.5

4.5

4450 - No. 3, pt. 3 ---- 5

The following table of the average composition of wines of various u. s. w.:

Average composition of the wines of all

Country.

No. of wines analyzed.

Specific gravity.

Alcohol by volume.

Acids, as tartaric.

No. of estimations.

Maximum.

Minimum.

Mean.

No. of estimations.

Maximum.

Minimum.

Mean.

No. of estimations.

Maximum.

Minimum.

Mean.

P. ct.

P.ct.

P.ct.

P. ct.

P.ct.

P. ct.

America (Virginia)

12

12

1. 0117

0. 9875

0. 9956

12

12.691

8 561

10.621

12

1.02

0.52

0.671

Australia

5

...

....

....

....

5

18.0

14.1

15.5

5

0. 510

0. 450

0. 494

Africa

4

1

....

....

0. 9938

2

20.3

18.0

19.1

3

0.370

0.224

0. 275

Minor Asia

8

7

1. 0892

1. 0051

1.0325

8

18.0

13.0

14.3

....

....

.....

....

Crimea

31

31

1.0011

0. 9875

0. 9942

31

16. 93

9.08

12.80

31

0.854

0. 350

0. 592

Greece

9

7

1. 0254

0. 9909

1.0109

9

18.0

12.4

15.4

...

...

...

.....

Spain

9

7

1. 0700

1.0370

1. 0593

8

16.1

12.5

14.6

1

.....

0. 339

Italy

40

407

1.0879

0.8934

1.0019

407

21.95

8.40

13. 86

407

1. 0425

0. 276

0. 674

Sicily

86

86

1. 0976

0. 9895

1. 0225

86

27. 15

13.70

18.08

86

0.8352

0. 386

0. 591

France

60

27

1.0019

0. 9910

0. 9952

47

14.0

6.5

9.9

40

0.970

0. 191

0. 506

Switzerland...........

68

14

0. 9930

0. 9980

0. 9904

68

13.1

6.0

9.0

68

0.750

0. 370

0. 528

Austria

523

488

1.0797

0. 9896

0.9941

503

18.8

7.5

11.0

499

0.995

0.116

0. 588

1. Lower Austria.

122

113

1.0084

0. 9898

0. 9857

122

15.7

8.6

13.0

113

0.910

0.434

0. 632

2. Styria..........

95

80

1. 0797

0. 9908

0. 9987

86

15.3

8.1

12 0

92

0.995

0.116

0. 661

3. Tyrol..........

4

4

0. 9966

0. 9952

0. 9959

4

8.3

7.5

7.9

3

0.612

0.461

0. 523

4. Mahren........

4

4

0. 9942

0. 9932

0. 9937

4

11.7

9.8

10.6

4

0.727

0.496

0.577

5. Bohemia.......

19

19

0. 9994

0.9921

0. 9950

19

14.1

9.5

11.6

19

0.806

0. 426

0.613

6. Carniola

11

11

0. 9963

0. 9939

0. 9952

11

10.5

8.5

9.2

11

0.811

0. 465

0.601

7. Hungary.......

154

145

1. 0201

0. 9910

0. 9960

148

18.8

8 4

12.2

144

0.958

0.349

0. 635

8. Transylvania..

4

4

0. 9928

0. 9876

0. 9914

4

12.8

10.5

11.7

4

0.498

0.433

0. 469

9. Selavonia......

38

38

1. 0012

0.9921

0. 9944

38

15. 1

9.3

11.3

38

0.928

0. 573

0. 697

10. Croatia........

72

70

1. 0086

0. 9910

0. 9943

66

13.6

7.5

10.5

70

0.944

0.449

0. 687

11. Dalmatia......

1

1

......

0. 9950

1

10.7

1

0. 480

Germany..............

616

224

1.0833

0. 9960

0. 9954

615

16.0

5.7

10.1

544

1.354

0.050

0. 599

1. Saxony........

2

1

...

...

0.9975

2

...

...

9.0

...

....

....

....

2. Silesia.........

1

1

...

...

0. 9976

1

...

...

6.5

...

...

...

...

3. Mosel-Saar.....

11

4

0. 9977

0. 9930

0. 9946

11

14.2

6.7

10.6

7

0. 660

0. 560

0 612

4. Ahrgegend___

11

11

0. 9960

0.9915

0. 9944

11

11.2

7.9

9.8

11

0. 559

0. 390

0. 485

5. Rheiugau......

57

42

1. 0323

0. 9960

0. 9956

56

16.0

8.2

11.3

48

0.750

0. 332

0. 545

C. Rheingau-Bergstr...........

30

26

0. 9996

0.9910

0. 9950

51

11.7

7.9

10 0

25

0.810

0. 359

0. 592

7. Palatinate.....

62

41

1. 0034

0. 9868

0. 9955

62

13.3

6.8

10.7

24

0. 779

0. 350

0.541

8. Franconia......

78

69

1. 0833

0. 9762

0. 9940

78

13.3

6.5

10. 6

73

1.354

0. 453

0. 850

9. Wurtemburg ..

27

13

0. 9982

0. 9937

0. 9956

27

15.5

7.0

11.4

23

0. 830

0. 350

0.618

10. Baden..........

336

16

0. 9986

0. 9935

0. 9945

336

15.6

5.7

11.2

333

1.087

0.050

0. 546

11. Alsace

12

37

0. 9950

0. 9860

0. 9907

37

12.06

6.20

10. 28

37

0.705

0. 332

0. 543

German kinds.

Riesling

85

17

1. 0025

0.9911

0. 9948

85

14.7

8.8

11.3

78

0. 960

0.080

0.659

Traminer

40

6

0. 9997

0. 9762

0. 9921

40

14.3

8.7

11.8

39

0. 907

0.330

0. 588

Rulander

20

20

14.6

9.4

11.0

19

II. 780

0. 420

0. 562

Gutedel

33

5

0. 9939

0. 9927

0.9934

33

12.1

8.9

10.3

32

0.705

0. 274

0 531

Weissherbst

18

2

0. 9966

15

13.5

8.3

11.2

15

0.640

0. 286

0.526

Burgunder

26

2

......

.....

0. 9950

26

13 4

9.0

11.2

26

0. 756

0. 429

0. 574

Clevnerblau

30

6

0. 9982

0. 9933

0. 9955

30

15.2

8.2

11.5

30

0.907

0.416

0. 595

1 Per cent. by weight.

origin consumed in Germany is taken from Konig's Nahrungsmittel,

countries (Wagenmann and Konig).

Sugar.

Extract.

Tannin and coloring matter.

Ash.

No. of estimations.

Maximum.

Minimum.

Meau.

No. of estimations.

Maximum.

Minimum.

Mean.

No. of estimations.

Maximum.

Minimum.

Mean.

No. of estimations.

Maximum.

Minimum.

Mean.

P.ct.

P. ct.

P.ct.

P.ct.

P.ct.

P.ct.

P.ct.

P.ct.

P.ct.

P.ct.

P.ct

P.ct.

12

3.703

0. 031

0.724

12

6.41

1.41

2.581

12

0.0192

0.022

0.0092

12

0.30

0.12

0. 175

5

3.500

0.840

1.486

5

4. 800

2.600

3. 240

2

5.510

4.190

4. 580

1

0.428

8

16.230

2.400

6. 292

5

3.403

0.040

1. 563

33

4.515

1. 353

2.516

9

0.503

0.143

0.207

33

0.382

0.153

0.227

9

4.800

1.400

3.418

7

14.700

9.900

11. 900

8

18.780

14.400

16. 520

82

20. 976

0.179

3.630

407

21.886

0.746

3.259

82

0.339

0.003

0.073

407

0.743

0. 057

0.214

86

27. 940

0.746

8.442

......

86

0.857

0.185

0.363

3

0.180

0.109

0.159

40

12. 600

1.080

3.036

14

0.229

0.186

0.207

17

0.252

0.174

0.210

14

0.120

0.025

0.063

14

2.689

1.293

1.878

14

0.502

0.134

0. 249

9

6.100

1.200

2. 617

495

23.140

0.870

2.422

15

0.194

0.109

0.139

186

0. 323

0.077

0.188

122

6.320

1.790

2.650

10

0.194

0.109

0.139

17

0.311

0.162

0.241

2

3.360

77

23.140

1.090

3.730

47

0. 305

0. 087

0.165

4

1.850

1.670

1. 750

4

0.228

0.154

0.184

4

2.280

1.880

2.010

19

3.910

1.850

2.620

7

0.297

0.128

0.197

1

1.620

11

2.510

1.480

2.000

11

0.209

0.120

0.182

6

6. 100

1.200

2.960

149

10.700

0.870

3. 050

5

0.175

0.111

0.141

36

0.288

0.077

0.192

4

2.170

1.450

1 750

38

3.890

1. 510

2.360

14

0.286

0. 145

0.191

66

5.000

1.210

2.140

49

0.323

0.111

0.167

1

2.600

1

0.170

409

8.628

0. 010

0.470

386

10.555

0.520

2. 502

41

0.272

0.076

0.145

94

0.314

0.108

0.194

1

1.000

2

3.000

1

2.100

7

0.520

0.120

0.241

9

2.500 2.885

1.500

1.892

1

0.203

11

0.674

0. 056

0.159

11

2.137

2.671

10

0.272

0.099

0.214

11

0.261

0. 099

0.213

30

8.628

0.080

0.964

56

10. 555

1.640

3.087

16

0.261

0.091

0.141

29

0.314

0.120

0.215

15

1. 500

0.100

0.410

31

4.100

1. 040

2.588

13

0.235

0.091

0.148

17

0.275

0.125

0.213

43

3.500

0.010

0. 560

49

7.300

1.710

2.236

2

0.076

22

0.205

0.108

0.137

6

0.154

0.081

0.138

76

9.445

1.112

3.165

18

1.400

0.080

0.305

17

2.920

2.750

2.255

279

4.540

0.046

0.442

134

3.545

0.520

1.730

14

0.255

0.163

0.183

29

0.188

0.013

0.087

36

2.389

1.228

1.784

25

0.387

0.105

0.225

75

4.540

0.091

0.458

36

9.940

0.790

2.462

5

0.190

0.146

0.170

33

4.160

0.046

0.480

16

3.612

0. 520

2.200

2

0.183

20

1.500

0. 059

0.239

14

2.700

1.320

1.848

26

0.610

0.077

0.124

24

2.735

1.420

1. 781

5

0.183

0.160

0.172

12

2.100

0.070

0.586

4

2.290

1. 770

2.012

2

0.190

23

0.275

0.087

0.119

14

2.706

1.360

2.170

1

0.272

2

0.229

28

3.330

0.076

0.871

12

4.167

1.390

2.364

3

0.272

0.190

0.230

3

0.253

0.181

0.212

2 Given as tannic acid.