I recd the bottle of wine you were so kind as to send me about a fortnight ago and have kept it in the hope your father could come and dine & taste it here. he had at length promised for yesterday but his business obliging him to set out to Richmd and having some friends with me we tried it.1 we found it so heavily charged with brandy that all flavor of the wine was absorbed in that of the brandy. this general & detestable practice of our country of putting brandy into their wines will prevent their coming2 into use, whatever their merit may be, until it is discontinued,3 a single glass of brandy will destroy the vinous flavor of a quarter cask of wine. I am not without hopes that this may be a good enough wine for ordinary use, and it’s cheapness would induce me to purchase it habitually if I could find it’s true quality when pure and unadulterated.4 could you possibly get me a sample of it pure & without a drop of brandy or any other mixture with it? if you could be perfectly satisfied of it’s purity I would take a quarter cask by way of trial5 and instruct Colo Peyton to honor your draught on him for it. your friends here are all well, & I salute you with frdshp & respect.