To James Madison from Thomas Newton, 28 November 1806
From Thomas Newton
Norfolk Novr. 28. 1806
Dr Sir
Inclosed is a receipt for a Hd of old Brasil wine, which I hope will meet your approbation,1 I think it of superior quality to any I have lately seen, as wine frequently gets spoild in fining I recommend to you my mode by which I have generally clear wine. The Cask is fixed on the stand on the head & about a pint of milk thrown into it, shaking the cask well on pouring the milk in, the best way is to fix two cocks in the cask, one at the bottom & the other about ⅓ from the top draw a pail full of wine, putting the milk first in the pail & the wine running from the Cock will well mix it, return it into the cask & shake it well then fix it steady for use, in about 6 or 8 days the upper cock will give you clear wine & by the time you use to it, the lower cock will be in order in a fortnight both will be find but the first bottle in either will probably be thick by these means my wine is find & I always drink it out of the Cask being milder than when bottled & I think less lost, as every bottle has a sediment which often fouls the wine—excuse me for troubling you with my opinion on the management of wine, having seen so much spoild in fining I was induced to tell you my mode of management. Health & happiness attend you Yrs. respectfully
Thos Newton
RC and enclosures (DLC). For enclosures, see n. 1.
1. The enclosures are 1) a receipt dated at Norfolk, 26 Nov. 1806, signed by Job Palmer (1 p.), acknowledging that the hogshead of wine sent by Newton to JM in Washington, D.C., in care of the collector at Georgetown, had been received; and 2) an invoice, dated at Norfolk, 27 Nov. 1806, from Oliveira Fernandez & Co. to Newton (1 p.), for one hogshead of Brazil wine and casking materials, at a total charge of $168.54¾.