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L'Industria Del Cremortartaro by Callegari, Riccardo, a rare illustrated detail of the 1876 - wine book.
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  • L'Industria Del Cremortartaro by Callegari, Riccardo, a rare illustrated detail of the 1876 - wine book.
  • L'Industria Del Cremortartaro by Callegari, Riccardo, a rare interior highlight of the 1876 - wine book.
  • L'Industria Del Cremortartaro by Callegari, Riccardo, a rare example from the work of the 1876 - wine book.
  • L'Industria Del Cremortartaro by Callegari, Riccardo, a rare photograph of the 1876 - wine book.
  • L'Industria Del Cremortartaro by Callegari, Riccardo, a rare illustrated detail of the 1876 - wine book.
  • L'Industria Del Cremortartaro by Callegari, Riccardo, a rare interior highlight of the 1876 - wine book.
  • L'Industria Del Cremortartaro by Callegari, Riccardo, a rare example from the work of the 1876 - wine book.
  • L'Industria Del Cremortartaro by Callegari, Riccardo, a rare photograph of the 1876 - wine book.
L'Industria Del Cremortartaro

Wine crystals science meets Verdiso and Prosecco, in Italy’s industrial dawn.

Callegari, Riccardo

L'Industria Del Cremortartaro
E L'Impiego Di Uno Dei Precipuoi Capi-Morti Della Vinificazione. Estratto Degli Annali Di Viticoltura Ed Enologia Italiana

1876, Milano, Emilio Civelli, Tip. Editore

$80 USD

Overview

Industria del cremortataro by Riccardo Callegari represents an effort to bring scientific rigor to the Italian production of potassium bitartrate, the crystalline compound that naturally forms in grapes through the dissociation of tartaric acid into bitartrate and tartrate ions. These are the harmless “wine diamonds” that settle at the bottom of bottles, sometimes disconcerting to the uninitiated, yet entirely natural and safe.

Inside the book

Callegari explains that by filtering potassium bitartrate directly from wine, Italy could reduce reliance on imports of the very same compound, widely used as a stabilizing agent to prevent crystallization and in various other industries.
The book includes a finely designed table comparing quality and extraction values across wines, noting distinctions such as “Verdiso” from Valdobbiadene and Susegana versus “Prosecco” from Collalto (before its widespread diffusion), as well as Raboso from Veneto.
This work illustrates the scientist’s role in the early industrial development of late 19th-century Italy. Particularly engaging is the publisher’s subscription model on the back, offering readers different tiers of editions.

Why La Fenice chose it

Callegari turns those pesky wine crystals into a symbol of progress, mapping Italy’s grapes with scientific precision and industrial charm.
Condition Report

Pp. 14, [1] r.e.

Original light-purple paper binding, with printed title at the front and other typographical notes on the back cover. Bookseller’s blindstamp on front (Libreria Robecchi, Milan). A very good copy.

Dimensions (inches): 9 x 6.5
About the author

Riccardo Callegari appears to have been an Italian scientist concerned with winemaking by-products

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