Also bee’s wing, bee’s-wing, bees’-wing, bees-wing. [f. BEE + WING, from its appearance.] The second crust, consisting of shining filmy scales of tartar, formed in port and some other wines after long keeping; so called from its appearance; ellipt., old wine showing beeswing. Hence Bee’s-winged a., so old as to show beeswing.
1860. Gen. P. Thompson, Audi Alt., III. cxiv. 44. His richer or more showy neighbour … is curious in ‘bee’s wing.’
1864. Tennyson, Aylmer’s F., 405. Fetched His richest beeswing from a binn reserved.
1880. Browning, Dram. Idyls, II. Clive 47. Too much bee’s-wing floats my figure?
1873. F. Hall, Mod. Eng., 32. His port is not presentable, unless bees’-winged.
