$f 'Champagne in France. 23 i 



when the fruit has been damaged during the vintage season 

 by frosts or continual rains. 



How are the Red Wines managed ? 



When the <red wine which comes out of the tub, and thai 

 which has been expressed from the husks, are well mixed 

 together in a vat procured for the purpose, the whole is 

 poured into new puncheons previously rmced Svitb hot wa- 

 ter; hut they are not fiitad at once, because the wine always 

 ferments for a few days longer : — as the fermentation ceased 

 they are filled and bunged up, leaving a small spiggot in the 

 bung in order to allow the gas to pass out : when the fer- 

 mentation has entirely ceased the puncheon is hermetically 

 closed. 



About the end of December, and if possible in dry wea- 

 ther, the wine is drawn off and free4 frona the greatest part 

 of the lees. 



About the middle of May, before the warm season com- 

 mences, the wine is again drawn off clear. Before putting 

 the puncheons into the cellar they are furnished with new 

 hoops, where they are kept during the summer, or till they 

 are sold, otherwise their contents would be spoiled. 



What is the Method of clarifying Red Wines P 



This consists m drawing off the wine a third time. The 

 whites of five or six fresh eggs are diluted in a chopih of 

 water ; and this quantity is sufficient for each piece or pun- 

 cheon containing 240 bottles. 



There are only 200 bottles in a puncheon of white wine. 



The whites of eggs are well beaten up and then thrown 

 into the puncheon, the contents of which are then briskly 

 stirred up by a cleft stick. 



This operation is performed previous to bottling the wins 

 or sending it off to a market. 



At what Age should Red Wines he bottled ? 

 In general, the red wines of Haute Montagne are bottled 

 in the month of November succeeding the vintage, i. e, 

 thirteen months afterwards. This season of the year is fixed 



P 4 upon 



