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XII. Memoir upon the Vineyards and Wines of Champdgiie 

 in France : Written in answer to certain Queries circulated 

 hj M. Chaptal. By M. Germon, of Epcrnay*. 



PRELIMINARIES f. 



JL he ancient province of Champagne, now divided into 

 two departments under the names of La Marne andLaHaule- 

 Marne, has been long celebrated as the vineyard of France. 

 There are two kinds of wines which distinguish this di- 

 strict. ; - 



White wines : called Riviere de Marne wines. 

 Red wines : called Montague de Rkeims wines. 

 The white wines are produced from vineyards situated in 

 the valleys and upon the sides of the hills in Epernay, 

 Dizy, Avenay, Cramant, Lemesnil, Month'elon, Chouitly, 

 Moussy, &c. : but in consequence of one of these varieties 

 of nature, for which we cannot always account, the estate 

 of Cumicres, in the midst of so many vineyards celebrated 

 for white wines, and under the same exposure, produces red 

 wines only, and of a quality far superior to the above wines. 

 Among all the vineyards on the river Marne, the can- 

 tons of Hautvillers, Mareuil, Cumieres, and Epernay, are 

 the most advantageously situated : they extend along the 

 river Marne, with this distinction, that the quality of the 

 wine falls off in proportion as the vineyard is distant from 

 tbe river : for this reason Hautvillers and Ay ~have always 

 enjoyed a preference over Epernay and Pierry ; and the latter 

 •wr Cramant, Lemesnil, &c, and these last over Mon- 

 thelon, Moussy, &c. 



South exposures produce upon the banks of the Marne ex- 

 cellent white wines, but their declivities and posterior parts, 

 which are called the mountains of Rheims, although situated 



* Annates de Chimfc, Vol. Ixi. p. 5. 



f The numerous facts contained in this Msmoir render it t'rulv valuable: 

 although the author expresses himself in the language of a good practical 

 cultivator, he does not always display the accuracy of* a modern chemist. 

 We have not hitherto met with any rhin^ more comprehensive on the sub- 

 ject ; and it form* the -materials of (VI. Chaptal's projected work, upon U L'Art 

 dtfaire If l-'i/t." Note of the French Editor. 



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