318 



WINE-MAKING IN THE WEST. 



yards did not average one-fifth of a crop. I 

 expect to make 10,000 bottles next spring. 



I saw it stated by a correspondent in the 

 National Intelligencer, that there were 

 "several manufactories in Cincinnati, for 

 the manufacture of champaigne wine, in 

 charge of Frenchmen, obtained from 

 France." This is an error. Mr. Millek 

 had some champaigne wine made at his 

 house in the vicinity of the town, last sea- 

 son, by one of our Germans. It vas made, 

 and drank in a few weeks after working. 

 It was not calculated for keeping, or sending 

 to a foreign market, though much admired 

 by those who drank it. In a few weeks it 

 formed a sediment, and in a iaw months 

 lost all its life. He commenced the manu- 

 facture late in the spring, at the time when 

 my wine cooper deemed it too late to con- 

 tinue the manufacture ; and used fire heat, 

 to bring it into its effervescing state. My 

 manufacturer keeps it in a cold arched cel- 

 lar, and continues for near a year to draw 

 off the sediment, and does not deem it fit 

 for use till it has been a year in the bottle. 

 The same German, this summer, commenced 

 making, for Mr. Miller, 40,000 bottles ; 

 got in a passion, and left the whole on the 

 cellar floor. This wine was in great demand 

 at our coffee houses. 



Mr. Miller has a fine vineyard, and un- 

 derstands the cultivation of the grape, and 

 the manufacture of natural wine from them. 

 Mr. Selves, this season, employed an Eng- 

 lishman to manufacture champaigne wine 

 for him, for sale at his coffee house, who 

 for years was engaged in the same business 

 in London. It is fit for use in a few weeks 

 after bottled, and is deemed a fine cham- 

 paigne by our wine drinkers. 



My wine cooper is a Frenchman, bred to 

 the business (as he says) in Champaigne ; 

 and who, for the last few years, has resided 

 in the city of New-York, and been ex- 

 clusively engaged in the resuscitation of 

 imported champaigne, by the importing 

 houses. His skill is yet to be proved. 



One thing is certain : If a pleasant 

 champaigne can be made from our Catawba 

 grape in two or three weeks, a good one 

 can be made, by a skilful wine cooper, after 

 a year's attention to the bottles. Whether 

 the one I now have is skilful, time will 



decide. The person I obtained from France 

 in 1845, was drowned in the Ohio a few 

 days after his arrival. 



My own impression is, that in skilful 

 hands, our Catawba will make a wine, su- 

 perior in aroma and flavor to the best French 

 champaigne imported ; or that manufactured 

 in London, from perry ; or, in New-Jersej^, 

 from cider, or green corn. The aroma of 

 the Catawba grape continues in the wine, in 

 all its stages. Our Germans did not at first 

 like this peculiar muscadine aroma and 

 flavor, but now give our dry Catawba wines 

 a decided preference over the wines of 

 Germany. In the fermentation of most 

 wines, the aroma of the fruit is lost in the 

 fermentation of the must, and a new flavor 

 given : often an artificial one is designedly 

 added ; and so fond do we become of par- 

 ticular flavors, from long habit, that many 

 of our winebibbers are delighted with the 

 skin-taste acquired by the wine by being 

 carried in foetid goatskins. 



My wines will be ready for use in the 

 spring, and for sending abroad in March. 

 It would soon lose its good name, should it 

 ever obtain one, if sold below the price of 

 imported French champaigne. We judge 

 of the value of an article from its cost. Mr. 

 Miller and Mr. Selves sell their wine at 

 twelve dollars per dozen (bottles returned), 

 and, at this price, have found a ready sale. 

 If my wine does not compare with the best 

 imported, after giving the manufacture a 

 fair trial, I shall discontinue it. Persons 

 having it for sale, will be instructed to pay 

 back the money on return of the wine, after 

 the person has tried it, if dissatisfied ; or if 

 any bottles in a basket be found not good, 

 to return the price for all that do not prove 

 of the first qualit3\ I calculate all will be 

 good, or none ; but a chance cork, though 

 rarely, may destroy the wine. 



I made the first champaigne five years 

 since. It was in part produced by chance, 

 and induced me to erect a building for its 

 manufacture, and to send to France for a 

 manufacturer. I shall be content if we can 

 always make as fine a wine by design, as 

 was then made by accident. 



6 Q. What, in your opinion, is the cause 

 of the rot in the grape ? 



