History of Ancient a?id Modern Wines. 125 



Into his introductory chapter to the history of Modern Wines, 

 Dr. Henderson has infused much that is irrelevant and prosy, and 

 after descanting at length upon the difficulty of framing a satisfac- 

 tory classitication of wines, ends his disquisition by dividing them 

 into Red and White as classes, and into Dav and Sweet as 

 orders. 



The wines of France justly claim our first attention, being emi- 

 nently superior to all otliers. Their soil, surface and climate are 

 all favourable, and the manufacture is, with few exceptions, con- 

 ducted with extraordinary care, and no small portion of scientific 

 skill. Their modes of training and cultivating the vine are ex- 

 tremely various. In some of the southern provinces it twines upon 

 the elm or maple, in others it is borne upon trellises, in oihers 

 trimmed into bushes, and in others trained horizontally upon low 

 rails. 



Our author describes the wines of France under five sections: 



1 . Of the IVines of Champagne. — The principal growths of this 

 province are in the department of the Marne, and are divided into 

 river and mountain wines, Vins de la Riviere de Marne, and Vins 

 de la Montagne de Reims ; the former are mostly v/liite, and more 

 or less brisk, and the latter red and still. Among the best river 

 wines are those of Ay, Epernay, and Hautvilliers ; they are well 

 known as most exquisite liquors, brigkt, nearly colourless, light, 

 creaming, sweetish, and having a most indescribably exquisite 

 aroma, biliery is also no mean wine ; it is stronger, more dur- 

 able, and rather deeper coloured than the former, and although 

 once preferred in this country, is now less esteemed than the most 

 choice wines of Ay, (§'c. In reference to this subject we entirely 

 agree with one of our best judges, who, in reply to one that de- 

 fended Sillery, observed, " that all Champagne would be sweet z/" 

 it could." Of the mountain wines, Clos St, Thierry deserves espe- 

 cial commendation ; when of jnemih-e qnalite it unites tlie " rich 

 colour and aroma of Burgundy with the delicate lightness of 

 Champagne." There are, however, many other red Champagne 

 wines which are not to be despised, especially those of Haut- 

 villiers ; but these have declined in repute since the suppres- 

 siiin of the monastery to which the principal vineyard belonged, 

 and one of the monks of which was the contriver of an apparatus 

 very similar to one which has lately been trumped forth to the 

 brewers and cider makers of this country, under the title oi Ap- 

 pariel Gervais. 



" For tlie manufacture of the white Champagne wines black 

 grapes are now generally used. They ripen more easily, and 

 resist the frosts and rains common about the time of the vintage 

 much better than the white sorts. Hence the wines which are 

 made from them alone, or from a mixture of the two, are not so 

 liable to degenerate as those prepared from white grapes only. 



