THE XEW YORK WINE INDUSTRY 1265 



for a period of one or two months. After a while the sediment 

 is collected in the neck of the bottle, while the body of the wine- 

 is perfectly dear. Then the bottles are taken to the finishing 

 room, cork down, and the wine is "disgorged." This process 

 consists in freezing the small quantity of wine in the neck of the 

 bottle containing the sediment. The aura fie is removed, and the 

 pressure of the gas forces ont the cork and the frozen sediment. 



FIG. 419. LABELLING, CAPPING, WRAPPING, AND BOXING CHAMPAGNE READY 



FOR SHIPMENT 



The wine in this state is not only absolutely dry, or free 

 from sugar, but it is harsh or brut, to use the French term. 

 To please the taste and palate of consumers, the wine is softened 

 and sweetened by a " dosage," as the French wine makers call it; 

 that is, by the addition of a little rock candy syrup dissolved in 

 nhl wine or brandy. Thus, champagne is described as "brut," 

 " extra dry " or " sec," according to the amount of the dosage. 



The final operations consist in putting a fine cork in the bottle, 

 wiring and capping it, pasting on the label, and casing the bottles 

 in boxes ready for shipment. 



