WINE 1U3 



(.) Beaujolais, the Maconnais, and tlie Cote-Chcdonnaise. These wines are delicate, 

 light, well-flavoured, but not highly-coloured ; they are principally consumed in the 

 interior of France. The principal growths are of Chenas and that of Fleury. The 

 MAconnais produces the highly-esteemed white wine of Pouilly, a dry wine which 

 keeps badly, and the red wine of Romaneche. The wines of Cotc-Ckalonnaise are 

 common wines, amongst which the Mercurey alone is remarkable. 



(b.) Hautc-Burgogne, consisting of the Cote-d'Or, produces the most famous wines 

 in Burgundy. The white wines of the Cote-d'Or, most known are those of Montrachet, 

 very superior wines ; of Meursault, very delicate, light, and with a delicious ' bouquet ; ' 

 and those of Blaquy. It is the red wines, however, which give pre-eminence to this 

 district. Here grow the renowned Volnay, Pomard, Beaunc, Nuits, more spirituous 

 than the others, and which require to be kept five or six years in the wood ; Vosnc, 

 Romanee-Conti, Clos-dc-Vougeot, and Chambertin. 



(c). Basse-Burgogne. The wines of Lower Burgundy are brisk, delicate, and light, 

 but too spirituous. The Tonnerre is fit for drinking after the third year, and the 

 wines of Auxerrois, which ar* sooner matured. In Auxerrois also are the vineyards of 

 Chablis; these white wines, so much esteemed for their lightness, are made in the 

 early part of October, under the name of Chablis. A large quantity of other white 

 wine from the neighbouring vineyards finds its way into the market. The wines of 

 Avallonais, and those of Joigny are sent to Flanders and Belgium. 



(d.) Jura. The wines of this district aTe in general dry, heady, brisk, but with 

 some acidity, which arises from their bad cultivation and the unskilful mixture of the 

 vines, and reduces their reputation. In addition to the inferior wines, the Jura 

 produces also rose-coloured wines (' Vins Eases '); these are sparkling wines, and the 

 luscious wine known under the name of ' Vin de Garde du Chateau Chalons' This 

 vineyard only comprises 96 hectares. The wines produced there require to be kept 

 from twelve to fifteen years in the cask. All these wines are consumed where they 

 are grown, or sent to Switzerland. 



At Seyssel, and other places, in the neighbourhood of Lyons, and in Savoy, a 

 pleasant white sparkling wine is produced and known locally as Vin-des-Asphaltes, 

 the vineyards being situated on the asplialtic limestones now eo extensively used as a 

 paving material in Paris and London. 



(e.) Alsace produces only common wine, with the exception of the TurcJtemi and 

 Ttibeauvttler. 



(/.) Lorraine. The principal growths are those of Thiancourt, Pagny, and Sey. 



(ff.) Champagne. The wines of the Department of the Marne, known under the 

 name of Champagne, have a universal reputation. 



Champagne Wines are divided into four categories : Sparkling Granot, Ordinary 

 Sparkling, Half Sparkling, Tisane de Champagne. 



The following are the principal growths: 



On the Marne By the Avise On the Mountains of Rheims 



Mareuil, Avise. Bouzy. 



Ay. Cramant. Ambonnay. 



Hautvillers. Offer. Mailly. 



Epernay. Mesnil. Sillery. 



Eomont. 



The most esteemed kinds are the Sillery, Ay, Cramant, and Bouzy. In good 

 seasons this district does not produce less than 15,000,000 bottles of white wine. 

 The average produce is 7,000,000, of which 6,000,000 are sent to England, Russia, 

 and Germany. 



The methods employed in Lower Burgundy and Champagne are nearly the same. 

 It is not as respects the cultivation of the plant, but in the methods adopted in making 

 the wine, that the latter is remarkable. 



In the manufacture of Champagne black grapes of the first quality are usually 

 employed, especially those gathered upon the vine called by the French noirien, 

 cultivated on the best exposures. As it is important, however, to prevent the colour- 

 ing-matter of the skin from entering into the wine, the juice is squeezed as gently and 

 rapidly as possible. The liquor obtained by a second and a third pressing is reserved 

 for inferior wines, on account of the reddish tint which it acquires. The marc is then 

 mixed with the grapes of the red-wine vats. 



The above nearly colourless must is immediately poured into tuns or casks, till 

 about three-fourths of their capacity are filled, when fermentation soon begins. This 

 is allowed to continue for about 15 days, and then three-fourths of the casks are filled 

 up with wine from the rest. The casks are now closed by a bung secured with a piece 

 of hoop-iron nailed to two contiguous, staves. The casks should be made of new wood, 

 but not of oak ; though old white wine-casks are occasionally used. 



