The Grape-Vine 



243 



Notwithstanding these measures adopted for its clarification, the wine contains a good 

 •deal of matter in suspension which must be got rid of. The clarifiers employed for this purpose 

 are isinglass, white of egg, and salt ; blood arid milk are also sometimes used. The action of 

 these clarifiers is purely mechanical : they form a kind of network with narrow meshes at the 

 .surface or in the body of the liquor, which slowly sinks to the bottom and carries all 

 impurities with it. 



It is then necessary to arrest the fermentatiorr completely. This is accomplished either 

 by the fumes of burning sulphur or, in large establishments, by heating the wine in special 

 vessels to a temperature of 50° to 65° C. All fermentation ceases when the temperature rises 

 above 40°. 



Champagne is a wine of so universal a reputation that in any account of viticulture and 

 the wine industry it demands special treatment. 



The wine grown in Champagne was early appreciated by connoisseurs, but its modern reputa- 

 tion dates back for three centuries when Dom Perignon, governor of the abbey of Hautevillers, 

 invented the effervescent liquor, which plays so important a part in our festivities. 



The manufacture of champagne affords employment to many thousands of people, and 

 the fact that one single house employs more than 3,000 hands concerned in the actual making 

 ■of the wine will afford some idea of the extent of this branch of the wine industry. 



Champagne is manufactured by special methods which demand great care and skill on the 

 part of the operator. The plants themselves which are to yield the grapes destined for this 

 famous wine are chosen from among the very best, and the fruit is most carefully selected. 

 Just as in the case of ordinary white wines, the vintage is taken at once to the press and the 

 juice resulting from the first pressure is reserved for the preparation of the superior qualities 

 •of champagne. The lees are then cut up and again subjected to pressure, a process which is 

 repeated two or three times, the juice affording the cheaper varieties of the wine. 



The fermentation processes are carried out in large vessels containing about 200 litres of 

 •clarified must apiece, the most favourable temperature for the operation being between 16° C. 

 and 18° C. When the fermentation is considered to have gone far enough, the must is drawn 

 •off into barrels which have been very carefully cleaned, and later the contents of these barrels 

 are transferred to a gigantic cask where the must is thoroughly mixed by means of a mechanical 

 stirrer. At this stage, should the wine be found to be deficient in alcohol, a quantity of the 

 pure spirit is added and the wine again transferred to casks, where it is clarified by means of 

 the usual agents. When the clarification has reached a certain stage, sugar is added in pre- 

 viously calculated quantities according to the variety of wine desired. The wine is then 

 bottled, corked and wired, and for the next two, three or four years allowed to mature, the 

 bottles being stacked five or six bottles deep. At the end of this period the bottles are 

 taken out and placed on 

 •slanting racks with the necks 

 pointing downwards. In the 

 course of time a sediment 

 collects in the bottom of the 

 bottles, and when later the 

 corks are allowed to "fly 

 •off," all the impurities are 

 expelled from the bottle by 

 the force of the gas gene- 

 rated. This operation is 

 by no means without its 

 dangers, for it frequently 

 happens that the bottles 

 burst, and it behoves the 



SPRAYING VINES WITH A FUNGICIDE 



