THE BURGUNDY WINE DISTRICT. 47 



or 495,000 gallons of wine. The fermentation here lasts the same 

 length of time as in other vineyards, namely, four or five days 

 in warm weather, and six, or even twelve, in cold. When the 

 weather is cold, tlic men arc sent into the wine as often as three 

 times in the day. As it is a most delicate operation to have the 

 exact quantity of heat, the overseer informed me that he some- 

 times tested the wine three and four times in the day, either with 

 a wine alcometer and thermometer, or with the palate. "When 

 the test is made with the alcometer, he takes portions from the 

 different parts of the barrel — the top, centre, and bottom — and 

 mixes them well together before testing. 



"We were also taken into the cellars, which are lined with hogs- 

 heads of 2400 gallons each. They are three and four hundred 

 years old. They were also built by the priests, and are now kept 

 in splendid order. The vineyards are planted with the Pineau 

 and the Noirier half and half. The wine sells out of the ferment- 

 ing-tub for 600 francs per barrel. 



Burgundy wine was in ancient times considered the noblest 

 and most generous of wines, except the Tokay ; the wines from 

 this district were often presented by the Princes of Burgundy to 

 kings, princes, and chief nobles of foreign countries, as a great 

 favor. No banquet was given without the genuine Burgundy; 

 and even in the present age this fine wine holds its own with 

 connoisseurs, and all lovers of a good glass. Industry and science 

 have in modern times elevated the Bordeaux, and have made it 

 a wine more generally used, on account of its mildness, as a table 

 wine ; but, nevertheless, the Burgundy is sought for by all nations, 

 and the extensive district planted with its vines can not supply 

 the wants of the trade. 



That portion of the district which produces the finest wines is 

 called the Cote d'Or, " Golden Hills." This is a range of hills 

 from Chalons sur Saone to Dijon, running from north-northeast 

 to south-southwest, about eighty miles in length. The height of 

 these hills is from two hundred to three hundred feet ; the soil is 

 red and gravelly, containing a good deal of limestone, similar to 

 our Sonoma soil, which also exists in almost every county in Cali- 

 fornia by millions of acres. These hills, with the exception of 

 small spots where the red rock comes to the surface, are planted 

 with vines, the vineyards reaching almost to the top of the hills. 

 The reason why they do not extend to the very crest is that no 

 soil exists on the rocks toward the very top. The first quality 



