THE BORDEAUX WINE DISTRICT. 103 



rows of barrels five to six tiers high. Rows, not against the walls, 

 arc composed of two barrels touching each other at one end, and 

 having the other on a little alley which separates them from the 

 next row. Mr. do Luze made us taste all the principal wines of 

 the establishment. I need hardly say that they were delicious. 

 Never had I before tasted such Bordeaux or Sauterne, though of 

 each I had previously known excellent brands. 



From this scries of vaults wc were taken through a series of 

 smaller ones. They were narrow and long, being the place where 

 the wine in bottles is kept. On each side the bottles are piled 

 up to the roof, and each side is composed of one row four bottles 

 deep. These vaults c'ach contain several hundred thousand bot- 

 tles, which have been here for many j^ears awaiting their term 

 of maturity. The contents of the cellars in bottles and barrels 

 at the present time can not fall short of half a million of gallons. 

 It took us two full hours to visit this grand establishment. 



The custom of this house is only to buy in good years, and then 

 largely. Last year being a bad one, no wine was bought except 

 for the consumption of the laborers of the establishment. 



The price of the wine depends upon the age and upon the 

 year, coming from the same growth. The price of a barrel of 

 sixty gallons is from 300 to 2000 francs, and sometimes even 

 more. The bottled wines cost from three francs to eight francs 

 apiece ; but, of course, they are only sold at wholesale. 



I am particular in describing this establishment, that my read- 

 ers, who have flattered themselves that they have bought good 

 Bordeaux in San Francisco at $40 and $50 a barrel, or at $4 to $5 

 a case, have been most egregiously deceived. Their Bordeaux 

 was nothing more nor less than a miserable imitation. No good 

 wine can be sold even here at any such price. "Where, then, is 

 the cost of transportation, insurance, interest, and duty, to say 

 nothing of profits ? 



I may here mention the curious fact that this family has car- 

 ried on the wine trade during four generations. This is very sin- 

 gular to us Americans, who change business so often in life, and. 

 sometimes in a year, 



"When we had seen every thing, and tasted all the noble wines, 

 we took our leave, not, however, before receiving and accepting 

 an invitation to dinner the next day, and a drive in the environs. 

 After leaving Alfred de Luze's establishment, we visited several 

 other manufactories of little importance ; among these was one 



