61 



loath to disappoint us, seemed for the time being to have forgotten the exact 

 spot where the cellars happened to be. Twenty to thirty minutes were thus 

 wasted in fruitless search, when, to our inexpressible joy, the irate magnate 

 appeared on the scene. He immediately proceeded to explain to Mr. Barton 

 in most voluble French which language, unbeknown to him, I happened 

 to understand what he thought of Englishmen, Australians, and Americans, 

 who flocked down from all the corners of the earth with the sole object 

 apparently of picking his brains. Mr. Barton, with the tact of a diplomatist, 

 proceeded to stroke his ruffled feathers, and explained that not only did I 

 not own a single vine, let alone a wine cellar, but that I was merely attracted 

 here by idle curiosity, backed up by admiration for the magnificent wines 

 made under his immediate supervision. Eventually diplomacy carried the 

 day, and we were finally allowed to look into the cellars, where preparations 

 were being made for the vintage. In the circumstances, I felt compelled 

 to sink my identity and confine my admiration to the immaculate cleanliness 

 of the premises. 



The Chateau Margaux vineyard is 200 acres in area, and kept in perfect 

 order ; not a weed to be seen, not a shoot out of place. Here, in accordance 

 with the usual practice of the district, the vineyard is ploughed up four 

 times in the course of a year. 



Mr. Barton informed me that all the Chateau Margaux wine had been sold 

 in advance for a period of five years at the rate of 16 the Bordeaux hogs- 

 head (about 50galls.) that is to say at the rate of 6s. 3d. a gallon. This 

 apparently is by no means an exceptional price for the wine of these cellars, 

 as much as 40 a hogshead, or about 16s. a gallon, having at times been 

 paid for it. 



At Chateau Laffitte, which is owned by the Paris Rothschilds, our recep- 

 tion was very different. The manager showed us very courteously over the 

 cellars, and willingly supplied all information in his power. Vintage opera- 

 tions had not yet been put in hand. I was shown the large, shallow cement 

 tanks in which, in accordance with local usage, the fruit is still trod out under 

 foot, and from which husks and juice are transferred to large, open wood 

 fermenting vats, of a capacity between 6,000galls. and 7,000galls. General 

 fermentation very rarely outlasts a week, and the new wine is rapidly trans- 

 ferred to new hogsheads of the best Austrian oak. The area of the Chateau 

 Laffitte vineyard is the same as that of Chateau Margaux, viz., 200 acres. 



Later on we visited Chateau Barton-L6oville, the patrimony of our host. 

 Here we were shown the ancient fiddle, to the melodious strains of which, 

 in accordance with time-honored custom, the harvested fruit is rhythmically 

 trod under foot. The buildings are spacious and well kept, as indeed appears 

 to be the case throughout the district. I had occasion to regret that my 

 visit should have fallen upon a more or less idle day. Vintage was only just 

 about to begin. We were introduced to the vast kitchen, in which was in 



