469 
Chateau Lafitte, Clos Vougeot, Burgundy, Medoc, Hermitage, 
Champagne. 
Port has become a well known trade name, the use of which 
elsewhere than at Oporto is debatable. Provided the wine is made 
of suitable grapes in the recognised way and is of the type of the 
sweet fortified red wine exported from the banks of the Douro, it 
has been suggested that the name of the region where such wine is 
made should be prefixed with the regional name, in fairness to the 
consumer and to the country which gives the name to the wine of 
Oporto. 
Sherry is a corruption of the older spelling Xerez, i.e., Jerez 
de la Frontera, the initial X being pronounced almost like “ch” in 
Southern Spain. 
“Claret” was originally applied to the red, dry, light wines of 
the Medoc, a term not now used in the modern French language. 
The old French “clairet” is from the low Latin claretum, and signi- 
fied a wine “cleared” with white of egg, etc. Old French remained 
the language of the English court and law courts till the reign of 
Edward III., and the word “claret” has been retained in England 
long after its disuse by Frenchmen. 
Brandy is the distillate of wine, properly aged by storage in 
wood. It is a term unknown in France, where this spirit is called 
“eau-de-vie.” Brandy, formerly called “brand-wine” and brandy 
wine, is from the Dutch brandewijn, literally burnt or distilled wine. 
How ro Taste WINE. 
Before venturing to give an opinion, the experienced taster 
looks at and thoroughly examines the wine, making note of its con- 
dition or degree of brightness. If bright and brilliant the wine has 
been well clarified and rid of the germs which might impair its 
quality. If cloudy and dull it is a sign that it has not been com- 
pletely purged of its impurities, and unless carefully handled might 
generate symptoms of diseases. 
He then considers the colour, the foam; if sparkling wine, the 
degree of effervescence. The colour should be a natural one, and 
not one of those composite shades made up of the blending of two 
or more natural colours. If red the colour should be ruby or 
garnet; yellowish red, rusty or opalescent wines designate a de- 
crepit wine, or one in a more or less advanced stage of disease. 
Having satisfied the eye he proceeds to investigate the nature 
and degree of the aroma and bouquet. This he gets by gently 
agitating the half-filled glass, or twirling it and smelling the wine 
carefully, sometimes by placing the hands round the glass so as to 
warm it gently; the more delicate and volatile odours of the wine 
are given off and detected, 
