1855-56 WINE-JUDGING 9 



to his nose, draws it slowly into his mouth, rinces 

 and spurts it out into the pail ; then the three 

 interchange knowing remarks in a low tone, their 

 heads together, and bawl out a number, 3, 6, 

 10, as the case may be, indicative of their verdict 

 as to quality. The same entered by secretary of 

 jury and vouched by president. After each trial 

 the expert wipes his chalice and recommences. 

 After five or six trials water is served to each, 

 with which he rinces out his mouth and chalice, 

 then wipes his tongue with his napkin. The 

 trial recommences : Number and vintage of bottle 

 called ; clack goes the cork ; black Hebe bottles 

 up the sparkling ruby or gold-coloured wine in 

 the silver chalices ; sniffing, rincing, smacking of 

 lips, and all goes into the pail. Two of our 

 experts are ddcords> and their jovial fellow is 

 bearded like the pard. Strange and outlandish 

 are the shapes of the bottles, and quaint their 

 labels, from Hungary and Bohemia. As the 

 tasting progresses, the din of discussion waxes 

 louder and fiercer. Any peculiarly fine wines are 

 submitted in petits verres to the jury ; the pro- 

 gress is from the ordinary to the recherches ; most 

 delicate and aromes were some, and more espe- 

 cially the concluding sample entitled " Tokay- 

 Essence, du Cru de Monak, du Comte George 

 Andrassy." It was grievous to see the amber- 

 coloured, sparkling Tokays liberally added to 

 the now almost brimming pailful of the mix- 



