Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1857-1858, 1857-07-11
From the ScaIpel for July.
ChannnaRne.

TIE BEST BRANDS MADE IN NE" Iokk-ITs REAL
CHARACTER.
Since the 6rst man was attracted hy and nartook
of the hubbling spring, there has always existed in
the mind mystery associated with eyervescing
beverages, which has lent them species of fasci-
nation. Who has not watched and wondered ss
be gszed into his glass of water at Saratoga or his
sparkling Champagne, to see the multitude of buh
bles ated, as it ia the midst of the liquid,
spreading throughout and pursuing and overtaking
their fellows, they rise in the midst of the tiny
waves, and explode and throw particles of the
liquid foam into the air! A similar and apparent
vitality which, when closely watched is continually
varying is said to lend that fascination to the clouds
Of the pipe, which induces the votary to dream
away his hours of devotion to his meerschaum or
chlbouque. a smoker told Us, that when in
the dark he enjoyed pleasure ia smoking, but
when IL ht was present, bis smOke-cloues formed
for him an ever varying panorama, which assimi-
lated with the vague aud but haf-dt fined emotions
Of his mind ard under their confined aud mystic
rious i huence he was almost spell-bound
There is an Infinite variety of sparkling wines,
and we have tasted more than one hundred differ
ent kinds during the last twenty years. they all
included under the general name of Champagne
Of which finds its way to this country,
nearly all being used by the courts of Europe in
deed the whole product does not equal the con-
sue ption OF the lords OF the soil, and Of the royal
table.
The district where it Is produced is quite small;
and, strange enough, tie grape grown in the i'm
mediate vicinity has difference in favor quite per-
ceptble TO the cOnoisseurs in wine. But there
are numerous places in France and Germany where
sparkling wines of an excellent quality are pro-
duced The labor and loss in III manufacture Of
these wines is very great, and the capital invested
IN some OF the large establishments is enormous.
The wine at certain stage is put into bottles
and fermentation proceeds, accOmp MED by the
evolution Of carbonic acid gas, and the deposit of
tartar and other substances in the bottles which
are first placed at a slight inclination with the cork
downward; at intervals, the bottle is brought
nearer the perpendicular; and the deposit at last
settles in the cork, which is tied down with strong
twine. skilltul man dexterously removes
the cork and the sediment is ejected; the cork is
Instantly replaced so that but little wine Is lost
this is repeated several times, and the wine is
coEked by machine for the last time, and wired
and tied in such manner to bring the cork into
the round shaped head which we all see in Cham
pagneS6ell bottled.
The artificial aeraton of wines has for some years
past, occupied the attention of producers and deal
in wine. The great lab Dor and loss attending
the production of its sparkling qualities by fermen-
tation, and the great advance in the cost of wine
during the past few Yeas, have already made the
success of the project matter of 10 small conse-
quence, andits successful accomplishment caused
much comment aud surprise at the enormous cou.
sumption Of "the best brands" amongst our fash
iona' les.
The attempt made some years since by a man
ufacturer 10 Europe to increase the exhilarating
qualities of his wine by mpregnating it with nitrous
oxide, or laughing gas was more creditable to his
ingenuity than his conscience. It was frustrated
by distinguished chemist, who detected the i'm
posture by analysis, after observing the wonder
fully exharating properties of the beverage. The
wine, which acquired much reputation from the
fact Of lis immediate effect, soon lost its prestige
tue conservative wine kTInkeFs in Europe were
not disposed to encourage any effect not legitima-
teiy produced, and the ladies discovered that un-
comfortable laughter was of all other expressions,
the most trying to the expressive motion of the
lips.
At the present time in this city, there are thir.
teen establishments which manufacture Champagne
or in other words convert still wines into spank
ling ones; for process has yet been discovered
for producing artificial wine which possesses
the flavor and other qualities of the product of the
grape. These manufacturers use for their purpose,
a H. hit French, and sometimes if sparkling Hook is
to be produced, German wine. The wine, after
being prepared by precipitating all substance
which would, when charged with carbOAc acid
be deposited in the bottle, is subjected to a high
pressrGe OF carbonic acid by machinery, such as is
used Tor the manufacture of soda water and after
being well a2itated in contact with the gas is
bottled under pressure with very ingenious ma
chine. We examined this apparatus L the manu-
factory of Mr. John Matthews, for soda water and
its apparatus, in this city, who bar made no less
than thirty Of them for various parts of the Union
enough TO make all the Champagne REQUIRED for
the consumption Of the United States
The quslty OF the article OF course depends upon
the quality OF the wine used. Great care is taken
to prevent contact with any soluble metallic sub
stance in the apparatus used for pr, piring it; no
min eral substances used ind ed, the wine is
perfectly pure, and when properly manufactured
Is not Inferior in flavor or properties to the impOr
ted article, and is sold at one half the price
Many Of the manufacturers sell il as imported and
initiate the imported LABEL but rot more than one
or two of them sell it with tEier own labels for
what it really is. We often detect it upon tables
OF our friends, who pay for it as imported It's
who'll s. lie price is from six 10 eight dollars dozen,
according to the quality of getting up.
AT festival given in this city 10 "a distiu gushed
statesman, the wine fu nished was all made in this
city aud was pronounced of excellent quality, by
numbsrs who imagined thSy were drinking gen
uine "Heidsiek"
Within the past year, vast improvements have
taken place in the manufacture of the article and
although we have OH ,ction TO its USE for il is
one of the least injurious OF Wines aud has vslua-
bic qualities as a restorative, we see 10 necessity
for the price which is paid for the article by the g
nOrant customers, merely because they think it is
imported.
The idea common amongst would-be connois.
seurs, who have heard that Champ 'gne nu-
featured in this city, that G is made OF Jersey ci
der, is absurd. We cannot imagine how any pei
been able to detect small d quanity OF cider as
a single ounce mingled with bottle OF good spu-
rious Champagne, for the purpose of experiment
1t has been found that the manufactured -park-
ling wine improves by time, and that the bubbles
become larger and the favor OF the wine more mel
low in six months, which would appear to show
that it is subject to the same laws al govern the
wine which is carbonlz by its own fermen tstIou.
The enormous price paid annually for the small
quantities OF real imported sparkling wines, With
which our native ChaDpagnes are unable TO com
pete, the difficulties and loss in the old process
of manufacture is the same this on the other
side of the water, makes any improvement desira-
BILE which tends TO lessen the cost Of so popular
beverage.
Meanwhile we confess little qualification at the
consciousness of depriving the parpe'pse of por-
ton of that characteristic pleasure derived from
the impression that he is enjoying a luxury unat-
taina0lr by any VITO do not possess his wealth. and
that his prestige will part at the bare suspicion of
using athghuul product of sci5n nee, because t il
made at home and may be had at half price
We woLll also have the Newport and SARATOGA
hGJitueS classify their wine bills with those other
swindhhg operations 10 which they as palpably be-
oug.
1t ia proper TO mention for the benefit OF the
young commercial gentlemen who prefer taking
their champagne in those magnificent palaces do
voted TO the gOddessss who reign in the classic
groves OF Mercer street, that there is a delightful
article manufactured expressly for their use by
gentleman whose medco-scienthc requirements are
as ample his conscience is elastic ne adds 10 bis
wine an Ingredient that gives is a very desirable
property for some people; II it should chance 70
deprive the consumer Of the use OF the intellectual
portion OF his brain and intensity the motive pow
er OF the animal region, it is no more thtn bis own
acumen would perfectly justify how far as
surgeon should Withhold caution, NAV fairly Ton
the same principle( admit a doubt as a human La
tsasl IN