The New era. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1865-1871, 1865-09-14

An Incident IN france.
In 1916. while in Paris, I occasionally
dined with an American gentleman u
} wealth. He gave the most sump!uo..s
dinners, and these were washea down
with costly wines and liquors OF every
description. Among the nghs wines
most relished, and especially 1eso4'-
mended by our American Consul W. W. 49, H.
Draper, who was generally one ~ .no
This was very superior kind OF claret.
$50 much was said in its favor that then
being awine-bibber, was anxious to take
to America with me a supply OF TINS
superior article, and our host kindly
gave me letter of introduction 20 the
Messrs. LATTE at Bordeaux, wMthef 1
was soon going.
Soon after arriving in that city l called
upon the Messrs. Lafitte, and was by
them introduced to their business mama
ger. Mr.. Good. He accompanied me
Through their extensive wine vaults, and
|descanted enthusiastically upon the pc
culiar qualities of their vineyards, the
superiority of their brands of wine, etc.
| / tasted several samples Of this wine,
and was quite favorably impressed. The
yintages of 1880 and 81 particularly
pleased me. Mr.. Good declared that
brand of wine was like oil, and Iagreed
with him. In fact fully resolved to
order at least a couple of pipes OF Latitte
wine for America, before quitting Bor-
deaux.
The next day met an English friend,
and invited him to spend the evening at
my hotel, and indulge in cigars and a
l g r oa4 In. Y,Y1nnf11o1
and the refreshments we're duly ordered.
| An old bottle of Lafitte wine was pro-
duced. It was covered with mold and
cobwebs, which, upon being carefully
removed by the waiter, discovered q
label nearly destroyed by mildew, but
which, with some difficulty, we de-
ciphered to read:
&c Vis du Lq)ene, 1884,"
Our mouths watered as we reflected
that here was bottle Of this genuine
and celebrated claret, fourteen years old.
The cork was drawn, and our claret
glasses, as thin almost 81 the sheet OF
paper upon which ] am writing, were
we each grasped the bowl Of the thin
glass in our hands and held It there
few minutes, in order that the warmth
of our hands should impart q similar
temperature to the wine, and thus bring
out the taste of the grape.
Then, according to custom, each Of us
very deliberately took large mouthful
OF the wine, and swallowed It very
slowly, In order that we might enjoy the
full flavor Of the grape nom which It
was made.
"Fruity," remarked my English
friend, with charming gusto, as the last
OF the mouthful slipped down his throat.
"Very," replied with great JUNCTION,
as the last of my mouthful went through
the same process.
Now this was all according to the es-
tablished practice of drinking good claret
wine. Try it in London, Paris, Vienna,
st. Petersburgh, anywhere, where good
wine is drunk, and where gentlemen
pride themselves upon being c0Nn0isseurs,
and it will always be found indispen-
sable in drinking claret wine to pour it
into very thin glasses, indispensable to
warm the glass Of wine in the hand, in
dispensable to taste the grape plainly,
indispensable for one gentleman to ex-
claim Fruity," and equally indis-
pensable for another gentleman to smack
his lips and respond /" Very"
We spent the evening joyously, in
oHlOhlHS our cigars, IcldVAuS dAcCuOtcS,
cracking jokes, and exhausting our de-
licious bottle of " fruity" Lafitte. The
latter article was found to be so rare and
delightful that we agreed to spend the
next evening in the same place, and in
the same pleasing occupation.
The following evening at eight O'Clock
found my English friend and myself
seated in my parlor, witnessing the
wiping of dust, cobwebs, and mold from
a bottle by the same waiter, and reveal
ing to our delighted eyes the pleasant
inscription:
" Vim tlu LATTE, 1884,"
The same drawing of the cork, the
same warming of the glass of wine in
the hand, the sameexclamation ''fruity,n
and the same response every" were
the proper preliminaries to another even
ing of anticipated enjoyment.
Each of us had drank our glass of this
modern nectar, and each had expatiated
in the warmest terms upon its delicious
flavor and peculiar merits. Our glasses
were again filled and emptied. We felt
grateful that we were thus especially
and supremacy blessed. 1 had fully re-
solved to order three pipes Of this wine
iy,cfnoI Of %,,,<