The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1866-07-10
TFrom the Chambers Journal
WIKE kc IT Is.

thing we know to the contrary, maIlerS may
have been just as bad in the days OF the
Leculluses-nay, even the gods themselves
NAV have been cheated in their Nectar. But
we do know that whilst the British public
are every day becoming more of a wine
drinking people-and probably just because
they are becoming so-the adulteratlon OF
wine is every day practiced to greater per
lection. Genuine wine can no doubt be OBJ
tanned, and, as it happens, too, wine OF the
most wholesome sort, and at comparatively
low prices. But it also happens that this
class of wine has not yet come into general
favor in England. That the liigher-priced
wines most in demand must be taken largely
on trust as TO genuineness we think we can
have very little difficulty in showing.
Sherry is probably the wine most in de-
mand in this country but any dealer who
knows his trade, and who is reasonably dis
posed to be honest, must frankly allow that
we are far more indebted to Africa than to
Spain for the wine that passes under the
name of sherry, According to tolerably
trustworthy authority, it is in proof that
fully three-fourths of the article sold in this
country sherry is really nothing more than
common Cape wine, cleverly concocted to
suit all tastes. The cost of Cape wine is low
enough, as any one may easily ascertain; but
cheap as Cape wine is, we have heard of
even n cheaper basis for the manufacture of
good saleable sherry. Cider which sells
sometimes at as low price as siX-pence per
gallon, when the orchard-produce has been
found to answer admirably, in skillful hands,
rs liquid out of which sherry may be made. +
TO deprive the Cape wines and the cider of
acdity, gray salt, potash and lime are used;
and to clarity them, white of eggs, isinglass,
or bullock's blood fresh from the slaughter
house indeed, for the very common sorts
of wine, horses blood is more frequently
used. Body is given to the article by the
of
colorlcSs and strong spirit of wine. For the
basis OF Port wine, the common red wine OF
Spain is extensively used; though latterly,
since French wines have been admitted ut
low duty, the commoner sorts of claret have
been brought into use in the manufacturing
process. clcarness and body being attained
bv the same methods applied to the
pcrftcting OF sherry. Apparently, port wine
is an article of consumption that must be
loctored to suit the English palate, for even
the very best, as imported direct from Por-
tugal, has to be largely adulterated with
brandy. to make it saleable in our markets.
But it is in the fiavoring and co!oring of
the different sorts of port and sherry that the
greatest skill and taste are shown. Here
however chemistry steps in to aid the wine
merchant, and only relieves of the trouble of
research but takes all the drudGcry of prepa-
ration off his hands. The initiated in Lon
don are aware of the visits of an individual
at certain establishments. whose sole stock
in trade sonsists of sundry not very large
bottles, containing liquids of many colors.-
Morning or early forenoon is his time for do
ing business and the transactions are gener-
ally for ready money. with few questions
asked or answered. This is the dealer in
essences, and the essences play an all impor-
tant part in wine making. Essence of soe-
juice gives a dryneSs and color combined
Essence of black currants produces both
body and richness Of ilavor-much esteemed
il good port Withstand expressed Juice of
Orleans plums is found to answer the same
purpose. \ solution Of tannin in spirits
gives the requisite astringency and the true
sherry flavor to interior Cape wines-such
rs Captain Negg proposed to introduce into
common use as ga good dinner sherry at
twelve shillings a dozen, bottles included"
For the costlier brown sherries, a very SUI
perOr wine called Color, worth perhaps
about hundred pounds per butt, is spar
ingly used for the purpose Of giving color;
and In the cOmmOner sorts, caramel, or burnt
sugar, effects the same object. Palm oil dis
solved in spirits gives rich golden color in
sherry; and almond paste produces a fine
nutty flavor, which flavor can also be OBJ
tanned by the use of nitro-benole-the latter
article being largely used in t1avoring cheap
sherries. We will not pretend to say that
we can name all the ingredients used in the
doctOring" of our drinks, for there may be
mysteries within mysteries but we know
that in addition to the articles Just mention
ed, salt, common sugar. capsicums, grains of
Paradise, sulphric acid, cream of tartar. and
giycerine play their parts in adding flavor,
producing Oiliness, crustiness and beads i'll
the liquids we are asked to consume as port
and sherry
There could be no greater mistake than to
suppose that adulteration is confined to wines
most commonly consumed in England. We
are not sure indeed but that the adulteration
Of champagne is carried to even a greater
extent than the adulteration of port and
sherry. 1t is only short time since that a
suit in the Court of Queens Bench, arising
out of dispute in connection with some
tiocket-warrants, disclosed the fact, that
champagne that will fetch guinea bottle
on the race-course, need not cost the retailer
more than thirteen shillings a dozen. We
are not In any great degree a champagne
drinking people, yet learned counsel, on
the trial just alluded to, maintained that there
is more Of this particular wine consumed in
England in one day, than is produced in all
France in the course of twenty years. This
is only another method of telling us that we
don't get the real article, but OF course we
all know that; yet it is made point of
honor in some countries to stand up for the
genuineness ofthe champagne they consume.
In the Pail Mall clubs, it would be rank
| age. Russians will swear that out of the
capital of the cars on the Neva, you have
but very little chance of ever tasting the
genuine product of the champagne vineyards.
In California, they are quite convinced
that they have the very best ofthe undoubted
Moet and Chandon; while the New Workers
would think man mad who could dream of
questioning the fact that the only real Veuve
Clicquot is to be had at Delmonico's All
cannot be right in asserting that they alone
have a monopoly of the drink much in re-
pute, though we think there can be no doubt
that the Russian has the best chance of tast
ing the genuine article. 1t is stated ON good
authority that, with the exception of what
is retained by the French court for its own
use, and for sending as presents to crowned
heads, there is a standing agreement, that all
that is left of the celebrated Clicquot vintage
shall be sent to the Russian government
How the rest of the world is supplied with
its champagne, only small portion of the
world really knows. Germany supplies
~ hat; =, Il