Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-09-12
Hints for Wine Drinkers.

The London Saturday Review recently con-
tanned an article upon artificial wine manufac-
ture, which is almost enough to make the most
ardent lover OF wine determined to forego the
pleasure of ever tasting another drop of it. Not
that 1t advances anything against the iudcious
use of this beverage, coeval almost with the
existence of man, but that it proves to us the
almost impossible task of being able to obtain a
genuine glass of wine--i. e., the honest product
of the grape. DR.. Thudicum and DR.. Dupre,
who have just produced two elaborate works
upon the chemical analysis of French wines
being an addition to some six hundred works
already existing upon the subject of @nology-
give some details that are really startling in
their application. The leading feature in their
works, and indeed in that of any others on the
production OF wines, is the universal conspiracy
against the pure, natural juice of the grape into
which the wine growers and manufacturers
seem to have entered. Port and sherry, for
instance are universally known to be more or
less artificial connections, and there are large
quantities of liquor sold under these names
which have not one single drop of the
genuine wine in their composition. The chief
business of the Rouissillon VINEYARDS is to
supply wine which is exported into Portugal
for the purpose of being doctored; but not UNI
frequently the trip to Portugal is dispensed
with altogether Then there are French wines
which are similarly used to great extent in the
manufacture of sherry. AS to champagne, such
thing may here and there be met but the ordi.
nary champagne of commerce is notoriouslv an
artificial production. In the champagne region
for instance, the manufacture has increased from
100000 of bottles in 1894 to 10000, 900 today
Although real champagne is grown only in the
prefectures of Rheims and Epernay--a very lin.
tied area--and although it is known that the late
war has seriously interfered with the cultiya-
ton OF the vineyards, there does not aDpear tn
be any falling off in the yield Of this wine. Bur.
gundy and Bordeaux have, in like manner been
transferred into nothing but artificial limitations
The doctorlng OF common wines is openly prac-
ticed on the quays OF Bordeaux sugar and
brandy being the chief ingredients of Burgundy
DIR. Thudicum and DR.. Dupre say they have seen
as much as twenty pounds of sugar to the "piece"
added to Bordeaux, and they attribute to
this much Of the injurious effects of this
manufactured wine to those who drink IT, A
remarkable instance Of the growth of adultera
ton is seen in the almost total supplanting of
Muscat wines by the use Of tincture of elder
flower, which resembles the muscated closely in
flavor Many q connolsseur who smacks his
lips over the rich musk favor of his glass of
sparkling Mosells, Is only paying homage to the
elder flower; for nowhere on the Moselle, nor in
that region, Is any muscated grape grown fit for
wine making. Fortunately for those thus
cheated, the elder flower juice is not known TO
be prejudicial TO health, as there are many
other substitutes used in the adulteraton of
wines and liquors. One of the most surprisino
passages In DR.. Thudcum's and DR.. Dupre;s
treatise is that in which they give an account of
what is called sugar infusion wines" By the
showing, the manufacture of wine is now con-
Quoted en- such highly scientific principles thai
grapes are being gradually dispensed with
altogether. According to Petrot's progress.
sixty hectolitres OF juice can be converted
into 1856 hectoltres of so.caed wine by sym.
ply adding sufficient quantity Of water and