The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1873-01-25
Richmond Palladium
RICHMOND, JANUARY az ls7a


Wine Making In Caanrasue.
There has been great rejoicing |
in Rheisns THE week over the evac- |
uation OF that town by the German |
trcopss and the great Champagne
ho0ses have been foremost in IL !
lowing their wofkmeu to celebrate
the occasiou. The following 40
count Of visit 10 that Wine max
ing dlstrict 10 given BY q. cores
pondsnce Of the Daily Telegraph:
Deairous Of visiting the cele.
brated CFaysros de Rheims-those
ancient chalk-pits. the origin OF
which 10 unknown, although they
served - refugees for the Protes
tants, and also probably for the
ancient Christians-I, two days
ago visited the establishment OF
the celebrated Wine house-Pom-
merry Greno. The new building
not yet completed. outside the city
walls, from which fine view OF
Rheims and the surrounding coun-
try can be obtained, presented .
handsome caselated appearance.
Their cost together with the ex-
pense Of adapting the cray eres ~
cellars, amounted to about 1,500,-
600 francs. The celebrated JAG
quesson cellars ct Chalons cannot
compare In extent with those Of
the Widow Pommcry. which meas
ure 76,948 square yards. But to
reach them We must pass through
the oder of corbonic acid gas, and
q sound like distant rain-the fer
mcntation OF the Wine in the grest
hall. where are now slowed about
20u0 casks containing this years
vintage. These casks represent
about 100000 bottles, and they
make but small show In the vast
hall. Already this years vintage
is in the cask, the pr ocess Of press-
ing having been conducted in the
villages near the vineyards, the
Wine being put into casks. and
then brought to Rheims. The
Wine houses OF the city own large
vineyards, but are also forced to
purchase from the peasant owners,
In order to meet the increased de-
mand for Champagne. The grapes
are bought in the villages at 90
much per auque-a MEASURE con-
tanning 60 kilos. It takes from six
to seven caques to make q cask Of
Wine.
The descent Of q broad fight Of
40 steps leads the visitor to the
bowels Of the earth, and then q
strange sight presents itself. The
enormous crayeres, Of which there
are thirteen, ct least 100 feet 10
height, and the corridors, which
have been recently hewn in the
chalk cliffs, contain about one mil
lion and . half bottles Of Cham.
payne, in various stages Of prepa.
ration. The art Of making this
sparkling Wine at for the table i,
Z delicate process. Before being
exported fo- the English market
the Wine is kept in bottle from
three to four years; but for thu
German market only eighteen
months are requisite. Far 20 tn,
eye can reach, with the aid Of th,
hand lights, which visitors ar
forced 10 carry, are racks CON
tanning long ranges Of bottles o
Champagne. Each of these in
Vulnerable bottles IL visited daily
and turned round very slightly
The operator makes . white mari
on the sskick" of each bottle as
guide to show how much the posi
ton OF each has been changed
The bottles are thus turned quit
around and back again before the,
are required for expectation, whel
they are placed In racks neck
downward, in order to allow tn
sediment to settle on the corl
This process, simple as it ma
appear, requires to be performe
by the remueur-or suppose v
call him the shAker-with gres
care. When wine 10 required 70
expectation, the egorgeur, anothe
functionary, seixes the bottle. an
cases the cork-which flies with
report that makes these Champaign
catacombs echo again; and sma
quantity Of wine makes its exit. x
eether with the sediment. TIL
bottle is then handed to the doseu
sitting with tub Of cyrup befor
him, from which he takes sma
measure full, and pours it into th
Champagne bottle. The syrup
composed Of the finest Champaign
Brandy, the finest old Champaign
and the finest sugar candy. Th
"dose" for home consumption an
German expectation varies fro1
Is to II per cent; that for Englan
from 8 to 4 per cent, according
command and, therefore, wine Il
English export can be kept long
in bottles. My compAtriots will fe
glad that. Notwithstanding our re-
utation for love Of strong drink
the English palate will not acceI
vine go strongly "dosed" - tn
. prepared for the foreign market.
The "docer" having complete
his work, the bottle passes in
the hands of the 'scorker' who, |
tho aid of machine, closes it vii
q stup ndous cork Of the be
quality. The flceleur, or wire
then seizes the victim, already b