, 1875-10-17
CHOICE FRENCH WINES,

Great preparations (says tha Paris correspond
ent Of the Now York 1Inaes) are taken with three
or four viutages in France, and the uendcnqcurs
ate not recruited from the ordinary run Of such
laborers- Thoy are all picked men, very well
paid, and are made to understand THAI they
occupy positions Of trust. Take Clos-Yougeot
for example. the first quality Of wine produced
in the world aud haid ut price which places it
beyond the reach OF all but q few crowned heads
aud nrchi- ml1lonaires. The vintage Of the Clos
Vougeot il al solemn az religious ceremony. and
the men are made TO understand that every clus-
ter of grapes il worth about its weight in gold.
Yet even the confidential agents employed to
gather the grapes have to do SO Under the eyes
OF inspectors, and strict guard is kept over the
baskets. Every year company OF soldiers aE-
rive from Dion, md are posted as sentine's
about the vineyard md about tho buildings in
which the grapes are stored A powder maga-
zine or lot Of cavalry forage could not be more
carefully guardea. The soldiers have orders to
arrest any msn taking single grape. This
guard is keIt up until the wine is put in bottles
As CIos-Vougoot is sold all over the world, and
at prices far below those paid for it ON the spot
one naturally presumes TINT it s not all genuine
I should be extremely suspicious Of almost any
Glossy Fougeot offered Tor sale At reasonable
prices and perhaps those who do not know tia
take some other brand. But there is an
excellent vine grown in the immediate
vicinity which may bear the name out
of France, and which ia really superior wine.
There ia Chateau-L1ftte. also, Of which enor-
nous quantities arc sold. That vine, on tie
spot ct Wholesale, ,s Worth from $3.50 to 81 per
bottle, but ret genuine wines OF this vintage
eau be purchased for less. The secret is in tho
different DRESSINGS. The first quality is Inado
after very light pressing Of the granea. The
second quslity ia made from the juice that
comes from harder pressing, and which con-
tslns some OF the pulp Of the grnpe, and slight
favor Of the sEin. a harder pressing crustes
some of tbs seeds we'll as tho akina, and this
forms genuine Chateau-Latitte, but Of the
third quality. The greater portion Of the wine
sold uode this na1no, however, comes from the |
surrounding vineyards, MI OF which produce an ]
excellent quality of wine.
It is needless to say tbht the wine crop ia the |
most important OF al in France, its value largely
exceeding that OF all kinds of grain. In ordi- |
Two miltards Of francs. For twenty years lts ex-
hundred and fifty millions Of francs and in 1873
France sold three hundred millions worth Of her
vines. In addition to this there is G1ty millions
worth OF brandy. The viotage contributes three
hundred and fifty odd millions to the budget OF
he States, besides paying large su1na in octroi
axes TO tile towns in which it il consumed.
from these estimates one can readily compre- [
,end the general interest taken in the annual
'intase for superior vine crop means national
prosperity. When the vintage is poor the whole
country is pinched: when it Ia good the entire |
'ation fea!A at ease. Fortunately for rs the
xeseat HtDa crop promises well, and It IL s1p-
osed thAt a67a vii soant among tas netabae
s2zA