The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-06-12
ABOUT WINE.

| ABOUT WINE.
It is q well-known and Q much to be de-
plored fact, that the American people drinh
too much spirits and not enough wine. The
absurdly high duties imposed upon the
heslthful prepared juice of the French and
German grapes has heretofore had much to
do with the abnormal and death.dealing con.
sumption of " fre-water," which gives such
an impetus to whisky rings under "the best
government the world ever saw"
| It is q notable fact, that the natives of the
wine-producing regions Of Europe, who can
afford from its cheapness to drink reasonable
quantities thereof at their meals, are, gene
rally speaking, sober, healthy and long
lived race. For daily consumption no bever-
age is more beneficial than wine, which, when
pure, is not only grateful to the appetite and
exhilarating to the feelings, but which
assists the digestion, and, if moderately
used, is largely conducive to the general
health. Physicians are agreed that owing to
the salts contained in genuine Bordeaux, no
wine excels it as dietetic agent. 1t increases
the appetite, gives stamina to the young,
strength to the convalescent, and renewed
vigor to the old. The finer varieties of Bor-
deaux wine are rich in color, and possess q
certain fullness of body, combined with deli
cate softness and singularly refined flavor.
They are besides, far less spirituous or acid
than the inferior growths, and give out when
opened the fragrant bouquet of violets; this
is owing to an extremely volatile oil contained
in the skins of the grapes. and requiring
time for its development. The same thing
may also be said Of the higher class growths
Of the Rheinish vintages, popularity known
out of Germany as hook.
As sparkling wines, popularly known here
as Champagne (although most of what is sold
under that name is prepared Jersey cider),
we would remind the would-be connoisseurs
who Judge Of such wines by the labels on the
bottle or the brands on the corks, rather than
by the actual favor of the wine itself, that
genuine Champagne is seldom, il ever, the
produce of single vineyard; but is the re-
suit of the ningling of grapes collected from all
parts Of the adjoining country, often hun
dred miles from the original and amegiving
vineyard on the banks of the Marine. The
large Champagne manufacturers like the
Jacquessons, the Bouzys, the Meets, the
Ohaudons, the Olicquots and q score of others
have their watts holding many thousand gallons
each, in which they mix the raw wine and
make what they call their cuuee.
When the stocks run low, they even buy
the raw wine from each other, SO that in real |
ity such difference as exists between the vari- |
ous brands arises far more from the character |
Of the liquor added to the wine than to any
variation in the wine itself. Owing to this |
some of the finest Champagne |
70 be had in Epernay or Reims is produced
BY firms whose limited means do not allow |
Them to scour the whole province for grapes, |
OF to obtain Yin braa from great distance.
We might write book on this particular
subject, but content ourselves with remark
ing that when Champagne is over sweet or
spirituous-meaning always, Of course. genu-
inc Champagne, and not prepared cider-the
,hances are that its original foundation is bad,
whereas the drier the wine is the more natural
{ is certain to be, and the more wholesome
o drink, its quality being indicated not only
~ its good favor. but by the length of time
t keeps up its effsrvescence, common wine
rothing very much when arst uncorked and
speedily fat afterwards.
Sparkling wines are now manufactured in
Ohio, Missouri and other regions
4 the United States, but although pleasant
nd wholesome when pure. they cannot yet
ompete m popularity and real value with the
.r-famed products Of Champagne. or even
heir counterfeits from the vineyards of Bur
indy and the banks of the Rhine and the
[oselle.