The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1876-08-04
CENTENNIAL CORRESPONDENCE.

CENTENNIAL CORRESPONDENCE.
The Heated Term wines The Foreign
Ex,ibit-Champagne Ma king Epernay,
the Champagne District-Messrs.o E.
rf Mercier a. Co. t.i int I'D So t.lUgur
The heated term here has boon excessive,
botlI in degree and length OF time. There has
been nothing like it here in seventeen years.
the shade on two successive days, aud often up
to 1909, and it has had a marked effect in de-
creasing the attendance at the Exposition.
For few days past the weather has been much
cooler, and the number of visitors is greatly
increased. There is no great body of water
near II, as in New York or Chicago, TO create a
sea breeze to temper the heat. H itih'D
WINES.
There is ubiquitous display of wines from
all countries in Agricultural hall the exhibits
from some countries being very large and choice.
The native wines OF the Middle States espe-
cially those which have obtained wide reputa-
ton, are here displayed under enticing names,
and the Southwestern and Western States are
still more literally represented But California
takes the lead of all the States in the quantity,
variety and quality of her wines. Here are
several large trims represented, whose vintage
amounts to 100, 600 or 200, 900 gallons year,
and yet this branch of industry has but just
begun to be developed there The State is
capable OF producing wine enough to supply
the whole United States, and when the winners
there have had larger experience and people
learn to be satisfied with undoctored and una
dulterated wines, and to value them because
they are good, rather than because they are
imported, we shall have large consumption of
California wines. Last year. California pro-
duced ten million bushels Of grapes and ten
million gallons OF wine, more than two.thirds
OF the whole wine product Of the United
States.
THE FOREIGN WINE EXHIBIT
is quite remarkable, the older wine-making
countries vieing with each other in the extent
richness and attractiveness of their display
Spain and Portugal, famous in olden times for
the excellence OF their wines maintain their
ancient reputation, and Portugal has special
lylarge exhibit. Italy and Germany, renowned
in song, and story and literature, and the fruit
OF the vine; Switzerland whose free flag has
foated to the breeze for many generations,
while her sunny hillsides have been purple
with grapes; all have characteristic exhibits of
wine. But for the magnificent and royal
character of her wine display, our old-time
friend and ally, republican France, eclipses
them all.
CHAMPAGNE-SIAKING.
But / wish to give brief description of
champagne making III Epernay, France-the
in the world whore genuine champagne is
made. The soil is OF chalk formation, OF Just
the quality to make superior champagne.
The vines are planted foot and half apart,
are let grow to three or three and half feet
high, are staked in June and, when in full
bearing, produce forty or fifty clusters to a
vine. But for the very choicest wine, the vines
are pruned back to two feet high or less, and
but few clusters of grapes are allowed to a
vine. The vines last from eight to twenty
years without replanting. The grapes are
pressed as soon as gathered, so as not to take
color from the husk. The must is put into
casks holding about seventy-five gallons, to
undergo the first fermentation, and stands
till after the first frost, which usually
occurs before Christmas, when it is
drawn off into huge casks holding
10000 gallons, to be m01Tied-mixed
and tempered-the product OF three dissimilar
vineyards being often united and sometimes
old wine has to be added to make the mixture
just right. For, in some seasons, the wine is
better or poorer, stronger or weaker than in
Others When the tests show that it is right
it Ia drawn OF into clean small casks, like the
first ones, and stands till the middle of April
when 1t is put into strong quart bottles, with
corks secured by iron clasps, and laid down in
the cellar to complete the fermentation. 1t is
here carefully watched, and if the fermenta-
ton is too strong it il put into lower cellar Of
lower temperature. II the fermentation is too
slow, 1t Is put in an upper cellar of higher tenn
perature and Is go handled that the fermenta-
ton shall be neither too fast nor too slow. For
this purpose there are three cellars, one above
the other.
When the wine ia ripe enough to be prepared
for market, it il put into racks with the neck
down, turned and shaken daily for six weeks
till the sediment is all deposited on the cork. A
man takes bottle with each hand, and can
shake 80, 600 bottles in day. When this pro-
cess is finished, and no more sediment will set
tie, the bottles are taken and held horizontally
and with tool the clasp is removed, when pop
goes the cork, the carbonic acid gas expels the
sediment with about onetwelfth of the wine. 1t
il then put into a machine to be filed with q
sweet liquor adapted to the market it is designed
for-for some countries require sweeter wine
than others-is recorked securely. and is ready
for sale and shipment. 1t takes from three to
five years to perfect champagne, and the whole
process requires unceasng care and watchful-
ness. AS the corks cannot blow out if there
il excessive fermentation the bottles burst
Ordinarily the breakage ia about per cent
Sometimes it is as high as 25 or 80 per cent. and
in 1858 about two-thirds was lost by breakage.
Sometimes the workmen dare not go down into
the cellar without masks, on account of the fly
ing pieces Of glass from the bursting bottles.
To dealers who buy at the wine vaults, and
run their own rick Of breakage in handling, the
prices range, according to quality, from 3 - to
francs bottle. Good champagne has from
10 to IL per cent OF alcohol. The duty ON
champagne here is SG.3G in gold per Dozen
which, with some incidentals make it about 80
per dozen in currency.
EPERNAY, OR CHAMPAGNE
is the great champagne district of France I
might say OF the world for within this area
about all the genuine champsgne-al that de-
serves the name-is produced, averaging annu-
ally 80, 000, 900 bottles, or $500, 900 gallons.
The soil, the climate, and the treatment COM
bine to produce the peculiar flavor the deli
cious aroma which delights both smell and
taste, and leaves no headache after it
characteristic which distinguishes the gen.
uine from the counterfeit. 1t cannot
be made perfect unless it is kept IN dry, cool
cellars, and in this district the cellars can be
excavated in the chalk formation without side
walls hundreds of feet deep il desirable.
Messrs. Il. MERCER Il Co., one Of the largest
producers IN champagne, exhibiting their wine
and complete apparatus for bottling it, have
immense cellars, 1G5 feet deep, entered by rail-
ways for handling their large vintage amount
ing yearly TO 100000 bottles. Mr.. Alphonso
Faber, 1902 Race street Pnladephla. their
representative, has come over especially to es-
tabiish agencies for the sale of their champagne.
s. VI. b.