The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1877-09-27
WINE 1900 YEARS OLD.

We do not often drink wine that IS
5Ovears old, less frequently that which
has celebrated it's centennial, and wine
of 900 wears age is an absolute rarity.
In the famous kathkeller at Bremen
the visitor is shown casks OF VINE OF
wonderful age, and looks with admlra-
ton on the cask labelled 1924. The
celebrated French chemist Berthelot
recently had the pleasure OF exhibiting
to his colleagues in the Frencn
Academy of Sciences some VINE about
600 wears old. He had even sue
ceeded in separating the alcohol from
this wine, so that the assembly could
see alcohol of 800 or 800 years age.
The color of this ancient wine is not
very tempting; in taste ana smell II
Is not remarkable. and it Is doubtful
if q connoisseur would be pleased to
find it on his table.
Brethelot spent the month OF May
in Marseilles. and while there visited
the Borley Museum. His curiosity
was excited by a glass vessel which
was sealed up and contained some
lliuuid. What kind OF fluid could II
be- The Professor obtained permls'
sion from the Mayor of Marseilles to
omen the vessel and take the liquid
with him to Paris. The total guam
tity was only 50 cubic centimeterS
(about | fluid ounce or Wlneglassful)
The LIQUID is genuine wine, IS OF
hroWnish color. and contains, IN sus
pension. solid substance, which does
not form a SEDIMENT; the door is dc
cidedlv yinous, with very perceptlol'
; aroma. and reminds one OF the taste Q
; wine which has been boiled IN contac
with fatty substances, or, if You pleas
of sweet apple wine. The taste |
strong and hot on account OF the larg
amount of alcohol, together with 'acl
and a trace or some aromatic SUI
stance. The coloring matter ma
: almost entirely disappeared already
: and only a trace of sugar was found
the wine. The percentage OF alcoh(
corresponds to that OF weak wine
the proportion of acid is almos
; normal. This is probably the frs
/ time any one has handled alcohol
such age. The liquid had kept thu
. long because it was hermetlcall
: sealed up in a glass vessel-a very u
9 common occurrence. The tube who
:, held the wine was blown out like
! hanging lamp, and after being file
9 with wine was very neatly meltt
! together. just as it would be done I
q day in our blowpipe flame.
!; The composition of the glass ltse
~ indicated great age, and ike
:, antique glass was rich in potash al
~ moor in lime. This tube was found
!" Aliscamp, near Aries. on broad pla
which had been used in the time
y the Romans as burial or funel
&c Mace. farmer who was ploWl
70 Unusually deep brought 1t to hgi
- The antiqnarians are inclined TO
~ belief that there was once glasshou
at Aries which produced very II
Us workmanship. The glass tube v
81 made on French soil. and probal
:, reaches back to the first occupatl
a. of Gaul by the Romans.
&c In regard to the motives which
- "a TO the wine being SO carefully sea
IL up in glass tube. Bertnelot thu
- -aa that it may be attributed to SO
lus religious ceremony or offering to
e, shirt of the departed. The pl;
ny where it was found. "Campi Elyse
l La a burial place that was examined ie
'4o ago. adds another argument IN La
sc of this view.