The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-12-29
A VISIT TO RHEIMS.
A City Honeycombed with Wine Cellars
'Dry MOnopole."
Paris Morning News.

Oy HAOhOpONe
Paris Morning News.
A visit to the ancient city of Rheims, so
full of historical associations, is by no means
lost time to the traveller in Europe. Its cele-
brated cathedral, and its quaint and quiet
streets, have a certain attraction in them
selves. Even the dry subject of its staple
wooden manufactures draws hither not a few
of those who are DESTROYS of adding to their
stock of information; blu Rheims-as every
one knows or ought to KNOWS the metrop-
oils of that most festive and popular of all
the wines in the world-champagne. A
large portion of the city is honeycombed
with deep, broad cellarage, similar to the
gloomy catacombs in Paris. and some thou
sands of the inhabitants are there buried
throughout the day, busily engaged in the
different processes necessary for the vast
champagne industry of the place.
The vintage for the good year 1888 is now
ON the point of being concluded, and vast
stores of liquid cheerfulness and h~ilarity are
rapidly pouring into the town from ali parts
of the adjacent districts, the dark complex
toned grapes of Ay, Verzenay and Bouzy be-
ing soon united in fruitful wedlock with the
blond beauties of Cramant, Avize and
Mesnil, in the vast subtle rranean vaults of
the temples of Bacchus in his good and
highly-favored city of Rheims. The mar
riage ceremony. or, as it is more properly
styled, offending" the wines, is the ''all and
alp of the production of the pure wine of
Champagne, and nowhere is the art better
understood and practiced than in the famous
house of Heidsleck & Co., from whose enor-
nous cellars that monarch of all wines, dry
Monopole," takes its birth.
Independently of the very extensive eel
larage possessed by the firm in the vineyards
themselves, there are enormous vaults and
stores in Rheims-vaults three stories deep,
excavated in the solid chalk, and in which
three coaches and pair could be drawn
ahroact with i'm r1anSa hnildinn orc of two Hnnrc
high above ground.
The present product of the years plentiful
harvest is constantly arriving, every cask
finding its marked and registered place, the
movement OF fermentation being attentively
scrutinized with ear, eye and nose, in a man
ner which, to the uninitiated, is suggestive
of over-anxiety, but such is far from being
the case, as in this preliminary stage and in
judicious blending the lame of the house de-
ponds.
One learns much that is new under the
sur by such a Visitor instance, the juice
of the black grape gives body and strength,
and the white the d%elicacy OF flavor and bon
govt. The produce of this well-assorted
union would be unpa.atable to most tastes
but for an after-process. A judicious adj
mixture-a mere modicum~ depending on the
qualities of the wine and the marke for
which it is intended-of the whltest candied
SUGAR and the purest of old champagne, is
doled out with mathematical exactness by
means of a specially constructed apparatus,
and this done, the wine never requires any
other addition. Before, however, this cor
rective system is administered, the bottled
wine requires much more attention than
the careless slipper dreams of whilst in
dnloipg in o-th" vudniirg the wine.
has to be undergone. each and
every one OF the innumerable bottles. large
and small, has to be shifted and shaken and
r%esettied in slightly changed posture every
Gay, lor a period OF at least two months, by
most experienced hands.
The subsequent removal of the sedimant
which forms close to the cork is another
operation which has to be done before the
liquor is introduced.
Then succeeds the operation OF recorkine
and stringing and wiring of every hottie
previously to its deposit in the vast stores,
where 1T has to remain until its education is
complete for it to be introduced
into the world, a period extending from three
TO hVe years, according to the degree of dry
ness and to the market for which the wine is !
Nowax is used by Messrs. Heidsieck to
coVer tne corks OF their champagne; but gold
Or red foil, according to the taste of the CON
for whose use the wine is intended.
Englishmen at home and in the colonies nre-
.er the dryest Of the dry, and recognize their
by the golden top of its bottle.
While the American, who in this case is not
uig d iuoTldl, prefers Wine OF q slightly
iWeeter quality. The red foil is, therefore.
always used in the United States, and is
net with welcome by the travelling
American throughout the continent
The famous house has but
me quality of champagne, "The Best"
simplifcation in these days OF adulteration
no means to be despised, the more espe-
tally so in cellars capable OF finding room
as they sometimes have to do as each hot.
ling season comes round) for no less than
900, 900 bottles. ~
1t seems strange to learn that foreigners
re so enormously the largest consumers OF
hampagne; but the fact easily explains itself
hen one reflects that in France excellent
ines OF all kinds are produced, and each
rovince naturally follows the old rule of
for himself" This, however. will
OF prevent English and Americans alike
joining to salute cry Monopole when
yer and wherever it can be met with. $
The Artillery Fern. {
The artillery fern. or hover az n 10 $780, |