Morning journal and courier., 1890-05-16
quality, or the system is not in condition te

drink wine.
 A serious mistake is the supposition that pure wine will not deposit sediment. It is only the pure wines that have sediment. An absolutely clear wine has either been in bot tie but short time or else has been "Gxed" by acids to prevent this deposit, the latter making it injurious to health. There are comparatively few in America who know how to overcome this sediment, though it Is generally practiced in France. It can be overcome only by "decantation." Wine showing this sediment should be placed up- right for several hours or a..day before 1t is.to be used. When the sediment Is thoroughly settled at the bottom of the bottle and the wine perfectly clear, the cork should be withdrawn carefully and the wine poured in- to another bottle or decanter. To do this requires the utmost care. By holding the bottle about twelve inches from e gaslight and stopping immediately the sediment reaches the mouth of the bottle, it is not difficult matter. The sediment is caused by the changes going on in wine as it ages.
 Red wine derives it's color from the skins of dark grapes, which are fermented with the juice or ''must" It is generally sup. posed that white wine is made only from white grapes. It is not necessarily so. Many fine white wines are made from red and black grapes. To make white wine from dark grapes the juice is separated from the skins. White grapes can only produce white wine, however, and the skins are never put with the "must."
 It is hardly necessary to say there would be a good deal of struggle between self respect and adulterated wines. Wine, when adulterated, generally wins the battle. A not very new incident is that told of . dying Bordeaux merchant. He called his son to him and said: "MY son, one last word. Remember this: You cannot make wine from anything but grapes" Some of the importations to this country are sacred to the advice of that dying man.
 Champagne is the finest of all wines. Not- withstanding the fact that everybody drinks champagne, there are not many who know just what it is. It is "blend''of the differ ent wines, and sometimes from ten to fifteen wines are used. One is chosen because of it's flavor, while it may be deficient in body. Another is taken because of it's body; by the way, "body" of wine does not mean alcohol; it signifies roundness CT richness. Another wine is put in for some other quality, and so on, making one grand combination. When "blended" the combination is called 8 "cuvee." After a certain time the cuvee is placed in bottles and allowed to ferment for period of about two years. The fermeRta- ton causes sediment to be deposited and de- velops carbonio acid gas, which is the life and sparkle. At the end of two years the bottles are placed 'tsurpointe, For cork down, and the sediment allowed to settle on the cork. During the two or three months the bottles are "surpointe" each bottle is shaken separately every day.
 The skillful workmen release the cork, and the sediment (which has become compact) and cork fly out together, and only little wine is lost. In place of the wine that is lost small quantity of syrup or liquor is added, to give necessary sweetness. It is here thst fraud, if fraud there be, comes in. In making the liquor an opportunity is af- forded for favoring or increasing the alco- holic strength of the wine. After syrup is added the bottle is corked with the most ex~ pensive corks that can be bought. Follow ing this process the perfection of the wine depend upon the quality of the cork. Dur- ing the two years of fermentation in bottle the breakage from pressure is sometimes of course, must be paid for when the cham pagne is purchased. It is debatable ques- tion whether champagne, like other wine, improves by age. As rule it is put on the market from two to five years after it ts 'blended."
 It would be treason to our own country to to say there is any snobbishness in America. It certainly does take good deal of oour. age for hostess to set Oalifornia's product on the table, or for an elegant fellow, thor oughly we'll posted in everything worth knowing to order with an American label without duty price, while his neighbor al table d'hote not only flashes his diamonds but f1ourishes "Chateau Lafitte" certificate in his face. for which he has paid full tariff. However, Americans are awakening to an ap- preciation of our own wines. They are getting tired of the impositions practiced, not only in the wine districts of France, but in this country as we'll, end the demand is for the purs article. We often zee grand Chateau wines listed at hotels and sold from wine cellars in this country at prices that ought to convince one they cannot be the genuine article. A Chateau wine with the duty added must necessarily be high priced. At comparatively low figures they are either California wines with French labels or no wines at simply acids, tannin, water, spirits, and coloring matter.
 Beware of the willy merchant who offers you cheese while proving to you the quality of his wine. After the bait is taken any wine or imitation will seem perfect
 It is claimed that the decrease of drunken ness in the state of California, is due to the fact of the general use of wine, that the pure article destroys the craving for stronger drink. It is certainly fact that Californisns are becoming famous for their beautiful complexions-"beautif for the ladies, ''fne" for the gentlemen-while only a few years ago the reverse of 1t was notice- able.
 Now that we have learned to drink wine, if we can overlook the fact that our own wines are not yet mellowed by the age that gives wine it's smoothest completeness, like "bottled velvet," and consider the purity ol the home production, possibly there may be fams in the future for She complexion of Americans.