The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-05-22

now the model-wine growing estate OF the
Medoc, Is ut present unclassifled. There Is,
by the way, great deal OF misconception
current In England and this country touch
ing the chasing OF Bordeaux wines. 1t Is
worth while to bear In mind that in classifl-
cation No. 1 only four wines arc included:
Chateau Latte, Chateau Margaux, Chateau
Latour, and Chateau Haut-Brion. In the
second class are grouped sixteen chateau
wines, among them Brane-Mouton, Cos
d Estournel, the three LGovilles, two Laroses,
two Plchons, and two RauZans. The third
class comprises thirteen celebrated growths,
some of which: Lagrange, Giscours, and
| Palmer, are we'll known, and command high
prices on both sides OF the Atlantic. In the
| fourth class are ten fine wines, with
one OF which, Chateau Beychevellc,
| Americans are familiar. Pontet-Canet
heads the fifth and lowest class.
which comprehends seventeen chateau
wines; one OF these Mouton dArmai-
hac is commonly imagined to be Of a much
higher class. Below the classed wines come
the innumerable bourgeois Rrowths, and last
OF all the peasant growths, which reach us un-
der the generic name Of M6doc, or tho vague
communal appellations OF st. julien, st.
Estaphe, Margaux, Pauillac, and Cantenac
How important some definite knowledge
OF the local classification Is to the buyer
may be inferred from the fact that tho
four great wines OF the first class fetch In
Bordeaux thirty per cent. moro than the
renowned L6ovilles and Laroses of the sec
ond classification and five times the price
paid there at first hand for the best bourgeois
growths; this, although tho unclassitled
bourgeois growths include such chateau
wines as Loudenne, LIE Crock, Laujac,
Bcssan, Slgognac, and Verdignan. Mr..
KINGSTON considers the exceptional COM
mercial value Of the four flrst-class wines
absurdly dsproportonate to that at which
certain superb unbiased wines Of the Medoo
are appraised.
1t is estimated that the loss suffered by
France between 1875 and 1887 by the vista
tions OF the phylloXera and Of the pernicous
iungold pests, mildew and anthracnose,
amounted to two thousand millions OF dol
lars. At last, however, the defeat OF the
phylloXera and mildew has been declsively
accomplished. In the M6doc district since
1882 when the soil around each stock was
saturated with a solution in which neither
insect nor fungoid could live) the old
vines have recovered health, while those
planted afresh are extremely flourishing
The yield OF three successive years C1SS7-s-9)
has far exceeded the average Of the previous
decade, and justines the M6doc wine grow
ers In looking forward to an era OF unexam-
pied fruitfulness. The amount OF wine pro-
duced last year in the Gronde was sxty-six
millions of gallons. The vineyards of the
Thnta oaf ,;aI,
dred hogsheads. and those OF the Chateau
Loudenne about as much. 1t is, of course,
we'll known that the Chateau Latte belongs |
to Barons ALPHoNsE. GUsTAvE, and EDMOND
DE RoTHsCHILD.
There is a prevailing impression among |
the consumers Of claret in this country that |
the growths OF the Medoc are frequently |
or at least doctored before OK
portation. II authorization takes place, it is
after and not before the wine is shipped
from Bordeaux. After a careful investiga-
ton Of the subject Mr.. KINGSTON was con-
vlnced that, whatever may be true OF French
wines from other districts, no adulteration
Is practised bv the exporters in
with the products Of the Gironde
he declares Medoc claret to be what 1t pro-
fesses to be-pure grape juice, free from
admixture of any other substance
and owing none Of its characters
tics (color, flavor. or strength to
u preparation" or treatment" such as is
undergone by all other varieties OF French
vine, some of which are fortified with
alcohol and sweetened with syrup, while in
others tho process OF fermentation is ar
'ested AS for the cheap, fabricated wine
by the working people in France,
lone Of this is exported, for the conclusive
'eason that 1t will not keep more than few
lays, or bear sea transportation. When such
tufH is sold to us on this side OF the Allan
ic, we may be certain that it was manu-
actured here.