The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-11-06
FRAUDS IN WINE.
l Medium-priced Article Much Safe
Than the Choice Varieties.

A Medium-Priced Article Much Safer
Than the Choice Varieties.
IF you really want q good French %claret,"
the dealer in wine says to his friends conf
dentially, take q medium price. 1t is
pretty certain to have a portion at least of
the juice of the grape in it, while the high
er-priced red wines pass through the hands
of SO many different concoctors and forgers
that even denlers will not sell them except
on the condition-no responsibility for de-
sorlption."
This is good news for the people who
have been surreptitiously buying Macon or
Pontet Canet and palming them off on their
guests for Mouton Rothschild or some
other equally expensive and, if experts
know what they are talking about, fabu-
go even farther, and offer Iinfandel or any
inexpensive brand of California claret to
their guests and feel that their offering,
behind a napkin or under a stolen French
label, is really a blessing in disguise.
The talk of the wine growers is all very
discouraging this year, and the wine doc
tors of Cette. that pretty town near Mar
settles, France, which is honeycombed with
wine forgers, are taking a leaf out Of the
books of their Bordeaux rivals and making
claret which is absolutely innocent of the
grape. Formerly the dealers of Cette sold
wine, or at least a doctored decoction of the
grape. Now they are said to depend wholly
on their laboratories for the fluids they ex-
port.
AS for the Bordeaux manufacturers (the
name is rightly applied), no fluid passes
through their watts and comes out lnnocent
of the CHEMISTS attentions. Wine men say
that it ia cheaper in the long run to pay q
must be had, because Burgundy in its
cheaper qualities is not SO susceptible of
aduIteration as claret. 1t has a pleasant
end distinguishing bitter flavor that SO far
Mas defied all the attempts of chemists to
initiate.
A very simple recipe for producing a
palatable and innocuous ciaret is favored
by many New York wine fanciers. 1t has
never before been published. and is said
mob to be the custom among the trade, but
of wine drinkers who wan some good wine
for their own tables. Take equal quantities
of Pontet Canet-an inexpensive quality
is northumberland California ciaret of re-
cent growth. Mix them, rebottle and lay
in the cellar for Il year or more. The result
is said to be as good a vino as anybody need
wish to drink.
A fad in champagne for the ensuing win
ter will be the banishing of bottles from
the dining room. 1t will be decanted,
which is reviving a fashion popular in Eug-
land a few years ago, or else champagne
cup will be served. In both cases q sweet
champagne will be used. and thereby the
hearts of the ladies will be melted. In the
inner consciousness of the fair sex, dry
champagne has never seemed to touch the
spot, and many men, if they dared to tell
the truth, would admit a sneaking fond
ness for the widow" q
To make champagne cup no particular
art is required. All that is wanted is a SUI
perior sweet champagne and %unfiavored
soda water. Mixed in a tall cut-glass jug
and served pretty freely in peach glasses,
the desired "flow of soul" among the
guests will be attained without the GER
tainty that one-half of them will regret the
dinner next morning. as most dinner
guests did under the bottle regime.-New
York News.