The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-06-19
PRICELESS OLD MADEIRA.
Hare vintaEes ~ Iancns,er-How Anne
cmn Ylnes Nestcr.d MMdti,.r YiraYnrds

Hare Vinrages ~ Iancns,er-Wow Ameri.
cav Vines He-tcr-d Nnd,i", Vineyards.
"The largest and most complete collection
OF rnre old Madeira wines in this or. probably.
any country is owned BY Major slaynaker Of
Lancaster. Pa" said a wine merchant and
cnnnois-eur. Tho Oldest Madeira he has Ia
Of tho vintage OF l7a3 There are In the cell
lars OF two or three old Savannah families o
few bottles Of Madeira which arc Of the TO-
nous All Saints vintage OF 1871. OF which two
pipes were imported to that city In 1893. What
is left OF this wine is now In the cellars Of tho
Gordons and De Rennes think. it having
come into the possession OF those families
some sixty years ago by purchase.
Besides the wine OF 1903. the vintages Of
1900 1903. 1872. 1913 1927. AMI 1910 arc
largely represented In Major Slaymaker's
stock. The 1893 wine was bottled In 1893 by
Philip md Adam Reigart. WIN imported It In
that year. having exported corn in exchange
for It The original bill OF lnding for this i'm
portation is in the possession of Major Stay
maker One bottle OF any ono Of thesa old vim
taEes Is worth almost as much now as pipe
OF 1t was when tho wine wa imported The
RclGarts and Major Slaymaker's grandfather
and Creat-Crandfather imported all these
wines. Their great vnlue lecomes apTar-
ent when 1t is known that the oldest Madeira
In the possession OF any dealer on the very
island where the wine is made does not date
back further than 1918. Some Of the vintage
bly, tho 1919. 1921 and 1870 are especially
the tho MsssF' Of the af ~ Hps
doubtful il there Is a bottle OF it In any other
renr in thi $40 TO- ntny NINA =, soru,o
and there was absolutely no Madeira made Tor
Into Mai4ira Of Vines from ' the tnitoi States
the chances are tnat there " 'uld never haye
hssn any more Of MS del ate vintage 1T az.
as t the @ and so Wefs its ray
atad every vineyard on the island Nothing
could g fund t, sayits ravaGes until the
upon tho island the ,'atawt n and tn" isabella.
III zee We're used MS stock upon which I" graft
the native vines; It having been found that tho
tivs Vineyards. and t. thl- day the Portuguese
ers 9f Mniaira ir,r Of charse
In TN. making Of NInhrra vino. from II"
q sns q" TN the 81 .nr
tho first vino makers on the island. who began
moret than four hundred years ago, The grapes
ore-half the crop Is allowed t, hang on tho
vines .nDil the & ares become raislne'!, or half
king tho choicest wines. The juiro is rrcssod
f,om the grapes IN some rlares hy the feet Of
tn peas ants. ami elsewhere IN rude presses.
The iuire IL stored in casks ut the vineyards
until tnH crop is pressed. and then is carried TO
the dealers, or perfcr.ors. Mt funchal. in goat
shln-. holding each about ton gallons.
often q cominny Of from twenty five TO forty
men with u Louder who sings ,errily s,m5
quaint AMI nnr mt folk song. MAJ be soon
coming along tho narrow mountain roads.
each nan with u CONT .kln Of new wine on his
st:.@pYIId'ns,; going I. FanShsl ...a n.u.o. =,
tho Funhn rse aw
Juice IL turned from thu goat skins IN, - casks
to fnrmcnt. and from year to ylac older wine
cvapot atei. This NJ thud constant y improves
thelua ity 81 the wine in each casE. and adds
to its marsrt value.
"Besil s his rarn vintage Of Madeira N j.
Slnymnkor has a cask q hranhy tina his
t;thi.r imp2rt d y 1908: II y Mt knHWn how
once refused an offer ~ 50 n IA ~, for It,
made by the late simon fameron. He has nlso
In his 20 lar n lunnti y Of tat fav rite tirrIe
Of q past Gennration. cherry oounce. which was
bottled in 1873"