The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1897-12-11
MANUFACTURE OF CHAMPAGNE.
Evolution of the Beverage From the Vine
tn the Bottle.

Champagne, combining the term to the
wines made in the department of the
Marine, is grown over an area of 10000
acres, of which nearly half are in the
district Of Rheims and 1880 in that Of
Epernay, and ii is estimated that TAX
ing into account the gardens, upward
of $4,000 people are employed i'm the
vineyards. This is easily to be under
stood. for the cultivation of the wine
in the department of the Marine es-
necially in certain localities noted for
their grapes. demands such minute
methods that the cost of labor may
amount to over Gao an acre. The de
tails of this cultivation do not vary in
any material respect from the methods
employed elsewhere. but the process
of making the wine differs, of course.
very much. Most of the vineyards Of
Champagne yield black grapes and in
order to produce white wine from them
they are pressed directly as they are
brought i'm from the vineyard and
most of the grape is separated from
the skim which contains the coloring
matter and would communicate it to
the juice If put together. The liquid
produced by the pressing is almost col
orless and becomes perfectly white af-
ter the first fermentation The wine
is then put into casks. where il remains
llll aDill OF MAY III the Ioll0NlnR year,
being three times racked during that
interval and then bottled.
1t may be noted, however. that the
principal growers all blend their wines
before bottling them in a large cask
which holds 1000 or 5000 gallons 50 as
To obtain a perfectly uniform quality
and then the wines, once bottled. are
left for a minimum of two years. At
the expiration of this period they are
placed i'm a slanting stand. something
like "A schoolhoys desk, with the neckS
downward and shaken frequently by
men who are very skilled in the right
degree of twist required 10 get the
sediment ON the extremity of the cork.
When this sediment has formed the
bottle is taken in hand by the de
gorgeur,' as the workman who adroit-
~ removes the cork and gets rid of he
sediment is called, and when he has
done this he passes ii on 60 the dos
eur
This mans work consists in adding
TO the wine little Of the liquor made
from sugar candy dissolved i'll old still
champagne and dash Of cognac
brandy The quality of liquor added
IS proportioned according To the eoun-
try for which the wine is intended the
largest dose Of sugar being for Russia
the next largest fer Germany. France
and Belgium while IL is little further
reduced for the United States Very
little liquor Is added To the wines des-
tined for England. and those made from
crops remarkable for their quality and
Ninosity have no sugar added To them
at all. these being, of course. The 'brut''
champagne which his unknown out of
this country
From the sdeEorgtnr'' and the dos
eur THE bottle is passed un in succe-
sSlon 10 three men. who are STYLED the
'boucheur who inserts the cork. he
"iiceleur, who afiiXes the capsule. aud
these men gel through ON an average.
500 bottles ia their days work The
wine II then laid down and left for
several months before being shipped
and previous 10 being packed each hut-
ne is carefully examined again ana
those not perfectly clear are thrown ON
on side. There is no need To describe
the process # putting on the gold or
silver foil. the packing and the dis
patch Of the Wine but ii may be in
teresting 80 mention that from the
gathering Of the grapes L. the placing
Of the bottles I'm their Eases the Wine
has gone through $50 hands and has
been at least three years IN the cellars.