New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-10-23
AN EXCELLENT WINE YEAp
FRENCH CHAMPAGNES WILL RE coon
QUALITY
THE BORDEAUX VINTAGE LARGE r,r,r..
OFF ~ THE DEMAND FOR cr.ARrr
BURGUNDY ABOVE THE AVERAGE

The Champagne vintage, which lasts abo,,
fortnight. il now az IT'S height Tho roa,t..
crisp and bright-pcnty - sunshine ten,,roA
cool. bracng nOrhWesterly brcozoq 81,
days spin in compact little petroleum, o..
motor carriage over the perfect roads ~ -,
gracefully undulaiing Champagne region .
company with an editor Of the "Moni,eir ",
cole who knows every vineyard and apra~o,,,
every grapevine ~ this Joyful country o,.t,.
the writer TO appreciate the fact that fb, ,
tsge ~ the French peasants true carnival ~.
southern slopes 81 the valleys ~ Az and -
nay are alive with men. women and .hna
who have come on foot. ln carts OF boz r.n
pick the grapes The hisides arc studded ,.
groups Of vintagers IN bright colored rio,b,.
and AZ one passes along the road snaf,ho, -,
song and merry peas Of laughter catch tho -,
Food and lodging are provided free hy ih. o,r
ers Of the vneyards-the food CONSISTING -.
bread. wine and such soup as only Fror.,
peasant cook can make The recipe is so,er,,
pounds Of good ribs Of beef carrots onior.
cabbage potatoes. leeks. 4 suspicion ~ estl,.
with shredded slices Of bread. the whole ,,,,
into copper cauldron ~ thirty gallons m
pacity. and left 10 simmer gently FOR five bours
until the air is redOlont with the appefzlr,
aroma
1t should be borne in mind that in tho Cham.
payne there no special growihs or cruz"
as in the Bordeaux country and In Burgunay
Each little hillside in the Champagne produce.
grapes OF its own individual character ana
flavor The great champagne firms AZ Rheims
or Epernay send their agents 10 make selecilons
from the various vineyards. and the vines NJ
each are blended together. so that ono bottle n.
champagne is often the product Of half dozen
different qualities OF grapes For instance ons
Of the leading houses is this year making
blend of the white grapes OF AWE IN tho Cra
mant district famous for its freshness and Dun
gency. Of the white wine made Of the dark rod
fruity favored grapes ~ BouZy-the pressing "a
done by an ingenious process which leaves tss
dark skins intact-Of white grapes ~ Az 70.
nOwned for their bouquet and generous warmth
and OF the Nerzenay. which has a remarkab.
deicacy OF perfume
NO DEARTII OF GOOD CHAMPAGNE
The most skilled viticutural experts estimate
that the Champagne vintage Of 1S9? will be
fairly good in quality. but below the average IN
quantity. The red grapes which enter largely
into the composition OF the choicest c,ivees o,
champagne suffered severely from the spring
frosts as did also the white grapes Of the era.
mani nlllslirS. 10 sum up. the champagne OF
1899 will probably be light and delicate. bu,
somewhat lacking in ripeness. The phylloxera
which. after quarter of a century's experience
has been stamped out In all the other wine pro.
ducing departments Of France. invaded the
Champagne region for the first time two years
ago, and has produced great fall in the value
of vinelands. The inroads Of this destructive
insect have, however, not increased during the
present season. and It is highly probable that II
will before long be totally eradcated. Tbs
stock OF champagne on hand is very large. and
includes part OF the bountiful yintages Of 1892
and 1893. and of the admirable wine Of 1896 %
that there Is no danger OF dearh OF good
champagne. Some years must elapse before ths
1899 champasnes will have anything more than
an indirect interest for consumers in the United
States.
The latest returns received al the "Monl'eur
Vinicole' indicate that the Bordeaux vintage OK
1899 will be about ~ per cent above the aver
age in quantity. and although the severe frost
OF March - has somewhat affected the quality
In some districts Of the Gironde the grapes are
as a rule, we'll favored and the juice Is OF good
color. Unfortunately. the consumption OF claret
has 80 fallen off in England and Russia-it holds
its own in the United States-that several vine
merchants and bankers al Bordeaux nave
failed. The stagnation in the sale of claret, To-
gether with a succession OF unusually bountful
and excellent vintages since the disappointing
period OF 1SS2 TO 1856. has not as yet affected
perceptibly the prices OF ordinary table claret;
but the higher grades Of claret are now cheaper
than at any time within the memory OF the
rising generation There is a plethora OF the
choicest wines OF recent vintages and the ad'
of,,, ,,soc
hands OF the growers. Many Of the once favor
tie chateau wines in the official CLASSIFICATION
which have hitherto commanded prices proper
tonate to their respective rank. whether nrs'
second. third. fourth fifth growth, are no"
selling at rates below those OF the bourgeois
and higher class Of table wines For instance
wholesome. pleasant dinner clarets can "
bought for prices ranging from one to Two
francs a bottle; while the produce OF the cele.
brated chateau in the Medoc can be purchase
at from four to six francs bottle-peihs :"
per cent less than the prices commahdeu "
wines Of Identical grade twenty years ago
In connection with the falling of In the MI S.,
ish and Russian demand for me claie,s.
ter Hearne. the British Consul al Bordeaux"
pressed the opinion In his official report 'r"r
the reasons for the deCadence or the 'as.e 49,
fine clarets in England are due 10 the pre- Ter
~
dinner" The fashionable Russian nav" ,so
smoking cigarettes during the dinner MAJ SS,ssla
account for the deterioration OF taste III "'''
for delicately favored claret
GOOD PROSPECTS FOR Br aGrNpf'
The Burgundy vintage Of 1899 promises "
above the average in quality II not III GUAM,
The great summer heat and the general ne""
condition OF the grapes indicate a highly hA'
vored wine, but the rains that set IN JUST .v
the vintage may somewhat impair the os snd
The consumption of Beaune, Nuts CortoN .sv
Chambertin IL increasing abroad more is l,n,
than that Of any other class OF French reu ,.h a.
while the demand for white burgundy, SUI /,
sound Chablis so palatable with OYSTER sn,sri.
practically booming" As appreciat'e Hs sr.at
cans are aware the 1865 vintage was .me I, u
year Of the present centuts, =, iS0?
40 tsfactorv 10 note that the conditions OF
and the appearance Of the fruit are s' ~ Bur.
similar TO those OF 1865. The supply az this
pundy ON hand is however, limited anu ,wsnd
eoincias. With the increasing British os'n"