The Washington weekly post. (Washington, D.C.) 1878-1916, 1899-09-12

OF & uniform sefidity In order that no
EXPANSION may ensue from sudden chang
IS Of temperature. The inside must be
perfectly smooth. as a rough interior
causes the gas 10 make Efforts 10 e.
cape and renders explosion imminent.
The bottles are always tested and wash
ed thoroughly before being used.
The bottling OF the wine takes place
between April and August. The wine is
emptied into casks. from which IL flows
through pipes into oblong reservoirs pro-
vided with syphon taps onto which the
bottles are slipped. and from which the
wine ceases to flow directly the bottles
become filed. They are then sent TO the
corkers. Speed in the process is Of much
Importance. as during a single day the
wine may undergo a notable change by
means Of formulas and apparatus the
degree Of pressure the wine viii show Is
determined 10 a nicely. The bottles ara
then conveyed to cellars and placed II,
horizontal positions There they spend
the summer If all goes well. but in about
three weeks time the gas-rnaking inside
the bottles is at its height, and may
cause number of bottles to burst. In
AllAE Cdst lilts dit iAbliAfbAatNt ANAiofN-
10 a lower temperature. In some cellars
the breakage amounts to or per cent
Removing the sediment
The bottles remain in this horizontal po-
sition for TWO years or more. when the
fermentation is over. A loose. dark brown
sediment has formed, however, and set
tied on the lower side. The bottles are
then placed with their necks downward,
the inclination being increased from time
10 time. In this way the sediment - NOV
ed toward the neck and by constant
twisting and turning 1t is formed into a
sort of muddy ball Sometimes the sedi-
ment adheres to the sides. when ii Is
necessary 10 tap the sides with a piece OF
irCn or hit the m together. the result be-
ing frequently the explosion OF the bot
tie. The younger the wine the longer
the period necessary for the bottles 10 be
shaken, new wine often requiring as much
as three months. Only a practIced nand
can give the right amount Of revolution
and the requisite degree of SLOPE. Some
men acquire such deXterity in this work
that they are able to shake as many as
5000 bottles day.
The disgorging of this ball is done by
nimble-fingered manipufatOrs. The OPP
tIdlbI ilbitS lHc botiit DDIlLbHtdilN III HIS
left hand, with the neck directed toward
an oval opening in a cask. With d jerk
of a steel hook the wire securing the stop
per is removed. and bang goes the cork.
and with ii the ball of sediment and
small glassfuI or so OF wine. a further
flow being checked with the finger. This
looks easy, but novice would likely empty
the bottle by the time he had discovered
q, IL n L.
bursts and scars the face of the work.
man. The sediment removed, a temper
airy cork is placed in the bottle AL
though the average amount of wine and
foam elected in the disgorging does not
exceed one-fOurteenth OF the contents
of bottle. yet this is considered too high.
and a process of disgQrging by refrigera-
ton is now coming into favor, by which
method little of the wine is lost.
FlIv, ring the Wines.
After disgorging the sediment the wine
is ready for the important operation of
dosage, or fiavoring, upon the nature
and amount of which the character of
perfected champagne, whether it be dry
or sweet. light, or strong, very much de-
ponds. Different manufacturers have diff
ferent recipes for the composition of this
sirUp varying with the quality OF the
wine and the country for which il is in
tended. The genuine liquor consists only
of old wine of the best quality to which
a certain amount of sugar candy and per-
haps a dash of the finest cognac has been
added. The saccharihe addition varies
according to the market for which the
wine is destined. The high-class Eng
lish buyer demands a very dry cham
payne; the Russian, wine sweet and
strong almost as ladies grog," and
the Frenchman and German, a sweet,
light wine; while we in America require
moderately dry champagne.
The bottle is then passed to another
workman, who fills it up with pure wine
TO the requisite level for corking Should
a pink champagne be required. the wine
added will be red, although some manu-
facturers of questionable reputation some
times employ a solution made from elder
berries Next the bottle goes to the cork
err, who places 1t under machine. where
the cork is pressed tightly into the bot
ties, having previously been boiled in wine
or soaked in a solution of tartar. 1t is
then wired and afterward whrled in the
air in order 10 secure a perfect amalga-
nation of the wine and liquor After this
the bottles rest for a month or two and
when ready for shipment they are sent to
women. who complete their dainty toilets
by embedding their necks in sealing wax
or swatiiing them in gold or silver foil
and labelling them.
Perhaps We in America. with natural
inconsistency. will always prefer to i'm
bibe the foreign product because IL is
foreign. but il is at least a satisfaction
to know that We can, in all probability,
prOudce just as good wine as can our
neighbors on the other side.