The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-11-12
WINES OF THE HABERSHAMS.
RARE VINTAGES THAT HAVE GLAD
DEEMED MANY HEARTS.

ed sunshine of Madeira and ola
Spain-AImOst Priceless Madeiras
and Sherries, Some of which Has
Been In the HRbersham Cellars for
More Than Three Quarters of IA
Century-Brandy of the Vintage of
17o1-OId Rum and COrdiaIs-The
Collection Now the Property of the
Estate of the Late william NeyIc
Habersham.
Stored in two upper rooms OF the old
Habersham mansion. Harris and Barnard
streets, are casks and kegs, carboys and
TASKS and bottles Of wine of almost price
less kind. The entire store will aggregate
possibly 5000 quarts, and contains old Ma
deiras and sherries that for half a CEN
fury have been the delight of the fortu-
nate among epicures who came in their
way.
The collection is the property of the
estate of the late William Neyle Haber-
sham. who died about six weeks ago, at a
very advanced age. Mr. Habersham in
herited a part of the present collection,
and had added to 1t throughout all his long
life. The cellars of the family had been
noted. among the bon vivauts of Savannah
since the days of the colonys foundation,
and each successive generation had in
creased the collection of old and almost
priceless vintages. The family, among the
wealthest existent in the early history
of Georgia. had abundant means to graf
ify what was at once a passionate fad for
the gathering together of wines that had
become renowned and of RECALLING their
many and frequent guests with the gar
nered and fermented sunshine of the Isle
of Madeira and old Spain.
To wander through the rooms in which
these wines are stored is in itself treat
To partake of an occasional sip of the old
Madeira is a foretaste of beatitude. The
| rooms are constructed as for "A conserva-
tory, and in the early days of the old
mansion 1t is possible that they served
this purpose. There is no floor division be
tween them, other than an open frame
work, across which boards are laid and
through which the sunlight filters freely.
On every side and on the roof is glass;
admitting the rays of the sun without
hindrance. Mr. Habersham was accustom-
ed to transfer his rare vintages from one
part of the two rooms to another to the
end that they might imbibe from the sun
light some of its warmth and strength.
His wines were the pride of his life, and
he could not gain his own consent to Inn
mure them in the darkness of some I'M
foreground cellar. He liked to spend his
| time in their company, inhaling their del
| icate aroma and gloating over their match
| less color.
The Madeiras are the GROWING glory Of
| the collection. The old Sercal Madeira
has reputation throughout the country,
! and there are other rare vintages of no
less value. There is a store of the old
| wine known as Malmsey, in a butt of
| which he % JtrIra of -
| ence Is said to have ended his life. They
tell a tale of connoisseur who was once
dining with the Understands, 10 whom
| some of the Malmsey came in the course
! of the meal. This gentleman raised his
| glass to his lips and slipped the wine with
| appreciative elaboration. A glow of per-
feet content spread over his face as he
said, well. MIR. Habersham, If the wine
! in which Clarence drowned himself was
| anything like this, l don't know that i
have 1t in my heart TO blame him."
Some of the Madeiras came TO this coun-
| try direct from the island of that name.
! Some of them came via London, where
for years before their importation they
had held position and places of honor In
| the cellars of the wine merchants of that
| city. The oldest of the collection is of
the vintage of 1927, and there is much that
wears the antique honors of an age al
| most as great. Among the most priced
| TASKS from the cellars of Gen. r. Il. Lee,
| at Arlington OF which Mr.. Habersham OBJ
| tanned possession after the war There
| are a number of casks of the Newton Cor
don Madeiras, of numerous special brands
| and marks.
The sherries In the Habersham collec-
ton are about as fine as the Madelras.
! Some of them are older one of the wines
| being Of the vintage OF 1923. This Is the
| Solera, of Gonzales Byass e. Co. The Apos-
| toles OloToso of the same firm of wine
sellers and winners, is another pride of
| the collection.
Besides the wine there are small guam
titles of brandy, rum and cordials. of
| great age and value. The brandy has a
name all over the country and was i'm
! ported by one of the Understands from
| France. 1t Is of the vintage of 1871, and
hence is more than century old.
The New York reputation of the Haber-
| sham collection of wines was brought
about by Ward McAflister, who was a
personal friend of Mr.. William Neyle Hab-
/ ersham and had personal acquaintance
| with the qualities of the vintages in the
| Habersham cellars. There were many re-
| ceptions of the Four Hundred, where the
! guests found inspiration for wit and gal
! lantry i'm the wines that came from Sa~
| vannah. There are many clubs in New
| York and other Northern cities that count
| the possession of a case or two of the Ma
| deira or sherry from the Habersham COLI
| lection as among their rarest treasures.
| Ii is probable that he wines will be sold
| by the adm nistrator Of the estate in small
! quantities, az it is felt that a better price
! could be obtSined in this than in any 9th
| er manner. They are valuable and il IS
| scarcely to be thought that any adyant-
| ageous offer for the entire collection VIII
! be made, though it is quite possible that
more than one epicuIe viii be anxious 20
add a case or two of the wine to his cell
| lars.
! There was time when the wine cellars
| of the Old Savannahians were noted
| throughout the country. Ships reached the
| port from every cline and brought to Sa-
| vannah merchants the choicest vintages
! of their hills and valleys. In those old
! days there was ample means 10 satisfy
every within and such wide culture as add
ed to the enjoyment Of the best things in
| life. These old collections have vanished
4 one by one, and none remains but that of
| the Understands. Soon this will be gone
also and Savannah's wine cellars will eth
/ he n ba 81 mir a