New-York tribune., 1900-11-25
NO CHANCE FOR CHEAP CHAMPAGNE.
THE VINTAGE ABUNDANT. BUT PRICES REMAIN
WHERE THEY WERE
From The London Standard.

WHERE THEY WERE.
From The London Standard
certain faint hope that champagne may be-
come cheaper in the future is suggested by the
report that his Year the yield of wine in the
Marne Department of France has been unusu-
ally abund ant. Experience of the past, however,
is not encouraging, for hitherto the quantity of
wine made has had no effect upon price. In
lSE'. for instance. the Marine vineyards pro-
duced sixteen and a quarter million gallons, but
the cost of the vintage to the public was in the
case of well known brands. exactly the same
that of the finer vintage of 1888 when little
than six million gallons were made. Purchasers
may he pardoned for thinking that when Nature
Is unusually prudigal in her gifts they should be
permitted to share in the benefit, instead of see
ing it confined to the grower and the shipper.
There will always he strong demand for cham
pagne a festive beverage. Without being
strongly alcoholic it possesses unrivalled exhil-
arating properties. Nevertheless, the official
turns show that there has been heavy decline
In the consumption of the wine, and, though in
this country the falling off Is doubtless due in a
large degree to the war in South Africa. may
reasonably assume that the exorbtant price
charged in many instances has had its influence
upon the public. II is true that champagne
never he very cheap wine. owing to the ex-
trcme care required for the selection OF the
grapes, and all the subsequent processes Of
preparation. Moreover, as the vintage wines Of
two three Of the best known houses invaria-
bly, appreciate in value Immediately they put
upon TIA" market. it cannot fairly be said that
those firms giving any cause of complaint to
their customers.
The trade however, is now in a position which
is quite without precedent. Following upon the
more or less excellent Vinta;;cs of 1889 1892,
1893 aud S.I came the 1888. the lS!'9s and the
l3ns. all of which expected attain
nrWn Such succession Of fin" VintaEeS has
never before been known, and ii would be n
trary to all commercial principles If the
sumner should derive no advantage from this
abundance of good Wine. 1t may he remarked
that the hotel keepers and rrstaurateurs
more responsible than the shipper for the x
traVagant rates demanded at their establish
In"ntS. Within recent years. indeed the hotel
trade has made the life of the shippers agent
miScra BILE. Some of the hotel companies demand
large sums much as t:;OO and even $500 a
year-for quoting and selling any particular
brand and smaller pruprietOrS make claims
which they consider pruportiOnate to their i'm
pOrtancc. while the walters ask for 'cOrkage,'
or 4 commission on CuTkS returned by them.
CERTAIN houses, of course, are strong enough to
stand out against these eXactiOnS. but others
yield, and, il is to he presumed, have the sale
of their wine pushed accordingly.
All this may be of little interest to the
sumner. except that it should lead him to disre-
gard the recommendations of champagne which
are advanced by managers or walters but he
has Il right to expect that the price he pays shall
be more in proportion with the intrinsic value
OF the wine. and with the net sum paid to the
shipper. than it is at present. The policy OF
high prices is not good business. since it tends,
as we have seen, to restrict the consumption.