Washington sentinel., 1901-06-01
Food and Wines.

well known from mis- connection with th
old established wine house Of Chri tia
Hander. Mr.. Pohndorf writes:
AT different times and meals tn
impressions Of the taste Of one and tn
same good wine, preferably caret, ar
not the same. What generally please
and tastes excellent may on some occa
sions appear too acid or acrid, or other
quite insipid, and again absolutely un
pleasant. The cause Of these change
is easily traced to the distinct nature O
the solid food consumed with the wine
Evidently sauces made OF ingredients o
decided acids or Of piquaut taste, beets
tomatoes, viands profuselY salted, pep
pered, spiced, or sWeetish, influence th,
palate to the momeutary loss Of the
faculty to accurately distinguish the true
taste and flavor OF a wine drank there
with. To value, appreciate and enjoy
the wine, the solid vIands ought to taste
comparatively neutral. The fluid accom-.
paniment must cOrresp ond to the solids.
Thus, no red wine containing more or
less tannin baTmonizes with oysters or
fish, nor sparkling wine with the roast
or with meat generally.
1t is comparatively easy to restore the
normal condition of the palate alter
eating anything that affected its sensitive
nerves. A few morsels of bread will do
1t, eaten before taking the wine glass in
hand. And here the re mark may be
oppOrtune that, as the cultured know,
the delight OF imoibing a modlcum of
good wine is heightened by fist inh ling
its fragrant ethers, its bouquet
Where the sensation Of a change in
the taste OF wine is directly attribu,-
able to the liquid itself, the cause is its
temperature. Too often the axiom is
sinned against that a red wine should
never be drank cold. And against that
other: Cool the potatiOD of white wine.
Aud, speaking OF rules, It is regretta-
bic that that ancient and wise English
adage is so generally ignore which
advises never drink without eating, and
never eat without drinking, Ofcourse,
with moderation.
In red wines the astringent (tannic)
element at low temperature becomes
disintegrated. The composition Of such |
wines is thereby disturbed to a degree |
that a precious chateau claret, chilled, |
has its taste and perfume lowered to the |
equal of that Of common piquette.
Turning to rules about different wines
suited to the courses Of the meal, nav /
be promised that so called appetizers
should never De sweet. Nonbelievers
se,k he l.
ulators for awakening dormant appe.
tite consider them superfuous. Anyhow
they should be accompanied by the
lightest of preprandial collation.,
Alter or with the soup, according to
its nature small glass of old sherry,
Madeira, or a rich Burgundy is in the
proper place. And anv of these wines
may be slipped with the hOrs d'oeuvre.
With the fish or oyster course use a
dry Sauterne, Rhine or Moselle wine,
a Spanish Manzanilla, or Montlla.
Avoid sweetish Ssuternes Equally, do
not serve with fish any red wine. The |
latter may be in place with the entrees.
With the roast great liberty is granted
in the choice- OF wines, Burgundy or a
claret of lighter construction, white
wines, be they from the Rhine or the
Jaronne or any Of the California repro
ductions OF those originals, dry or rich
AmontilladO, any of them that pleases,
comes in well. One Of the pleasautest
red wines OF Bordeaux characteristics
is Rioya clatet from Old CASTLE, OF
course, the highest land withal cheap
kind halls from the vineyards OF ex-
Express Eugene on the banks Of the
Ebro in Old CASTLE.
or wines to accompany the desert.
fruits, jellies, &c, the choice is equally
vast. Champagne chimes in here as in
its legitimate place A glass OF rich old
port, sherry. Madeira, Tokay, &c, is
likewise relished at that final course a
few crackers and cheese, with any Of
those wines topping of the meal, will
brighten the zsst OF the beverage.
The menu of the banquet on May II
last at the column salon of the palace in
Madrid to celebrate the young Kings
consisted of consomme du roi,
creme de raitues princesse. canetons a
Ia refine, saumon la chlmbord, 6let I
supreme de canetons ]
5eVilIane. chandfroid d'ortolons, sorbet J
lu vim de Porto, poulardes truifes, ter !
ines de Strasbourg a la gelee, salade, a
asperges holandaises, petites infantes c
au chOcOlat, mousse royale au the. The
wines were Royal Court Solera Sherry.
Rioja Claret Chateau Pontet Canet,
Chateau d'Yguem, Bourgo gne, Rudes I
leimer, champagne, and Old Brown
Sherry. No liquors, but black coffee. +
A few words vet in justice to two =
American wines. First, that several ]
brands OF native champagnes, or, If the
lictum OF France is to be obeyed,
sparkling wines deserve greater consid 4
sration on the part of good patriots 7
han is hitherto granted them. Several J
If our makers, who, in the strife for p
upre macy, ferment now IN the bottle
he most delicate and ap propriate wines,
lave achieved splendid results. The
,eriod OF former times Of tentative pro. +
iuction is past, and a number of really p
rood American sparkling wines can l
veil take the place of foreign ones that = =
.ost more than double their price
Next among the number OF very good
iative port wines, those pressed from
he Norton Virginia seeding grape 7
tand at the head. And the very first S
lace is due those ports made in this y
ity Tor years from Nortons, grown in 4
he iron oxide soil near Manassas, and ] D