Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1902-09-10
VINTAGES AND METEORS.
Curious Connection Between Wines
= and Heavenly Visitants-COmet
Wine of 1853.


er should be able at the first taste
to recognize the wine: at the second,
the qualitys and st the third, the
age. If any of the genuine race of
"gourmets" still survive, they may
be able to appreciate the old for
mula, though it is to be feared that
the modern expert would find some
difficulty in applying it. Not that he
would necessarily be unequal to the
words. Every branch of criticism
has it's necessary vocabulary, and a
judge of wine is not behind his
brethren in the use of esoteric terms
of art. The ordinary consumer con-
tents himself with those broad dis
tinctions which are sufficient for
everyday purposes, says the London
Globe.
Any wine merchants list will serve
as an elementary text book on the
subject, and the novice may edify his
mind with such approved epithets as
lovely, soft, round, delicate, until he
is competent to pronounce in favor
of the light and dry" of the full
and generous" But the wine faster
must be master of a much more
subtle appreciation. He knows to
nicely what 'delicacy and vinocity"
denote, the precise value of the
phrase elegant in STYLE" and the
exact amount of body necessary to
Justify the encomium of showing
great firmness."
That port wine should be pro-
nounced "well-bred" is in the nature
of things. Considering the good
company it kept for so many years
any falling off in the manners of
Old Port would be positive calam-
ity. Then there is curious port, a
phrase which touches the connois-
seur in the one soft spot of his ex-
perienced incredulity. Sound" and
"old" are responsible adjectives. in
dicative of vinous status of much
seemliness and responsibility. But
curious" touches a higher note, and
the critical palate at once prepares
itself for revelation.
1t may be questioned, however, if
any of these epithets are so express
sive and satisfying as one which was
formerly in great vogue. Something
like century ago every virtue and
accomplishment which a wine could
possess was summed up and certi-
fed to by the term comet wine"
Only a genius could have arrived at
the conclusion that the vintage of
notable comet year was of vastly SUI
perior quality and flavor to that pro-
duced in ordinary seasons; and none
but an astute man of business could
have turned the discovery to profit
able account. In the old time COM
cts were held as accountable for
wars, plaques, earthquakes and 9TH
er grievous troubles. But by a play
full wrench of fancy they were sup
posed to bring warmth and sunshine
and to bestow special fruitfulness
upon the vine.
No one has heard of comet GU
cumber or peach season, but with re-
gard to wine, it was at once per-
ceived that comet" was first-rate
word to coniure with. It fired the
convivial Imagination and was also
of considerable mnemonic assistance.
Thus we read of that worthy gentle
man of the old school who yet
nurses some few bottles of the IA
nous comet year of 1911. emphatic
ally called comet wine.'" What an
enthralling subject for after-dinner
chati How often must the wines of
all ages and countries have been dis
cussed under the influence of that
Irresistible cordial; probably not