The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1902-08-28
WINES AND COMETS.
Relation of Vintages and Grapes to
Heavenly Bodies.
CuriosIties of the Tasters' and Adj
yertiserx' Art-Port That Is
"WeII-Bred"--FamO Via
tnge of 1883.

It has been said that a good drink
er should be able at the first taste
20 recognize the wine; at the second
the quality; and at the third, the
age. II any of the genuine race OF
| "pourmets" still survive, they may
be able to appreciate the old for
| mula, though il is to be feared That
| the modern expert would find some
difficulty in applying it. Not that he
| would necessarily be unequa! to the
| occasion in the mere matter OF
words. Every branch of criticism
| has its necessary vocabulary, and
| 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
IL 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 a
nicely what "delicacy and yinocity'
denote, the precise value of the
phrase elegant in STYLE" and the
exact amount Of body necessary to
Justify the encomium OF showing
great frmness."
That u 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-
It's Then there is curious" port,
phrase which touches the connois-
ieur in the one soft spot OF his ex-
pericnccd incredulity. "SC md" and
"old" are responsible adjectiyes, in
dicative Of vinous status OF much
seemlincss and respectability. 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 ana
accomplishment which wine could
possess was summed up and certi-
| fed to by the term "Comet wine"
| Only IA genius could have arrived at
| the conclusion that the vintage of a
notable comet year was OF vastly SUI
| pcrior 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
| ets were held as accountable for
wars, plaques, earthquakes and 9TH
err gricyous troubles. But by 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 n "comet" Gu
cumber or peach season, but with re-
gard to wine, 1t was at once per-
ceiycd that "comet" was n first-rate
word to conjure with. 1t fired the
cornwall 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
enthrallng subject for after-dnner
chatl How often must the wines OF
all ages and countries have been dis
| cussed under the influence OF that
irresistible cordial; probably not
without some display of the com
parative method, In reference to the
cellars OF friends and neighbors.
Even nm astronomer might have
lnpsed into enthusiasm, and told how
the tail Of that particular comet was
OF the stupendous length of 1872 900,
600 miles. HAD IL been coiled round
the earth like serpent, 1t would
have gone round more than 5000
times" A life-giving blanket for the
vines, and magnificent advertise
mcnt for the growers. Then there
was the vintage of 1858, which was
regarded as something wonderful"
| That was the great year Of Donatfs
comet, the splendid appearance Of
which some of us still remember. In
1861, as we are told. the earth passed
through the tail of comet, but how
the grapes of that year were affect
ed by the contact is not very clear,