The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-12-06
WINE men PLEASED
BY RHEIMS REPORT
L. :. Consul Says Grape Harvest
Is Most Satisfactory in
Eight Years.

Champaign. agents in ms ,.;y and
lovers 90 fine vines were pleased ~
r.pnr. made 10y United states Consul, W.
Bl.dcl a: Rheims. which was published N
the, consular bulletins. This report dated
October -. wa transmitted from TroN"s
prp?rt'ueu. o. Auhe. T. says
as Vas predicted IN Ddtlp Consider 7hd
Trad. E.nortS Cor July u the 1914 nav
veg. Of grapes u, the French cha npdSi.
d stvi.. was tho most satisfactory for IN.
last cigu. Years. The total production y
e.ttuatcd To exceed considerably an ave.
AZ" .rop. although cNao. figures are no'
available The grapes are we'll matuTed
aod promise 10 furnish the nu"st vintage
since 1904
Harvesting was begun IL parts % me
clampaync district on September II, in
other sections principally az and near
Rheimsl week later The harves. near
Epcruay. Az. Mareuil. Sc, IL now nearly
completed and in the viciuit" OF Ehe!ms
Tho crop VIII all he gathered ia few
davs. \ shortage OF labor WAS feared for
a time. bu, THIS lack was met by th' ar
rival Of refugees from northern France
and belgium,
Wine merchants in nearly AL par,
Of the district have encountered d'nlcn'tS
IN supplying the grower with barrels.
they having arranged with IN" ind'vidual
growers to keep the wine near tho fields
In which il was produced instead of do
rvcr.ns the grapes as has been the pra'-
'ice heretofore.
Vow OF the agents Of Freuch vine
houses have heard directly from 'h"
French champagne district, great part
Of which has been IN the war zone, ~
the orfices of G II Mumm & Go and
Pol- Roger Company nothing MAO know
cxr.pi what had been CLEANED from news
paper dispatches and they were pleased
that Consul Barde could make such an
encouraging report.
Charie- Du Vivicr o. Du Nivler & GO.
was q lt;tle better posted. lie said As
the champag ne district was overrun by
German troops IL naturally VA t"art
that this years crop would he lost ana
a large part OF tn" vines destroyed As
a matter 81 tact few of the plants hay"
becn permanently injured and scarcely
IN per cent Of the grapes ost. The loss
of stocks OF champagne 81 previous vim
taecs 10 computed by imparta! judges Ia
he only about 10 per cent
The low lying caves in tho chalk. where
| nearly all the sparkling wines are stored
| were not Invaded The wines In the uppcr
huild,ugs already packed for sale ar W y
| as those in the hands Of hotel keepers and
| restauraicurs, We're no doubt freely
! drawn upon and levy was made on tho
! shippers by German officers for a certain
! quantity for the troops, for which o l :
/ we're invariably given otherwise tho W -
| stocks have been left intact and the uuan-
! THY remaining on hand may he esiimat Il
AT between seventy and eighty million
bottles. Ia which must be added this years
/ production.
! considerable damage was done to tho
buildings Of the principal shippers In
1 Rheims, such "a rommery and 'Iqu"'
I but the othcl champagne centre. EpcrnaN
escaped altogether from the invader
The quality OF the 1914 champaign
. appears to resemble both the 1870 and
. 1905 wines, having tho delicate body %.
the former and tho Gle Gaucr OF tie lattcr.