The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-07-12
CHAMPAGNE" FOR
QUARTER A BOTTLE
OF Course It Isn't Genuine,
Though It "Fizzcs"
and "Pops."
MANY "FAKERS" FRANCE
One-fourth Of the Export
Product Is Spu-
rious.
MANY "FAKERS" IN FRANCE


REIMS, July eff YOU told an Ameri-
can YOU could buy IL bottle of champaign
for % cents you probably would be met
with a merry "Ha ha," and yet II Is n
fact that for % cents YOU can get some
thing marked champagne"
To label liquor which Is not au-
thentic champagne with the name of
the fne wine of the monk Dom PeTignon
Is an offence against the French law, yet
there is "A considerable trade in FrancA.
Belgium and elsewhere In wines which
have nothing In common with champagne
but the name on the bottle and the shape
of the cork.
Spurious liquor counts for fourth
In the total export from the champag ne
district. The turnover is about $3.50
100000 year and there exists in Relps
- regular association OF champagne
takers"
\ typical case Is reported in a recent
issue Of La Champagne Vitcoic. Three
wine merchants in Paris were prosecuted
Tor tromperie sur la nature de la mar
chandise' Cfraud In the nature of the
merchandise). for that they knowingly
sold as champagne wine which was
no. champagne, and attached to the bot
Ties capsules and labels intended To create
Confusion In tho mind OF the purchaser
Inc bottles In reality contained a sparl-
IlnS VINE which one of the dealers adj
United he bought at the same price ms
Other sparkling wineS--oI cents a hattie
lie and the other dealers were condemned
TO pay to the Wine Growers Svndicnto
OF Epernay $500 and to eighteen other
sShulcates S-O each, the judgment to be
! inserted at tho expense of the d.linouar 9
IN two journals selected by the svndil
Gates each insertion to cost not more
| than $40. "'''o
owing to the activity Of the Wine Grow.
era Federation the Operations OF tho
Iraudeurs are not conducted so onenlv
90 Iormerly' but at present a score of
prosecutions are pending.
NO one who knows the tho 0av,, ., r,,,
champagne is likely 10 be deceivod h,, 49,
spurious mixtures sold at ridiculouslv lou
| prices IN bottles OF the Same shano ~,
.'ose containing the genuine wine I'm,
a iahers are cunning fraternity
ana their ingenuity Is employed In v,rinus
"ass 20 clrcunNeht the law, Sometimes a
consignment Is sent out with no Ioh,Is ~,
| The bottles. Tile forwurder ms ~, 20 20. ", W''
euity IN clearing the goods al tn. custom
house' Tor no does not contraveno tbc
| at" ny asserting that the wine il chan
| lSNshe' Later a stock of labels hearing
Ne WORD champagne" is posted 10 ths
| ties. '''' 'o'-
When the magic but forbidden v,ord
uoes not actually appear on the labels
.hose who trade on the reputation of the
| hrst class houses which sell only mo
costly and irreproachable wines OF the
halne substitute such sophstlcal guar
antees as Grand VIM" WIN Royal, +"
FIRST Quality win du Due do
m 'up1rleur' ana 50 on. adding the
names Reilns and Epernay.
one artful dealer did a profitable trad,
Tor while in what he called Cham
| payne Suzanne" lie had dlscover,d !,
| humble, illiterate woman In Sedan whn
Kept wine shop and was called Suzann,
| Nhaihpashe' 80 the knowing dealer cam,
| 10 an ARRANGEMENT with her to ,xnIoi,
heI ianle' iheh he transposed the words.
put champagne" In very bold letters ON
the label and Suzanne" IN very dirnir,,,
1.-Two characters. and flooded the martc,
with II win mousseuN" which was moi "a :
all the nectar of the gods
The law which forblds "tromperl." was
| invoked against the unscrupulous mos
chant. and when lie pleaded that he had
"a right TO use Il name which actually
existed the Judge told him that his ar
gument had just as little value as that
OF grocer called Butter who should
pretend that his name gave him the
tight to foist margarine on his Gus
toners.
The nducement to produce and sell
TAXED champagne is the large profits
made in the business. ON "A bottle sold
| NHOltSdlf at Genus lNt itiler makes
five cents and the cafe or restaura Mt
proprietor charges at least double what
We paid for It. Those who drink such
stun can hardly be very particular. FOR
very little sense Is needed 10 see that no
champagne worth drinking can be had
~ so cents n bottle.
IT, however the bottle cork and label
are sufficiently attractiVe-and they al
WAYS are--and the wine has enough "l2''
and pop" those who have dined literally
will not he too critical.
At n cafe largely frcnuented by Parls
students sparkling wine which costs
he proprietor a quarter bottle Is sold
IT 81, and at certain establishments in
Nontmartre--the reput5d resorts Of noe
'urnal gayety--it II not difficult at "
o'clock In the morning to obtain 81 a.
oven Sc for a, bottle Of tho hfady beveN
age