Evening star., 1923-11-11
Frenchmen Tell About Champagne
Production and Present Consumers
BY STERLING HEILIG.
PARIS, November

" HE new amendment 10 the pro-
hibition law of Norway has
been in force eight months.
u It's admission of authentic
French champagne among light wines
is said to have quadrupled, by eN-
change of commodities. the export
trade of Norway to France.
Who drinks the remainder of the
wine that pops and bubbles?
When the German armies entered
Rheims, on September 8, 1914, the
trade was at it's height all over the
world. In the subterranean cities of
Rheims and Epernay there were
stocks of 100000 quarts in bottles
and $4,000, 900 quarts in casks.
AS a fact (and contrary to their
purpose), the German armies con-
sumed little of this vast champagne
stock. On September (as soon as they
arrived and before they had got set
tledD they requisitioned 5000 quart
bottles from the Pommery house and
similar quantities from each of the
fifteen other foremost firms, giving
requisition due bills for the same
which remain unpaid.
Add the levy on the smaller firms
and some large pillage at Epernay.
it comes out that the German armies
drank above 100000 bottles in four
days. None were pints. Suppose
10000 officers, and it makes twenty
quarts apiece. If any officer gave out
ten bottles to his men, it means he
scarcely had three quarts day for
himself!
BOUT September they began to
"A run short at Rheims and set up
headquarters in the Pommery eel
lals But, as they quit Rheims hur
riedly on September II, they drank
no more that day. And they did not
return to either city.
Yet at the end of the war the re-
serves were extraordinarily dimin-
ished.
"A military occupation of four
years has notably decreased, but
without exhausting, the immense
stocks which these cellars guarded"
! Mayor Roche told US Ga party of vis-
| iting newspaper correspondents) In
1920. Furthermore, the vineyards
suffered from the war more than is
! supposed. The areas actually unpro-
ductive G920) represent 40 per cent
of those of 1913. 1t will require years
10 reconstitute them"
Also consumption suffered heavily.
OF the great champagne drinking
countries America had gone prohibi-
tion, Russia had gone soviet, Austria
had gone broke, Germany had gone
away. and Ito quote the London Times
Of 1920 England had gone crazy.
almost prohibitive customs duties"
on French champagne invited Ger
man sparkling moselles. etc. less
taxed, to take their place" A bottle
of champagne "of respectable mark
cost 80 shillings in London restau-
rAnts-which meant near 80 francs,
when so francs per bottle was the
top figure permitted by the prefect
of police of Paris even to the night
restaurants of the gay capital,
We are now in 1928. Almost four
years more have passed. Who drinks
the champagne today? How much
champag gne is there to drink?
have just enjoyed a much-sought
interview and written answers to my
leading questions from the great
centralized Commission d'Exporta-
tion des Wins de France, on request
Of NJ lie Comte de Nun, president of the
champagne hierarchy at Rheims.
1t is astonishing how this product
has held its own.
UT>HE Russians were the greatest
i drinkers" very different per-
sonage had already told me. "One
day a Russian prince drank, all by
| himself, double Jeroboam (eight
quarts). 1t was not rare to see a
Russian do his five bottles between
midnight and am
Adolphe said this. not the COM
mission. So 1 must make it very
clear that l have also interviewed a
specialist of. the retail consumption
i-Adolphe, genial old diplomat of
Paris night life, one time of the
Grand Cafe and other establishments, |
row prosperous proprietor on his
own account. Adolphe can be more
anecdotical than the grave leaders
of the great production.
So every time that the commission
SPEAKS L Will quote Monsieur Jean
Couprie, its secretary, by name. For
the remainder the trade has no re-
sponsibility.
The commerce with Russia has
completely disappeared" says Mon
sieur Couprie, like that with the
United States-because the quantities
imported to the latter country under
medical permits are insignificant"
He admits possessing no means to
check off the contraband trade, but
does not think" that it plays a great
role,
Yet according to Adolphe, Ameri-
cans came directly after Russians as
champagne consumers, and then. in
order, the English, Germans, South
Americans, Especially the Chileans,"
and. last of all these. the French
in 1913. But now the French" says
Adoiphe. ''are promoted"
THE German (when not in uni
form) was always calm, polite, never
complaining, never beating down
prices specifies the old night res
taurant expert. HE made an ideal
customer (when not in uniformD, the
German, we'll born, well to do, with
money to distribute. The Russian
was generous, bon enfant. but often