Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 24.djvu/643

Rh WINE 605 which is very productive, and not so liable to attacks from Oidium as other descriptions. The grapes of this vine, however, have to be gathered with promptitude, as they ripen very quickly and if subjected to rain soon become rotten. The vine most generally selected, however, is the Malbec, which is a remarkably early bearer, its chief disadvantage being that it is very susceptible to frost. Of the various vine diseases and pests the chief is undoubtedly the Phylloxera (see VINE, p. 238 above), which was first seen in Medoc in 1869. The amount of damage caused by this insect during the past fifteen years is almost incredible, and at one time it was feared that the vineyards would be wholly destroyed. Of late, however, con siderable success has been met with in checking its inroads, the area now under vine cultivation being larger than was the case when its ravages first began to make themselves severely felt. Another evil which has occasionally been very virulent is the Oidiuiii, a species of fungus, which first made its appearance in France in 1851, about which time it also devastated the vineyards of Madeira. Another cause from which an enormous amolint of damage has been done of recent years is the mildew, which not only destroys the leaves and fruit, but further leaves its taint on wines made from grapes affected by it. It is believed, however, that a complete cure or prevention for this pest has been found in a solution of sulphate of copper. In addition to these enemies, the vine-grower has to take account of hail, frost, and coulure this last caused by too great humidity of the soil, which leads to large quantities of flowers falling from the branches before turning into grapes, and also to the grapes themselves falling. The vintage in Medoc usually commences between the middle and end of Sep tember and lasts from two to three weeks. The process is a very .simple one. The grapes are gathered and brought on bullock drays to the press-house ; here they are separated from the stalks and placed in vats, where they arc allowed to ferment for a period of from seven to fifteen days. As soon as the wine is sufficiently made, it is drawn off into hogsheads and removed to light and airy stores. The first month the bung is put lightly in and the cask filled up every three or four days ; the second month it is put in more firmly and the cask filled every eight days. In March, the lees having fallen, the first soutirage or drawing-off takes place. A second is made in June and a third in November, after which the hogsheads are turned on their side and the fillings-up cease. In the second and following years, after the wine has been removed to dark cellars, two drawings-off suffice, one in spring and the other in autumn. After this, if the wine ferments, it is drawn off in a sulphured cask, and if necessary fined with eggs and again drawn off in a fortnight. The great variety of qualities that the wines of Medoc possess has necessitated their classification, by which they have been divided into paysan, artisan, bourgeois, and fine growths, the last- named being subdivided into five categories, and known as the &quot;classed growths.&quot; This classification is the result of years of observation and study, going back to the 18th century, its present form being the result of a conference of brokers in 1855. Subjoined is a list of the red wines of Medoc (the English &quot;claret&quot;), with the names of the cantons to which they belong. FIEST GROWTHS. Chateau Latitte, Pauillac. ,, Margaux, Margaux. Chateau Latour, Pauillac. Haut-Brion, Pessae. SECOND GROWTHS. Chateau Mou ton -Rothschild, Pauillac. Rauzan-Segla, Margaux. ,, Kauzan-Gassies, ,, Leoville-Lascases, St Julien. Leoville-Poyferre, ,, Leoville-Barton, Durfort-Vivens, Margaux. Lascoinbes, ,, Gruaud - Larose - Sarget, St Julien. Chateau Gruaud-Larose, St Julien. Branne-Caiitenac, Cantenac. ,, Pichon-Longueville, Pauillac. ,, Pichon-Longueville- Lalande, Pauillac. ,, Dueru-Beaucaillou, St Julien. Cos d Estournel, St Estephe. Chateau Montrose, ,, THIRD GROWTHS. Chateau Palmer, Cantenac. ,, La Lagune, Luclon. ,, Uesmirail, Margaux. Calon-Segur, St Estephe. ,, Ferriere, Margaux. ,, Becker, ,, Chateau Kirwan, Cantenac. D Issan, Cantenac. Lagrange, St Julien. Langoa, ,, Giscours, Labarde. Malescot, Margaux. Brown Cantenac, Cantenac. FOURTH GROWTHS. Chateau Saint- Pierre, St Julien. Chateau La Tour Carnet, St Laurent. ,, Branaire-Duluc, Rochet, St Estephe. Talbot, Beychevelle, St Julien. ,, Duhart-Milon, Pauillac. Le Prieure, Cantenac. ,, Poujet, Cantenac. Marquis de Thenne, Margaux. FIFTH GROWTHS. Chateau Pontet-Canet, Pauillac. ,, Batailley, ,, Grand-Puy-Lacoste, Ducasge-Grand-Puy, ,, Chateau Lynch-Bages, ,, Lynch-Moussas, Pauzac, Lahanle. ,, Moiiton-d Annailhacq, Pauil lac. Chateau Lo Tertrc, Arsac. Haut-Bages, Pauillac. ,, Pedesclaux, ,, ,, Belgrave, St Laurent. ., Caniensac, ,, Cos-Labory, St Estephe. Chateau Clerc-Milon, Pauillac. ,, Croizet-Bages ,, Cantemerle, Macau. The average yield of the Gironde during the ten years 1876-1886 amounted to 1,435,863 hectolitres, or about 31,589,000 gallons, an average which has been placed considerably lower than that of the preceding decade by the small yields of 1881, 1882, 1884, and 1885. In each of the prolific years of 1874 and 1875 the production of the Gironde exceeded 5,000,000 hectolitres, and in 1869 it reached 4,500,000. The principal claret vintages of the 19th century are considered to have been those of 1815, 25, 28, 31, 34, 41, 47, 48, 58, 64, 69, 70, 74, and 75. From 1875 to 1882 nothing exceptional was produced. Of the vintages since 1882 it is still too early to speak, although it is probable that some of the 1884 s, where they have escaped the mildew, and the 1887 s will turn out well. Sauterne, or what is known as the white-wine-producing district Sauterne, of Medoc, lies to the south of Bordeaux ; and to those who are only familiar with the Medoc vineyards it gives the impression of being quite a distinct country, having more the appearance of the Rhine provinces than of the south of France. The vintage in the Sauterne district is frequently as late as the end of October, and in some cases does not take place until November. The method followed differs from that of Medoc, the grapes being gathered almost one by one, and not until they have almost assumed the appearance of rottenness, or extreme ripeness, so that in fact fermentation has commenced before the fruit is taken from the plant. The Sauterne grapes are white and of medium size, and yield a must which does not lose the whole of the sugar during fermentation, but remains sweet without the addition of spirit. In gathering the grapes, it is customary for women to cut off with scissors the berries as they ripen, the vintage thus lasting over a considerable time. The grapes, moreover, are not put into vats, but are carefully pressed and the juice put into hogsheads, while the fermentation completes itself. The first result is a very sweet luscious wine, known as the tete, which is chiefly sent to Russia, where it makes enormous prices. Following this a second wine, of a drier character, called millieu, is made from the less saccharine grapes, this being the class of wine generally known as Sauterne. There is also a third process, in which all the remaining grapes are mixed together and pressed, the result being called the queue. In the preparation of the better class wines for the English market the three varieties are usually mixed in certain proportions, so that the wine sent to the United Kingdom is very different from the oily liqueur-like article which is in such favour in the colder climate of Russia. As a rule all the finer descriptions are put into bottle before ship ment, the corks bearing the name of the chateau and the vintage, as is the case with the chateau-bottled red wine. The character of Sauterne may be best described as being, in good years, very luscious and yet very delicate, and possessing a special sere, or, in other words, having that special taste which, while it remains in the. mouth, leaves the palate perfectly fresh. The Sauterne district comprises the communes of Sauternes, Bommes, and Barsac, with part of those of Freignac, Saint-Pierre-de-Mons, and Fargues. The finer growths, like the red wines of Medoc, are arranged in classes, in the following order : GRAND FIRST GROWTH. Chateau Yquem, Sauternes. FIRST GROWTHS. Chateau La Tour Blanche, Bomme.s. Peyraguey, ,, Vigneau, ,, Smluiraut, Preignac. Coutet, Barsac. Chateau Climens, Barsac. Bayle (Guiraud), Sauternes. ,, Rieussec, Fargues. ,, Rabaut, Bommes. Chateau Myrat, Barsae. Doisy, ,, Peyxotto, Bommes. D Arche, Sauternes. Filhot, SECOND GROWTHS. Chateau Caillou, Barsac. Suau, ,, ,, Malle, Preiguac. ,, Romer, ,, Lamothe, Sauternes. Bronstet-Xerac, Barsac. The prices of the &quot;grand &quot; Sauterne wines vary enormously accord ing to the year, the quality of which is also very various. Between 1870 and 1885 the first growths have ranged from 8 to 60 per hogshead. Chateau Yquem in the ordinary way fetches from one- fifth to one-fourth more than the other first growths, whilst a rather greater difference rules between the first and second growths. There is, however, no positive rule in this respect ; for if, as occasionally happens, a first growth is vintaged a little too late and does not succeed so well as some second growths, the latter will fetch quite as high, if not higher, prices. Champagne takes its name from the old province which is now Cham- represented by the departments of Marnc, Haute-Marne, Aube, and pague. Ardennes. It is from the first two that the greater portion of this description of wine is derived, the best qualities being pro duced in Marne. The vineyards are situated on the banks of tho river in the neighbourhood of Epernay, and extend from the right bank over the mountains of Rheims to the vicinity of that city and from the left bank to the small town of Vertus. Of those near tho river the principal are at Ay, Dixy, Hautvillers, and Mareuil on the right bank, and at Pierry and Moussy on the left, whilst in the district reaching to the south of these are those of Avize, Cramant,