1872 Cooling Cups and Dainty Drinks (Mixellany)

Haut Brion. 7 Claret is divided into several classes, rated according to their excellence. The chief vine tracts are those of M^doc, Graves, Palus, and Blanche, each particular vineyard producing a peculiar sort of vine ; that of Medoc yielding the glorious vintage of Chateau Margaux, Lafite, Latour, and others, such as L^oville, Larose, St. Julien, St. Estephe, Branne Mouton, and other celebrated red wines. The famous Haut Brion is produced from the vine tract of Le Graves, which also produces the white wine known as Vin-de- Grave, The wines of the flat and fertile Palus are deep-coloured, full-bodied, rough and hard, when new, but they improve much by keeping. Being well adapted for long voyages, they are known as cargo wines. The Blanches, or dry white wine dis- trict, gives us the wines known as Sauterne, Barsac, &c. Among the choice white wines produced in this district the most famous is Chateau d'Yquem. This celebrated wine is now getting into great favour in this country, and commands high prices. The generality of the wines of Bordeaux, through containing little alcohol, will stand and keep well. They are greatly improved by a sea voyage; indeed it often happens that wines of a lower growth will become so much improved as to almost