1879 Facts About Champagne and Other Sparkling Wines

CONTENTS.

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I .-THE ORIGIN OF CHAMPAGNE.

The Early Vineyards of the ChQ,mpagne- 'l'heir Produce esteemed by Popes ancl Kings, Courtiers and Prel1ttcs-Controversy regarding the rival Merits of the Wines of Burgundy ancl the Champagne-Dorn P erio-non's happy Discovery of Sparkling Wine-Its Patrons under Lou~ Quntorzc ancl the 1-tegency-Tbe Ancient Church and Abbey of Hautvillers-Fnrre and Co.'s Champngne Cel!a.rs-The Abbey of St. P eter now a Farm-Existing Rema.ins of the Monastic Builclings- 'l'he Tombs and Decorations of the Ancient Church-The Last Resting– Place of Dom Perignon-The Legend of the Holy Dove-Good Cham– pagne th~ Rest1lt of Labour, Skill, Minute Precaution, and C[J,I·eful Observat10n 9 OF THE RIVER. Ay, the Vineynrcl of Golden Plants-Summoning the Vintagers by Beat of Drum-Excitement in the Surrounding Villages-The Pickers at Work-Sorting the Grnpes-Grapes Gatherecl at Sunrise the Best– Varieties of Vines in the Ay Vineyards-Few of the Growers in the Champagne Crush t heir own Grapes-Squeezing the Grapes in the "Prcssoir" and Drn.wing off the Must-Cheerful Glnsses Round-The Vin,tage at l\'foreuil- Bringing in the Grapes on Mules ancl Donkeys– 'l'he Vi.Qeyarcls of Avenay, Mntigny, nncl Cumieres-Damery and Adrienne Lecouvreur, l\farechn.l de Saxe, andtheobeseAnna I wano11<-ua -'l'he Vineyards of the C()te d'Epernay- Bom sault and its Cbllteau– Pierry ancl its Vineyard Cellars-The Clos St. Pierrc-Moussy and Vinay-A Hermit's Cave nnd a Mirneulous Fountain-Ablois St. Mar– tin- The C6te d'Avize- 'l'he Grand Premier Cru of Cramant-Avize .and its Wines-The Vineyards of Oger and Le Mesuil-The Old Town of Vertus and its Vine-clad Slopes-Their Heel "\Vine formerly .celebrated 20 II.-THE VINT.A.GE IN THE CHAMPAGNE. THE VrnEY.A.RDS