1879 Facts About Champagne and Other Sparkling Wines

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Champagne and Other Sparkling Wines.

au antiquated s~dial markin g the hour on the blank space– above t he vines that climb beside the entrance gateway. The· more an cient of these tenements formed the vendangeoir of the Dukes of Orleans at the time they owned the ch U.teau of l\1areuil,. imrcbased in 1830 by the Duke de Montebello, son of the famous. Marshal Lannes, and minister and aml)assador of Louis Philippe– and Napoleon III. The acquisition of t his property, t o which were attachecl some important vineyards, led, several years later, to the duke' founding, in conjunction with his brothers, the Marquis ancl General Count de Montebello, a ch ampagne firm, whose brand. ..speedily acquired a notable popularity. To-day the business. is carried on by their sons and heirs, for all the original part– n ers in t h e house have .followed their valiant father to the– g rave. Struck down by an Austrian cannon-ball in the zenith of his fame, the ca1•eer of Marshal Lannes, brief as it was,. furnishes one of the most brilliant pages in French military annals. Joining the army of Italy as a volunteer in 1796, h e· was made a colonel on the battle-field in the gorges of Millesimo,. when Augereau's bold advance opened Piedmont to the French. H e fought at Bassano and Lodi, took part in the assault of' Pavia and the siege of Mantua, and at Areola, when Napoleon, -cl ashed flag in hand upon the bridge, Lannes was seriously wounded whilst shielding his general from danger. He after– wards distinguished himself in Egypt, and led the van of the· French army across the Alps, displaying his accustomed bravery both at Montebello and Marengo. At Austerlitz, where h e, commanded the right wing of the army, he greatly contributed. to .the victory, and a J ena, Friedland, and Eylau his valour was again conspicuous. Sent to Spain, he defeated the Spaniards. at Tudela, and took part in the operations against Saragossa~ Wounded at the battle of Essling, when the A1,chduke Charles inflicted upon Napoleon I. the first serious r epulse he had met. with on the field of battle, the valiant Lannes expired a few days afterwards' in the Emperor's arms. We were met at Mareuil, on the occasion of our visit, b31