1879 Facts About Champagne and Other Sparkling Wines

37

The Vineyards of the MO'ltntain.

On leaving Reims on our excursion to the vineyards of Bouzy we pass the quaint old church of St. Remi, one of the sights of the Champagne capital, and notable am,ong other things for its magnificent ancient stained-glass windows, and the handsome modern tomb of the popular Remois saint. It was here i~ the middle ages that that piece of priestly mummery, the procession of the herrings, used -to take place at dusk on the Wednesday before Easter. Preceded by a cross the canons of the church marched in double file up the aisles, each trailing a cord after him, with a herring attached. Every one's o1ject was t o tread on the herring in front of him 1 and prevent his own herring from being trodden upon by the canon who followed behind-a difficult enough proceeding which, if it did not edify, certainly afforded much amusement to the lookers-on. Soon after crossing the canal and the river Vesle we leave the grey antiquated-looking village of Cormontreuil on our left, and traverse a wide stretch of cultivated country streaked with patches ofwoodland. Occasional Windmills dot the distant heights, while villages nestle among the trees up the mo1mtain sides and in the quiet hollows. Soon a few vineyards occupying the lower slopes, and thronged by bands of vintagers, come in sight,' and the country too gets more picturesque. We pass succes– sively on our right hand Rilly, producing a capital red wine, then Chigny, and afterwards Ludes, all three more or less up the mountain, with vines in all directions, r elieved by a dark back– ground of forest tree . In the old days the Knights Templars of the Commanderie of Reims had the right of vinage at Ludes, and exacted their modest "pot" (about half a gallon) per piece ou all the wine the village produced. On our left hand is Mailly, the Yineyards of which join those of Verzenay, and yield a wine noted for finesse and bouquet. From the wooded knolls here– abouts a view is gained of the broad plains of the Champagne, dotted with white village~ and scattered homesteads among the poplars and the limes, the winding Vesle glittering in the sun- , light, and the dark towers of Notre Dame de Reims, with all their rich Gothic fretwork, rising maj estically above the distant city.