1891 Drinks à La Mode by Mrs de Salis

DRINKS A LA MODE

74

Port.

This wine

is produced in the district of the

Cima de Douro, in Portugal.

Oswald Crawford, in

his Consular Commercial Report, writes : ' The wine-making is in all essential particulars very cautiously and skilfully performed. The over-ripe grapes are picked out and the best are thrown into a large stone-built lager or vat. Into this as many men as can easily find room enter and tread out the juice, when it is allowed to stand till a thorough fermentation has taken place ; then a small portion of brandy is added to prevent the wine from run- ning into an excessive fermentation and so losing much of its saccharine matter.' The colour of port wine varies much ; sometimes it is dark red or else a deep tawny brown. Champagne is produced in the vineyards in the departments of Seine et-Marne, Aube, Yonne, Haute-Saone, and Ardennes. There are white and red champagnes. The white is either sparkling or still. Sparkling (Mousseux) champagne is the result of a peculiar treatment during fermentation. The best varieties of this wine are produced at Rheims and Epernay. Among the white champagnes of the first class the best are those of Sillery, which are of a fine amber hue, dry, spirituous, and possessing a superior bouquet. Age of Wine. Wines differ considerably in their power of en- durance and the requisite time to bring them to