1892 Drinks of the world

DRINKS.

69

and stringing, Imparts the rounds shaped top peculiar to champagne corks. The bottles, after being corked and wired, are allowed to rest for two or three months, in order that the wine and the liqueur may properly amalgamate, and are then tinselled and labelled, ready for the consumer ; but some of the best wines are kept for years to mature, and are, of course, of far higher value. A sweet Champagne may be made of any wine, but a dry Champagne must be a good wine, as, if it is not sound, its acidity is detected at once ; but this defect would be hidden by the liqueur necessary to make it sweet. At Epernay, the bulk of the wine is not so good as that coming from Reims, and sells at a lower price ; but there are firms there of world-wide note, such as Moet & Chandon, Perrier, Joiiet & Co., Mennier Freres, Wachter & Co., etc. Bordeaux or Claret. In England we generally call the wines coming from Bordeaux, Clarets, the derivation of which cognomen is somewhat obscure ; but it seems almost universally accepted that it comes from the French word Clairety which is used even at the present time as a generic term for the vins ordinaires of a light and thin quality, grown in the south of France, and was in use from a very early date. The old French poet, Olivier Basselin (who died 14 18 or 14 19), sings : '^ Beau nez, dont les rubis ont coute mainte pipe De vin blanc et clairet ..."