1910 Jack's Manual by J A Grohusko

PRODUCTION OF CHAMPAGNE.

Champagne is produced in the Department of Marne., where grapes were cultivated as far back as the sixth cen- tury. In the last will and testament of Remy, Archbishop of Reims, dated A. D. 530, he bequeaths to the clergy of his diocese, vineyards situated in the neighborhood of that city. The growth of the Champagne district has continu- ally increased since the tenth century, and viticulture has become a very important industry. The real development of champagne dates from the eighteenth century, when Dom Perignon, a monk of the Abbey of Hautvillers, near Eper- nay, discovered the method of making sparkling cham- pagne. The Champagne district seems to have a special influence over the fruit grown upon it, which possesses a perfume and other qualities not found in grapes grown any- where else. The soil is composed of chalk with a light covering of earth, which gives the grapes their distinctive qualities, producing a sparkling wine which cannot be equalled. Many people think that campagne is made from a white grape, but not more than one quarter of the grapes grown in the Champagne vineyards are white, the rest being black. Great precaution is taken not to crush the grapes when gathering, the bunches being detached from the vine one by one, and carefully sorted according to their ripeness, and in some locations every individual grape is examined. The grapes are pressed daily in a large press, worked by hand, and the must (juice) is separated at once from the stalk and skin, which contains the coloring matter. This liquid is almost colorless, and after fermentation becomes still lighter in color. The juice obtained from the press by three consecutive pressings, gives the cuvee, and it is this liquid which has the necessary qualities to make a fine wine. The wines obtained by subsequent pressure are called vins de suite, and are inferior in quality, and cannot be used for choice champagne. As the must runs out of the press, it is put into vats, where it is left to settle for twelve hours to allow impurities to settle at the bottom. It is then drawn off into casks, the cleanliness of which is scrupulously looked after. A few days later fermentation commences and changes the sweet liquid into an alcoholic one, which is wine. When cold weather sets in. the wine becomes clear and is drawn off, the lees remaining in the cask. The wine-producing district of Champagne may be divided into three regions. First, the mountain country of Reims, where the grapes possess the distinctive qualities of