1910s Jack's manual by J A Grohusko (3rd edition)

minutes, even in the hottest weather. important to remember that too much icing destroys body and vinosity. Served with ice puddings a rich champagne is delicious, or even after soup, but it would be considered cruel to provide nothing but champagne during the whole of a dinner. Should champagne be required between luncheon and dinner, it is well to serve a biscuit with it. AMERICAN CHAMPAGNES. Wines made in America — There are many excellent types which resemble the better foreign qualities in many essen- tials. They are clean and palatable, with a good deal of "mousse.' They are good "Dinner Wines." On account of there being no tax or duty on Domestic Champagnes they are much lower in price than the imported. American Sparkling Wines are produced principally in three territories, viz.: In New York State, in the Ohio and Missouri District and in California. New York State produces nearly four-fifths of the out- put from grapes grown on the steep hills around Hammonds- port and Lake Keuka. These wines are light and delicate, resembling much the French Saumurs. The Ohio and Missouri wines, whilst being heavier in body, are somewhat rougher in flavor. California, while the largest producer of still wines, has up to the present time, furnished but little champagne. Great progress has been made for the past few years by Urbana Wine Company wines. They are presenting a red, sparkling Burgundy on the market; making great progress. FORMING THE SPARKLE The ferments which existed at the time of the vintage and had become dormant during the winter, revive with the first warmth of spring, and commence to act afresh. They de- compose the natural sugar still remaining from the vintage and transform it, as also the cane sugar added at the time of bottling, into a supplementary amount of alcohol and carbonic acid gas; but this time the gas cannot escape be- cause the bottle is hermetically sealed; instead, it mixes thor- oughly with the wine, producing that elegant sparkle so well known. This fermentation in the corked bottle generates a deposit which settles on the lower side of the bottle and must be got rid of. This is effected by two operations. These are the "mise sur pointe" and the "disgorgement." THE MISE SUR POINTE The bottles are placed head downward through an in- clined plank pierced with holes at an angle of 70 degrees. Every day for at least three months a cellarman, specially trained for this kind of work, shakes the bottles lightly against the plank with a wrist movement quick and sharp. The deposit slowly descends and collects on the cork. It is