1911 Beverages de luxe

Bhone, in the commune of Tain, one of the Queen's courtiers, in the year 1225, wishing to leave court life, built himself a retreat on an isolated MIL It became known as his hermitage, and lie experimented witli wine-making tliere with great suc- cess. This is where the world was given the wines that have since become celebrated as the Hermitage wines. The vine- yards, though small, produce wines of such rare excellence that their famé has spread wherever wine is drunk. Both red and white wines are made here, but the white wine is the best and the one that has acquired famé. The wines specifically mentioned above constitute the classes of the best known of the many différent kinds that are produced in France, but, as already stated, other beverages made from wine have added to the greatness of the industry in this country. In the year 1313, the art of distillation was in- troduced in France, and, being especially adopted in the Cham- pagne district, resulted in the production of wine Brandy, which has become more known under the term of Cognac. This name was applied because most of the Brandy was distilled in the city of Cognac, in the Department of Charente, but, con- trary to some popular belief, Cognac Brandy is not distilled from the sparkling wine known as Champagne, but is made from the wines produced in the Campagne district. Liqueurs and Cordials are made from wines distilled or blended with varions herbs and plants. Here, again, the monks were the originators, and to them the world is indebted for the production of those Cordials that are to-day so popular, and whose manufacture has developed into a large industry. The art of making the différent Liqueurs was closely guarded in the cloisters where they were originally made, and the processes have always been regardée! as a valuable secret, as for each Cor- dial différent roots and herbs are required, and there must be a minute knowledge of the préparation of them, the right quan- tifies to use, and the proper methods of distillation. The exact processes were kept within the bounds of the cloisters, and only made known to the new recruits among the monks, themselves. This was the history of that most famous of French Liqueurs, Chartruese, which was originally made by the Càrthusian Monks in their monastery near Grenoble. But, during the ré- cent troubles of the monks, when they were ordered out of France, they sold their secret for an immense sum, and the Liqueurs such as they manufactured are now being made by a private company in France, although recently the monks have denied their right to the use of the name Chartruese. But withal, with the advance of science and chemistry, most of the secrets of the monks in the distillation of various Liqueurs have become known, and thèse delightfnl beverages are now being manufactured equally as well by régulai* business concerns.