1923 Harry of Ciro's ABC of mixing cocktails (second impression)

o£ Libourne. This district produces wines of a more generous character than the Mddoc. They are often called the Burgundies of the Gironde. 6. Cotes and Palus. The Cotes wines are those from hillside vineyards in different parts of the Ddpartement of the Gironde, and the Palus wines are those obtained from vines planted in rich alluvial soil adjacent to the banks of the Gironde, Garonne, or Dordogne. Clarets are the most natural wines made, and owe nothing to any artificial aids to improve the wine. The colour, body, flavour, and alcoholic strength are all due to the species of grapes used in making the wine, to the nature of the soil, the aspect of the vineyards where such grapes arc grown, and the natural fermentation of the wine. As soon as the grapes are ripe they arc carefully picked, and all unsound berries removed. After being pressed the juice of the grape is left to ferment in large wooden tubs, whence after a short time the wine is withdrawn into hogsheads. Development proceeds naturally for two or three years, and the wine is occasionally " racked," or drawn off into fresh hogsheads. The wine is then put into bottle, and will continue to improve in bottle for a length of time dependent on the quality of the wine and the characteristics of the particular vintage when it was produced.