1933 Jack's Manual by J A Grohusko

INTRODUCTORY

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tained the same degree of maturity as the others; the wine pressed from it is called"vin de queue"and is relatively unim portant in quantity. The grapes are pressed rapidly,so as to prevent the winefrom taking too deep a color from the skin. The must which flows from the press is at once put into casks, where the fermentation begins almost immediately and lasts several weeks,the duration depending on the style of the wine and on the temperature. The quality is approximately judged by the musts, but it is only after the first racking, generally when the winter is over, that a definite opinion can be formed. Four rackings a year are necessary — sometimes five for wines of the first picking —and a daily inspection, tasting, and filling of the casks are requisite to insure proper treatment. The classed growths are sold under their name, Chateau Yquem being the first and probably the best known.But simply as Sauternes, Barsac, Bommes,Preignac,and other wines of the highest grade are sold and fetch high prices, the greatest care being bestowed on the small vineyards, as on the large ones. Sauternes of successful vintages are delicate in flavor,of a pale golden color, mellow, rich, bordering on sweetness, and with a fine, agreeable bouquet. They are hygienic, not heady, and merit being called perfection in white wines. Dr. Mauriac, of Bordeaux, says in one of his works:"The great Sauternes white wines, which are of a relatively high alco holic strength,are both tonic and stimulating;consumed moder ately,they are invaluable to convalescents after a severe illness or when it is necessary to revive an organism attenuated by high fever, hemorrhage, or long fatigue. "They are perfect as dessert wines, and one or two glasses at the end of a meal facilitate digestion and provoke gayety."

BURGUNDIES

The wines produced in the province of Burgundy,situated in eastern France, in the Cote-d'Or, between Macon, Beaune, and