CHAMPAGNE.— This name is given to a very wide
and indefinite class of wines, white or red, still or sparkling,
but especially the latter, as understood in this country.
The title is derived from the district of Champagne, in
France, now represented by the department of Marne,
where the rich soil gives to the grapes a quality they
would not otherwise be found to possess. The genuine
Champagne wines are classified as first and second cuvees,
or pressings, and yield mousseux, demi-mousseux, or
cremant, and non-mousseux or sillery. The mousseux,
or “sparkling” Champagne, is prepared as follows:
After the vintage the wine stands till December ; it is
then racked off into other vessels, and fined with isinglass.
In the following March it is put into bottles and corked
with great care, the corks being softened in hot water
and inserted with much force. The bottles are then
stacked in the stores in a sloping position, with the corks I
pointing downwards, so that any sediment may collect
in the neck of the bottle on the cork, and then by
drawing the cork the deposit can readily be removed.
Before re-corking, brandy and sugar are introduced in
various proportions, or a liqueur of the finest old brandy
mixed with a proportion of old Champagne, and in which
the purest white sugar-candy has been dissolved ; and to
these additions are, in a great measure, due the various
Champagne — continued.
degrees known in the market as sweet, dry, and liqueured.
In Champagne prepared for the English market, the
proportion of sugar introduced is very small, and that
of brandy very large ; whereas for the French and Belgian
markets the sugar preponderates over the brandy, and
hence their Champagnes are sweeter and less intoxicating
than ours. In re-corking, an extraordinary waste of wine
ensues from the bursting and breaking of bottles, sup-
posed to be caused by the strength of the wine, and buyers
are wont to estimate the value of the wine by the amount
of breakage — the best wine breaking most bottles ; but it
is just possible that some of the breakage may be due
to unsound bottles or careless handling. The most ex-
tensive cellars or storehouses in France are cut out of
the chalk hills, forming subterranean caverns of extra-
ordinary extent. The temperature in these crypts is low
and regular, and the wine is not so subject to be disturbed
by external changes of weather or season.
The best varieties of Champagne are those manu-
factured around Rheims and Epernay. Sillery has a fine
amber colour, is dry, spirituous, and possesses a remark-
able bouquet ; the wines of Ay and Mareuil are less
spirituous, but sparkling, and also with a fine bouquet ;
so also are those of Hautvilliers, Dizy, and Pierry.
Saumur is a second-class Champagne of good quality,
and several other well-known brands have their claims
upon public consideration ; but, although the markets are
well supplied with the genuine wine, there are many
imitations and shams to be met with sold at low prices,
that may be pleasing to some palates, but are as bad
as poison to the connoisseur. These are sometimes mis-
called “ Tisane de Champagne but although Tisane is
an exceedingly light wine, it should be the pure, although
much watered, juice of the grape.
Page 220
Presented as published in 1890. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
CHAMPAGNE.— This name is given to a very wide and indefinite class of wines, white or red, still or sparkling, but especially the latter, as understood in this country. The title is derived from the district of Champagne, in France, now represented by the department of Marne, where the rich soil gives to the grapes a quality they would not otherwise be found to possess. The genuine Champagne wines are classified as first and second cuvees, or pressings, and yield mousseux, demi-mousseux, or cremant, and non-mousseux or sillery. The mousseux, or “sparkling” Champagne, is prepared as follows: After the vintage the wine stands till December ; it is then racked off into other vessels, and fined with isinglass. In the following March it is put into bottles and corked with great care, the corks being softened in hot water and inserted with much force. The bottles are then stacked in the stores in a sloping position, with the corks I pointing downwards, so that any sediment may collect in the neck of the bottle on the cork, and then by drawing the cork the deposit can readily be removed. Before re-corking, brandy and sugar are introduced in various proportions, or a liqueur of the finest old brandy mixed with a proportion of old Champagne, and in which the purest white sugar-candy has been dissolved ; and to these additions are, in a great measure, due the various
Champagne — continued.
degrees known in the market as sweet, dry, and liqueured. In Champagne prepared for the English market, the proportion of sugar introduced is very small, and that of brandy very large ; whereas for the French and Belgian markets the sugar preponderates over the brandy, and hence their Champagnes are sweeter and less intoxicating than ours. In re-corking, an extraordinary waste of wine ensues from the bursting and breaking of bottles, supposed to be caused by the strength of the wine, and buyers are wont to estimate the value of the wine by the amount of breakage — the best wine breaking most bottles ; but it is just possible that some of the breakage may be due to unsound bottles or careless handling. The most extensive cellars or storehouses in France are cut out of the chalk hills, forming subterranean caverns of extraordinary extent. The temperature in these crypts is low and regular, and the wine is not so subject to be disturbed by external changes of weather or season.
The best varieties of Champagne are those manufactured around Rheims and Epernay. Sillery has a fine amber colour, is dry, spirituous, and possesses a remarkable bouquet ; the wines of Ay and Mareuil are less spirituous, but sparkling, and also with a fine bouquet ; so also are those of Hautvilliers, Dizy, and Pierry. Saumur is a second-class Champagne of good quality, and several other well-known brands have their claims upon public consideration ; but, although the markets are well supplied with the genuine wine, there are many imitations and shams to be met with sold at low prices, that may be pleasing to some palates, but are as bad as poison to the connoisseur. These are sometimes miscalled "Tisane de Champagne," but although Tisane is an exceedingly light wine, it should be the pure, although much watered, juice of the grape.