Cassell's dictionary of cookery

It had once a very great name, and the probable reason why publicans keep it and it only, is, that the class of people they as a rule serve, have heard of Moet's Champagne and of no other. This fact is a practical answer to the question, "What's in a name 1 " We have now run through the general wines drunk in this country, viz.. Sherry, Port, Claret, Burgundy, Hock, Moselle, and Champagne. There is one wine, however, once most popular, but that of late years seems to have gone out of fashion, and that is Madeira. There seems, however, a strong probability of this wine coming in again. The vines in Madeii-a, which so completely failed some few years ago, have very much recovered. Good old East India Madeira, such as is now rarely to be obtained, save at a public dinner of some City company, will bear comparison with almost any wine in the world. The new Madeira now imported is, for its pxice, really a far cheaper wine than sherry, the principal drawback to it being it is somewhat sweet. However, in a few years' time there seems every probability of Madeira recovering its lost position, and those who possess good cellars might certainly make worse speculations than that of laying down some of the new Madeira, which they can get at about 48s. a dozen. There is good sound Madeira to be got at a far cheaper rate. The objection of sweetness is fatal to a large class of wines, and as the public taste just now runs upon dry wines, it is a bad time to attempt to introduce any wine save those that possess this quality. The consumption, for instance, of Sparkling Hock, Sparkling Moselle, and Sparkling Burgundy is less in proportion than that of former years, owing to the difficulty of obtaining these wines dry. Sparkling Hock has too often a tendency to acidity. Sparkling Moselle is a deliciously-scented wine, but is often sweet. It is what used to be called a ladies' wine, and I should imagine children would prefer Sparkling Moselle to ordinary Champagne. At least I am judging of my own feelings and tastes as a child — for in the present day it seems to me that so-called children acquire tastes for dry wines and lobster salads before they leave off knickerbockers. Sparkling Burgundy, when not too sweet, is a magnificent wine, and as its price is below that of the first brands of Champagne, it is somewhat strange that it is not more generally drunk. With i-egard to the order in which wine should be drunk at dinner we have already alluded. If dinner is preceded by those expensive luxuries, oysters, nothing can compare with a glass of Chablis. After soup, a glass of sherry ; if the soup be turtle, a glass of Madeira. After fish, either a dry sheiTy, or should the fish be rich, such as stewed eels, a glass of old East India sherry. Hock, after light entrees; and claret or Burgundy after richer entrees. Champagne not too early in the dinner if diy, and not till late if at all sweet. This seems the fashion in the present day, CASSELL S DICTIONARY OF COOKERY. and in long and elaborate dinners is perhaps best. Of course when wine is drunk freely during dinner, it cannot be drunk freely after dinner. Again, port wine after dinner when Champagne is drunk with dinner is a mixture which but few persons can stand. Port is a heavy wine, and after Champagne is very apt to disagree.