1930 The Savoy Cocktail Book

CHAMPAGNE

Towards the end of April most of the wine is bottled, the balance being placed on reserve in the spacious underground cellars of the shipper. Now it is important to note that at this time the wine is placed into the actual bottles that will subsequently be so elegantly ' dressed,' and in which the Champagne is eventually sold. The clari fying and re-fermentation processes which follow are all carried out while the wine is in the bottle. These bottles arc so made that they will withstand the considerable pressure to which they have to be subjected which may amount to as much as 7 or 8 atmospheres, and the inside of the glass must be absolutely smooth to prevent any possibility of sediment adhering to it. The bottle having been filled, it is now firmly stoppered with a special cork, known as the ' drawing cork.' This, be it noted, is not the eventual ' shipping cork ' which we ^ know so well, but of this more anon. The ^ next important step is to collect the sediment as it is generated, so that it may be removed from the bottle, and leave the wine crystal clear. This is done by placing the bottles upon special racks, known as 'desks.' At first the bottles recline cork downwards in the racks at an angle of 50 to 60 degrees, and every day, over a considerable period, each bottle is given a peculiar jerk and rotation, leaving it each time a little nearer the

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