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Bhone,
in
the
commune
of
Tain,
one
of
the
Queen's
courtiers,
in
the
year
1225,
wishing
to
leave
court
life,
built
himself
a
retreat
on
an
isolated
MIL
It
became
known
as
his
hermitage,
and
lie
experimented
witli
wine-making
tliere
with
great
suc-
cess.
This
is
where
the
world
was
given
the
wines
that
have
since
become
celebrated
as
the
Hermitage
wines.
The
vine-
yards,
though
small,
produce
wines
of
such
rare
excellence
that
their
famé
has
spread
wherever
wine
is
drunk.
Both
red
and
white
wines
are
made
here,
but
the
white
wine
is
the
best
and
the
one
that
has
acquired
famé.
The
wines
specifically
mentioned
above
constitute
the
classes
of
the
best
known
of
the
many
différent
kinds
that
are
produced
in
France,
but,
as
already
stated,
other
beverages
made
from
wine
have
added
to
the
greatness
of
the
industry
in
this
country.
In
the
year
1313,
the
art
of
distillation
was
in-
troduced
in
France,
and,
being
especially
adopted
in
the
Cham-
pagne
district,
resulted
in
the
production
of
wine
Brandy,
which
has
become
more
known
under
the
term
of
Cognac.
This
name
was
applied
because
most
of
the
Brandy was
distilled
in
the
city
of
Cognac,
in
the
Department
of
Charente,
but,
con-
trary
to
some
popular
belief,
Cognac
Brandy
is
not
distilled
from
the
sparkling
wine
known
as
Champagne,
but
is
made
from
the
wines
produced
in
the
Campagne
district.
Liqueurs
and
Cordials
are
made
from
wines
distilled
or
blended
with
varions
herbs
and
plants.
Here,
again,
the
monks
were
the
originators,
and
to
them
the
world
is
indebted
for
the
production
of
those
Cordials
that
are
to-day
so
popular,
and
whose
manufacture
has
developed
into
a
large
industry.
The
art
of
making
the
différent
Liqueurs
was
closely
guarded
in
the
cloisters
where
they
were
originally
made,
and
the
processes
have
always
been
regardée!
as
a
valuable
secret,
as
for
each
Cor-
dial
différent
roots
and
herbs
are
required,
and
there
must
be a
minute
knowledge
of
the
préparation
of
them,
the
right
quan-
tifies
to
use,
and
the
proper
methods
of
distillation.
The
exact
processes
were
kept
within
the
bounds
of
the
cloisters,
and
only
made
known
to
the
new
recruits
among
the
monks,
themselves.
This
was
the
history
of
that
most
famous
of
French
Liqueurs,
Chartruese,
which
was
originally
made
by
the
Càrthusian
Monks
in
their
monastery
near
Grenoble.
But,
during
the
ré-
cent
troubles
of
the
monks,
when
they
were
ordered
out
of
France,
they
sold
their
secret
for
an
immense
sum,
and
the
Liqueurs
such
as
they
manufactured
are
now
being
made
by
a
private
company
in
France,
although
recently
the
monks
have
denied
their
right
to
the
use
of
the
name
Chartruese.
But
withal,
with
the
advance
of
science
and
chemistry,
most
of
the
secrets
of
the
monks
in
the
distillation
of
various
Liqueurs
have
become
known,
and
thèse
delightfnl
beverages
are
now
being
manufactured
equally
as
well
by
régulai*
business
concerns.