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68
DRINKS.
But
even
now
all
is
not
over,
for
during
this
period
a
sediment,
resulting
from
the
fermentation
of
the
wine,
has
been
deposited,
which
must
be
removed
before
the
wine
is
ready
for
consumption
;
and
very
troublesome
work
it
is
to
get
rid
of
this
sediment.
The^
bottles
are
placed
in
a
slanting
direction
with
the
necks
downward,
and
the
angle
of
inclination
is
altered
from
time
to
time
till
they
stand
almost
perpendicular,
whilst
every
time
the
position
is
changed,
the
bottle
is
sharply
twisted
round,
so
that
the
sediment
may
not
cling
to
the
sides.
Finally,
the
deposit
collects
in
a
ball
in
the
neck
of
the
bottle,
from
whence
it
is
"dis-
gorged
"^
—
literally
blown
out
—
when
the
original
cork
is
removed.
A
temporary
stopper
is
then
inserted
until
the
liqueur,
which
is
to
give
the
wine
its
distinc-
tive
character,
dry
or
sweet,
is
introduced.
This
liquor
consists
of
a
preparation
of
the
very
finest
sugar
candy,
the
best
Champagne,
and
the
oldest
and
purest
Cognac.
The
next
process
is
corking,
and,
as
we
all
know,
champagne
corks
are
not
as
other
corks.
They
are
made
larger
than
the
vent
of
the
bottle,
and
are
soaked
in
water,
and
very
often
steamed.
They
are
somewhat
expensive,
the
best
corks
used
costing
about
threepence
each
;
but
it
is
a
very
false
economy
to
use
common
corks,
for
the
gas
would
escape.
The
pliant
cork
is
placed
in
a
machine
which
pinches
it
and
compresses
it
to
the
size
of
the
aperture
of
the
bottle,
and
holds
it
there
till
a
twenty-pound
weight
is
let
dtop,
on
the
principle
of
a
pile-driving
hafnmer,
and
drives
the
cork
in
firmly.
The
powerful
leverage
used
to
bring
down
the
edge
of the
cork
for
wiring