76 / 374
76
r^RINKS.
the
wine
of
Chateau
d'
Yquem,
of
which
Vizltelly
^
thus
writes
:
"Among
the
white
wines
of
the
Gironde
which
obtained
the
higher
class
reward,
two
require
to
be
especially
mentioned.
One,
the
renowned
Chateau
d'Yquem
of
the
Marquis
de
Lur
Saluces,
the
most
luscious
and
delicately
aromatic
of
wines,
which,
for
its
resplendent
colour,
resembling
liquid
gold,
its
exquisite
bouquet,
and
rich,
delicious
flavour,
due,
according
to
the
chemists,
to
the
presence
of
Mannite,
is
regarded
in
France
as
unique,
and
which,
at
Vienna,
naturally
met
with
the
recognition
of
a
medal
for
progress.
"
Mannite,
the
distinguished
French
chemist
Berthe-
lot
informs
us,
has
the
peculiar
quality
of
not
becom-
ing
transformed
into
alcohol
and
carbonic
acid
during
the
process
of
fermentation.
For
a
tonneau
of
this
splendid
wine
twelve
years
old,
bought
direct
from
the
Chateau,
the
Grand
Duke
Constantine
paid,
some
few
years
since,
20,000
francs,
or
^800.
The
other
wine
calling
for
notice
was
La
Tour
Blance,
one
of
those
magnificent,
liqueur-like
Sauternes,
ranking
immediately
after
Chateau
d'Yquem,
and
to
some
fine
samples
of
which,
of
the
vintages
of
1864
and
1865,
a
medal
for
merit
was
awarded.
''
The
characteristic
qualities
of
Chateau
d'Yquem,
which
certain
soi-disant
connoisseurs
pretend
to
pooh-
pooh,
as
a
mere
ordinary
vin
de
liqueur,
are
due,
in
no
degree,
to
simple
accident.
On
the
contrary,
the
^
The
Wines
of
the
World^
Characterized
ajid
Classed^
1875,
PP*
16,
17.