3 / 122
for
wines
made
from
white
grapes,
which
are
of
great
del-
icacy;
and
third,
the
Valley
of
the
Marne,
where
the
wines
are
characterized
by
an
excellent
bouquet.
Wines
made
solely
from
grapes
of
any
one
district
would
be
found
dis-
appointing.
One
must
unite the
freshness
and
strength
of
Verzenay
with
the
mellowness
of
Bouzy,
the
softness
of
Cramant,
and
the
bouquet
of
Ay,
in
order
to
blend
into
a
champagne
all
the
delightful
qualities
which
a
connoisseur
expects
to
find.
During
January
and
February
the
wine-
rriaker
mixes
in
immense
casks
the
wines
from
difterent
vineyards.
Wines
want
character,
bouquet,
vinosity
and
delicacy,
and
these
qualities
can
only
be
secured
by
the
mixture
of
wines
possessing
these
elements
individually.
To
make
a
fine
champagne
one
must
know
thoroughly
the
characteristics
of
the
wine
of
each
vineyard,
and
this
re-
quires
a
keen
sense
of
smell
and
taste,
and
great
skill
and
experience.
THE
CUVfiE.
During
the
spring
the
merchant
makes
the
"Cuvee,''
which
is
the
assembling
of
a
number
of
wines
in
one
blend;
de-
pending
upon
the
business
of
the
merchant
it
may
be
a
few
or
many
thousand
bottles
and
until
finally
disposed
of
is
known
as
the
"Special
Cuvee"
of
the
year
of
blending.
"Vin-
tage
years"
are the
years
of
especially
fine
crops
and
in
such
years
the
Cuvee
is
made
as
large
as
proper
qualities
permit.
The
making
of
the
Cuvee
is
the
most
delicate
operation
in
the
profession,
requiring
exquisite
judgment
in
the
selection
of
the
wines
to
be
blended
to
produce
the perfect
Cuvee,
a
definite
result
being
obtained
only
after
a
period
of
years
as
the
wine
rounds
out
in
maturity
in
the
bottle.
BOTTLING
By
the
aid
of
mechanical
apparatus
the
wine,
to
which
is
added
a
certain
quantity
of
cane
sugar,
is
put
into
new
and
carefully
rinsed
out
bottles;
these
are
corked
and
the
cork
held
in
by
means
of
an
iron
clasp.
The
bottles
are
immediately
stored
on
their
sides
in
immense
cellars,
hewn
from
solid
chalk.
SERVING
The
process
of
uncorking
this
wine
is
often
grossly
mis-
managed.
The
cork
should
be slowly
and
noiselessly ex-
tracted
after,
first
the
wire,
and
then
the
string,
are
entirely
removed.
The
glass
must
be
near
at
hand
so
that
no
wine
may
be
lost.
Care
should
be
taken
that the
wine
flows
out
quietly,
and
if
gently
poured
on
the
side
of
the
wine
gla.'--3
the
ebullition
of
the
wine
will
be
checked
and
the
goblet
filled
without
spilling.
Do
not
fill
the
glass
to
the
brim
with
any
wine,
but
leave
a
quarter
of
an
inch
or
more
free.
Rich
champagne
only
requires
to
be
stood
in ice
up
to
the
shoulder
of
the
bottle
for
not longer
than
twenty