A History of Champagne, with Notes on the Other Sparkling Wines of FranceVizetelly, Henry
History
A History of Champagne, with Notes on the Other Sparkling Wines of France
Vizetelly, Henry
Champagne (Wine) -- History; Wine and wine making -- France
The usual entrance to Messrs. Moët & Chandon's Epernay cellars--which,
burrowed out in all directions, are of the aggregate length of nearly
seven miles, and have usually between 10,000,000 and 12,000,000 bottles
and 20,000 casks of wine stored therein--is through a wide and imposing
portal, and down a long and broad flight of steps. It is, however,
by the ancient and less imposing entrance, through which more than
one crowned head has condescended to pass, that we set forth on our
lengthened tour through these intricate underground galleries--this
subterranean city, with its miles of streets, cross-roads, open spaces,
tramways, and stations devoted solely to Champagne. A gilt inscription
on a black-marble tablet testifies that 'on the 26th July 1807,
Napoleon the Great, Emperor of the French, King of Italy, and Protector
of the Confederation of the Rhine, honoured commerce by visiting
the cellars of Jean Remi Moët, Mayor of Epernay, President of the
Canton, and Member of the General Council of the Department,' within
three weeks of the signature of the treaty of Tilsit. Passing down
the flight of steep slippery steps traversed by the victor of Eylau
and Jena, access is gained to the upper range of vaults, brilliantly
illuminated by the glare of gas, or dimly lighted by the flickering
flame of tallow-candles, upwards of 60,000 lb. of which are annually
consumed. Here group after group of the small army of 350 workmen
employed in these subterranean galleries are encountered, engaged in
the process of transforming the _vin brut_ into Champagne. At Messrs.
Moët & Chandon's, the all-important operation of liqueuring the wine is
effected by aid of machines of the latest construction, which regulate
the quantity administered to the utmost nicety. The corks are branded
by being pressed against steel dies heated by gas by women, who can
turn out 3000 per day apiece, the quantity of string used to secure
them amounting to nearly ten tons in the course of the year.
[Illustration: TABLET COMMEMORATIVE OF THE VISIT OF NAPOLEON I.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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