Claret

Becoming now a universal beverage, is a French wine of the Bordelais. The name claret comes (Mr. Redding tells us) from Clairet; the wine is "a mixture of several sorts of wine, Beni-Castro and Bordeaux are thus mingled up for the English market; Sometimes Languedoc and Bordeaux, at others Hermitage and Alicant with Bordeaux, and uniformly a portion of spirits of wine in addition".

Claret was one of the favourite wines of our ancestors, and is exceedingly excellent when good, but the sour vin ordinaire sold for it at low rates is about as nasty as it can be. But those weak clarets mull well in winter, and are good enough for ordinary claret-cup in summer when in both cases sugar is added. But the householder who lays down a good cellar should give the best price for claret.

* Cyrus Redding "On Wines," p. 281.

Chateau Livran is a good wine; St. Julien of St. Estephe is nourishing, with great body; Chateau Belaire ranks next to Chateau Margaux. Of ordinary clarets St. Emilion is a good cheap wine. Chateau Lafitte is a wine quite unsurpassed in excellence. Chateau Latour has greater body and consistence than Chateau Lafitte; it requires to be kept a year longer in wood than Lafitte to attain maturity.

Chateau Margaux has a rich colour and a soft bouquet, and strength without headiness.

The best Medoc wines are Chateau Margaux, Chateau Lafitte, Chateau Latour. These wines are of fine colour and perfume, less warm than Burgundy, with a taste of the violet, and a rich purple hue.

The Bordeaux white wines are Chateau d'Yquem, Haut Sauterne, Sauterne, and Vin de Graves. These wines vary in excellence and in price. The first-named are excellent light wines.

Burgundy

The red wines of Bungundy are distinguished by great spirituosity and a powerful aroma. Owing perhaps to this aroma they are more heating than many stronger wines. They are pleasant, healthful, and invigorating. The best Burgundies are Romanee-Conti, Chambertin, red and white, St. Georges, Clos Vougeot; and for cheaper wines Beaune, Beaujolais, and Macon. The finest white Burgundy is Montrachet. Chablis is an excellent light wine.

Chambertin is white and red. "It is a wine of great fulness, keeps well, and has the aroma perfect. It was the favourite wine of Napoleon." - Redding on Wines.

The Romanee-Conti is considered the most perfect wine in Burgundy. St. Georges is an exquisite wine. Montrachet is a delicious white wine, considered the best white wine in Burgundy; it has an exquisite perfume. Burgundy is always sent to England in bottles, and is said to deteriorate even on the short voyage across the Channel. Chablis is a pleasant dry wine. There are very good second-class Burgundies, of lower price than the fine wines above named. These are Vosne, Nuits, Volnay, Beaune, and Pommard, etc.

The wines of the Rhone must find their place in a well-furnished cellar. Of these Hermitage is full of body, spirit, and perfume. The white is the finest of white wines. Red Hermitage is of good body and has a raspberry flavour. The second growth of red Hermitage (less expensive) is also a very good wine.

Frontignac is a fine spirituous luscious wine - a muscadine wine. Frontignac is white, sweet, and of moderate price.

We come now to the light and most excellent wines of the Rhine.