PRODUCTION OF CHAHMPAGNE

Grey River Argus, 24 April 1911, Page 8

PRODUCTION OF CHAHMPAGNE

The varying fortunes of the champagne growers during the past twelve years have led to the present situation. The vintage of 1889 and 1900 were a failure ; the next six years were good or fair and that of 1907 unsatisfactory. The crop of 1908 was still worse, both in quality and quantity, and the 1909 crop, though better, was below the level of that of 1907. The 1910 vintage was a complete failure. While supplies have ibecn steadily diminishing, the demand has been increasing all ovev the world ; and while some shippers were able to draw upon their stocks, others resorted to, importing . wines from outside the champagne area, though they do not admit having sold such wines as champagne. In order to prevent im- , position, the new law enacts that wine grown aud made in the champagne district shall be watched by excise officers from the intage until it leaves the district, and that all such wine shall not only <be entitled to be called champagne, but must be sod with the word "champagne" .burned into -the cork, printed on the foot or label of the bottle, and stencilled on tHe case "Sparkling- wines" not grown in Champagne may foe shipped from the C&e. district as such. A tax of 5 centimes a bottle, payable by the manufacturer, is to 'be imposed in order to cover the cost of State control. Breaches of these regulations are punishable by a fine of £200. "When the bill was .before the Chamber of Deputies, the spokesmen of the smaller manufacturers urged that the law of 908 should" be extended so as to include the Upper Marne and Aube Departments. M. Lannes de Montebello, Deputy for "Rheimsfi who was supported by the Reporter of the" Budget Committee, reminded them that htis demand was ■beside the point. The whole object of the Bill before, the House was to preent, for example, an Epernay firm from putting up into champagne bottles and iselfing as "champagne" cheap, and frequently "alien," products, the cost price of which was under a franc a .bottle. The Bill passed the Senate on lOth February, and will become law three months later.