The Sparkling Wines of the Loire often palmed off as
Champagnes-- The Finer qualities Improve with Age-- Anjou the
Cradle of the Plantagenet Kings-- Saumur and its Dominating
Feudal Château und Antique Hôtel de Ville-- Its Sinister Rue des
Payens and Steep Tortuons Grande Rue-- The Vineyards of the
Coteau of Saumur-- Abandoned Stone Quarries converted into
Dwellings-- The Vintage in Progress-- Old-fashioned Pressoirs--
The Making of the Wine-- The Vouvray Vineyards-- Balzac's
Picture of La Vallée Coquette-- The Village of Vouvray and the
Château of Moucontour-- Vernou with its Reminiscences of Sully
and Pépin-le-Bref-- The Vineyards around Saumur-- Remarkable
Ancient Dolmens-- Ackerman-Laurance's Establishment at
Saint-Florent-- Their Extensive Cellars, Ancient and Modern--
Treatment of the Newly-Vintaged Wine-- The Cuvée-- Proportions
of Wine from Black and White Grapes-- The Bottling and
Disgorging of the Wine and Finishing Operations-- The Château of
Varrains and the Establishment of M. Louis Duvau aîné-- His
Cellars a succession of Gloomy Galleries-- The Disgorging of the
Wine accomplished in a Melodramatic-looking Cave-- M. Duvau's
Vineyard-- His Sparkling Saumur of Various Ages-- Marked
Superiority of the more Matured Samples-- M. Alfred Ronsteaux's
Establishments at Saint-Florent and Saint-Cyr-- His convenient
Celliers and extensive Cellars-- Mingling of Wine from the
Champagne with the finer Sparkling Saumur-- His Vineyard at La
Perrière-- M. E. Normandin's Sparkling Sauternes Manufactory at
Châteauneuf-- Angoulême and its Ancient Fortifications-- Vin de
Colombar-- M. Normandin's Sparkling Sauternes Cuvée-- His
Cellars near Châteauneuf-- High recognition accorded to the Wine
at the Concours Régional d'Angoulême 139