THE FRENCH VINTAGE.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IX, Issue 664, 27 November 1902, Page 23

THE FRENCH VINTAGE.

Experts state that the vintage in Prance this year will be far below the average in quantity, but that jin quality the wines of .1902 will be . superior to those of'the two preceding years. In 1900 the wine crop was estimated to< have'yielded 67,300,000 hectolitres. The following year, the total was 58,000,000* hectolitres, whilst this year ...it is considered likely that the crop of grapes will „ not produce mor<- than '10,000,000 hectolitres of wine. Barrels are very cheap at present, which'is a sun- sign that the vintage is not a plentiful one. .iSast year; at this time hogsheads could only be purchased with difficulty, whilst ' Ihe previous year they could not be obtained at any price. Though this year's crop is likely ,to be below the average, the fact is not regarded with dismay by the ■/wine producers. It will enhance the price of the good wines,- whilst' it will enable ..them to get rid of fsome of the large ' stocks of medium wines with which their

cellars have been overcrowded for the past two years. '