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By Joseph Temple

As some of the Finger Lakes were being connected to the Erie Canal, Judge Lazarus Hammond, realizing how prosperous this new trade route could be for the entire region, decided to develop a port on the southern tip of Keuka Lake. Also known as “Crooked Lake” due to its Y-shape, the area became home to a small village named Hammondsport in honor of its financier. And for several decades, this part of Upstate New York, which included numerous vineyards, was essentially German in character. With local winemakers such as Johann Weber, Hiram Maxfield and Mathias Freidell, it was no surprise that the Finger Lakes also became known as an “American Rhineland.”

Then came the Champenois!

The first to arrive in 1857 was Charles Davenport Champlin who quickly saw many similarities in climate, soil and drainage between his native land in France and the cool countryside of Western New York. With the hills near Keuka Lake providing shelter for the surrounding vineyards along with the late frosts, the prophetic Champlin thought the region was ideal for producing sparkling wine. Four years later as America began fighting a brutal Civil War, he and a dozen other men established U.S. Winery License No. 1—a company created “to produce native wines,” which soon became The Hammondsport and Pleasant Valley Wine Company. Unfortunately, the bubbles that Champlin created for the first couple of years were largely lackluster, requiring him to send in some reinforcements.

Over the next decade, two hired guns—Joseph and Jules Masson—were employed by The Pleasant Valley Wine Company to hopefully put them on the map. With their success in helping to create a sparkling empire in the state of Ohio for Nicholas Longworth, Champlin hoped the two French experts could replicate their accomplishments in Hammondsport. They would not disappoint.

The first successful vintage came in 1870 by using a blend of Catawba and Delaware grapes. Taking this Vitis labrusca combination to Marshall Wilder, the head of a Boston agricultural society, Champlin asked for his opinion on what to call this sparkling wine. After sipping it at a dinner party, he declared it to be the greatest champagne in the entire Western continent and a legend was born! Three years later, a tidal wave of publicity occurred at the 1873 Vienna Exposition where the “Great Western Champagne” won first prize. This triumph, along with top honors in Brussels and Paris, allowed Pleasant Valley to market its sparkling wine as award winning for the next hundred years.

With Champlin blazing the trail, others followed suit and by the end of the nineteenth century, more than fifty wineries around the Finger Lakes were producing bubbles on a grand scale. At one point, historians estimate that over seven million bottles were being sold annually with an astonishing 90% of all American sparkling wine coming out the Hammondsport area. Great Western champagne was taking off!

Of course, this name infuriated the Champenois who to this day believe that no sparkling wine made outside the Champagne region can use that designation. Hoping to put a stop to what they considered to be a flagrant misuse, the French delegation at the 1919 Paris Peace Conference slipped in Article 275, which sought to protect Champagne from others who incorrectly used that name on their labels. But since the United States Senate failed to ratify the Treaty of Versailles, American winemakers were free to use the name champagne for the remainder of the twentieth century. And what must have been seen as rubbing salt in the wounds of the Champenois, The Pleasant Valley Wine Company successfully lobbied the U.S. Post Office to rename the hamlet where they were located. After that, they could now market their Great Western champagne as being from “Rheims, N.Y.”

Today, Hammondsport, New York is largely seen as the cradle of aviation, being the birthplace of Glenn Curtiss, an early pioneer in the history of American flight. But with the breakout success of Great Western champagne in the nineteenth century, Hammondsport should also be regarded as the cradle of American viticulture.

Sources:

Falk, Laura Winter. Culinary History of the Finger Lakes: From the Three Sisters to Riesling. Charleston: The History Press, 2014.
Figiel, Richard. Circle of Vines: The Story of New York Wine. Albany: SUNY Press, 2014.
Kladstrup, Don & Petie. Champagne: How the World’s Most Glamorous Wine Triumphed Over War and Hard Times. New York: HarperCollins, 2005.
Merrill, Arch. The Lakes Country. Rochester: Louis Heindl & Son, 1944.
Pellechia, Thomas. Over a Barrel: The Rise and Fall of New York’s Taylor Wine Company. Albany: SUNY Press, 2015.

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By Gilbert LE MOIGNE (Collection personnelle) [GFDL or CC BY-SA 4.0-3.0-2.5-2.0-1.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Question: How did my 1973 Chateau Mouton Rothschild come to have a Picasso on the label?   Thanks!

Answer: The Mouton label has been an important truly unique one since the initial 1924 Jean Carlu marking the very first chateau bottling of the entire harvest. Mouton was classified as a Second Cru in the 1855 classification but in 1973 was officially proclaimed as a Premier Cru. Before the coat of arms stated “Premier ne puis, Second ne daigne, Mouton suis” (First I cannot be, Second I disdain, Mouton I am) but was changed to “Premier je suis, Second je fus, Mouton ne change” (First I am, Second I was, I Mouton do not change). To celebrate this promotion and “en hommage a Picasso (1881-1973)” they used one of his paintings “Bacchanale” they already had in the Mouton Museum to illustrate this special label.

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By Joseph Temple

From its humble beginnings as a small seaside village in the early nineteenth century to a powerful gambling mecca that dominated most of the 1980s, Atlantic City has seen many highs and lows as America’s playground. Images of Victorian style architecture, Miss America pageants and a world famous Boardwalk where visitors could observe the sandy beaches from the comfort of a rolling chair all made “AC” the top tourist destination of the Roaring Twenties. But with railroads being replaced by inter-state highways and cheap airfare, the city fell on hard times as the conveniences of post-war suburbia made Atlantic City seem hopelessly outdated.

New Jersey residents however, would give their resort town a second wind in 1976 when they voted to allow legalized gambling in Atlantic City. With that decision, the shore’s crumbling skyline was quickly replaced with lavish multi-billion dollar hotels and casinos, turning AC into the Las Vegas of the east coast. And unlike its competition that was tainted by the influence of organized crime, Atlantic City succeeded throughout the 80s with fresh faces that included real-estate mogul Donald Trump and a young pugilist named Mike Tyson who would have some of his biggest fights on the Jersey Shore.

Of course, beyond the bordellos, the carnival barkers and the casinos—both legal and illegal—there were also some outstanding restaurants, some of which are still in business to this day. So let’s look at five famous joints (it’s incredibly hard to name just five) that became part of Atlantic City’s unique culture and identity.

1. Dock’s Oyster House

Featured on the fifth season of CNN’s Parts Unknown, host Anthony Bourdain informs us that Dock’s Oyster House is one of the few restaurants in Atlantic City to survive “Prohibition, the Depression, two world wars, numerous declines—and rebirths.” Founded in 1897 by Harry “Dock” Dougherty when the popularity of oysters was at an all-time high, this classic seafood and steak restaurant is an Atlantic City institution with a wine list that has been recognized by the Wine Spectator. If you’re looking to soak in some AC nostalgia, try the lobster tail, fried oysters or crabmeat au gratin—they have never left the menu since the day Dock’s first opened its doors.

2. Angelo’s Fairmount Tavern
Photo credit: www.angelosfairmounttavern.com

When talking about authentic cuisine from Atlantic City, it’s impossible not to mention Italian food. In the late nineteenth century as laborers migrated north, mostly from neighboring Philadelphia, the town became much more ethnically diverse. Author Nelson Johnson, whose book inspired the HBO series Boardwalk Empire, writes, “Thousands of building tradesmen and laborers came to Atlantic City looking for work and many remained to make it their home … The Italians started local firms involving all the building trades and opened restaurants, food markets, and bakeries.”

One of these restaurants, founded in 1935 when Atlantic City had more debt per capita than any other city during the Great Depression, was Angelo’s Fairmount Tavern. Located on Fairmount Avenue near the convention center, this family-owned establishment is renowned for its Italian dishes served in larger-than-life portions, surrounded by an ambiance of sports memorabilia and framed photographs of its celebrity customers.

3. Hackney’s Seafood Restaurant

Being right next to the ocean, it’s no surprise that seafood became an integral part of AC. One of the city’s first carnival barkers, “Captain” John Young, simply wowed tourists with a “deep sea net haul” that was lowered onto the floor of the pier, where Young would then try to name up to 50 different species to a working-class clientele that kept coming back for more every weekend.

Continuing this theme, Harry Hackney, also known as the “lobster king” turned a small lunch wagon that he used to serve clams into a gigantic seafood restaurant that ended up seating over 3,000 patrons. With the slogan “Eat Them Where They’re Caught,” supposedly coined by New York Governor Al Smith, Hackney proved to be a true marketing genius! Building a pier next to his restaurant, he would invite guests to fish for themselves and while inside, they could pick their own lobster from a pool he had built – a gimmick that proved to be enormously successful and is still with us today.

4. La Victoire Restaurant

During Atlantic City’s most lucrative run in the early twentieth century, its hubris was a Boardwalk that blurred the lines between rich and poor. “The working class craved opportunities to participate in festive occasions and the Boardwalk gave them just such a chance,” writes Johnson. “The Boardwalk created the illusion that everyone was part of a huge middle class parading to prosperity and social freedom. There were no class distinctions while strolling the Boardwalk; everyone was someone special.”

One specific restaurant on this landmark strip that catered to throngs of working class vacationers was La Victoire. Owned by Harry Katz, it became one of the hottest spots on the Boardwalk with a special blue-plate platter that contained a number of different seafood items that included a half lobster—all for just $1.50!

5. Wash and Sons’ Seafood Restaurant

Without the arrival of African-American workers from the Upper South, the history of Atlantic City would have been very different. Actively seeking cheap labor to help build and sustain a tourist economy, the black population in AC would grow from just under 200 in 1870 to nearly 11,000 by 1915 – making this group close to 25% of the city’s permanent residents and even more during the off season. Working in mostly menial jobs and with de facto segregation firmly in place, an area known as Northside took shape, becoming ground zero for the isolated African-American experience in Atlantic City.

And at 1702 Arctic Avenue in Northside, a popular spot for black hotel employees after a long day’s work, was Wash and Sons’ Seafood Restaurant, which began as a small sandwich shop in 1937. Recognized as the oldest black-owned establishment in Atlantic City, the restaurant catered to such stars as Red Foxx, Moms Mabley and Count Basie. Wash’s granddaughter, Turiyah Raheem, describes the cultural impact writing: “Wash’s probably employed at least one person from every black family in A.C. and became an unofficial social services agency by doing so. It was sometimes called the “black Cheers” — where everybody knew your name.”

Sources:

Johnson, Nelson. Boardwalk Empire: The Birth, High Times and the Corruption of Atlantic City. London: Ebury Publishing, 2011.
Legato, Frank. Atlantic City: In Living Color. Macon: Indigo Custom Publishing, 2005.
Miller, Jen A. Explorer’s Guide Jersey Shore: Atlantic City to Cape May: A Great Destination. New York: The Countryman Press, 2011.
Raheem, Turiya S. A. (2013, July 2). Wash’s, Not Just a Business. Atlantic City Weekly. Retrieved from http://atlanticcityweekly.com
Ristine, James D. Atlantic City. Mount Pleasant: Arcadia Publishing, 2008.
Schnitzspahn, Karen L. Jersey Shore Food History: Victorian Feasts to Boardwalk Treats. Charleston: The History Press, 2012.
Sokolic, William H. &  Ruffalo, Robert E. Atlantic City Revisited. Mount Pleasant: Arcadia Publishing, 2006.

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Question: I have a bottle of white wine from 1998. The label says Grand vin de Bourgogne Vincent Girardin 1998 Chassagne-Montrachet ler cru “MORGEOT”. I opened it and although it tasted OK it has a darker than white colour. Will it be OK to drink the rest of it I only had one glass?

Answer: Top white Burgundy! Surprisingly I enjoyed last night a delightful bottle of the very same wine and producer from the 2002 vintage that showed so fresh & vibrantly balanced. Morgeot is a large vineyard including many smaller lesser known climats that are allowed to use the Morgeot name and tends to be softer and more forwardly than some other top Chassagne vineyards. 1998 whites are from a fruity easy vintage that have evolved more quickly than other longer aging vintages like 2002. Most 1998 Burgundy whites should have been consumed. You describe a darker than white colour that is an indication that the wine is getting older but may also be showing alarming oxidation or maderization. It should be OK to drink the rest of it but the sooner you do so the better. Keep it stored very cold until you consume it all.

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By Joseph Temple

Marching down the dark and abandoned streets of Washington DC on the night of 24 August 1814, thousands of British soldiers had pulled off the unthinkable. Earlier that day at the Battle of Bladensburg, poorly trained militiamen serving as America’s last line of defence proved to be no match against the battle-tested redcoats who were wreaking havoc along the Chesapeake. Retreating from their positions after this humiliating disaster, Britain was now free to enter a helpless capital as the War of 1812 entered its third indecisive year.

With an ambiguous order from London to give the United States “a good drubbing,” General Robert Ross and Admiral George Cockburn would avenge the burning of York (now Toronto) that night by setting most of Washington ablaze. First was the Capitol building, which historian Peter Snow describes in great detail: “They [British troops] piled all the chairs and other furniture, library books and papers on the table and set light to it all. The entire building was soon being consumed by flames, and the Library of Congress which was packed with thousands of volumes of books … was also burned out.”

However, an even greater prize stood on a deserted Pennsylvania Avenue, known back then as the Executive Residence. With most citizens fleeing to either Georgetown or neighboring Virginia, America’s fourth President James Madison and his wife Dolley quickly followed suit by evacuating their home, taking as many items as they could with them, including a treasured portrait of George Washington. Leaving this symbolic residence—only fourteen years old at the time—open for the British to ransack, a tremendous blow against the prestige of the United States occurred that night as orders were given by Ross and Cockburn to burn the beacon of American democracy to the ground.

But before any match was lit, soldiers would wine and dine like never before, helping themselves to some of Mr. Madison’s very best. After all, they hadn’t eaten anything since breakfast.

As a testament to how much blind faith the president and his wife had placed in their troops at Bladensburg, Dolley Madison had her French chef prepare an extravagant feast for forty guests that night at the Executive Residence. So to the surprise of many redcoats, the first thing they smelled as they entered the premises at around eleven o’clock was a warm home-cooked meal. Detailed in When Britain Burned The White House, soldier Harry Smith stated, “We found supper all ready, which was sufficiently cooked … and which many of us speedily consumed unaided by the fiery elements and drank some very good wine also.”

Not surprisingly, several accounts of that infamous night also mention the president’s wine. “Never was nectar more grateful to the palates of the gods, than the crystal goblet of Madeira and water I quaffed at Mr. Madison’s expense,” said James Scott, an officer in the British Royal Navy.

Looking back at the history of America, it was fitting that James Madison, co-author of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, was well stocked when it came to this fortified wine known as Madeira. Produced on a Portuguese archipelago bearing the same name, it quickly became the preferred drink for American patriots, being one of the few wines to escape the harsh British taxation due to a favorable trade agreement with Portugal. Representing what taxation with representation might look like to scores of would-be revolutionaries, one historian wrote: “Madeira was soon on the way to becoming American by adoption.” And with the wine’s ability to improve while being exposed to the most intense heat certainly appealed to a Virginian like James Madison who would endure many humid summers south of the Mason-Dixon line. But Madeira wasn’t the only wine that British soldiers would have access to that night.

As President Thomas Jefferson’s Secretary of State, Madison benefited greatly from the knowledge he learned from America’s first oenophile-in-chief. The two were known to drink Madeira while discussing policy and just like Jefferson, Madison advocated wine consumption as a healthier alternative to more intoxicating whiskey. So as the reigns of power were passed on to the bookish president in 1809, Pennsylvania Avenue’s wine cellar was still housing some of Europe’s very best wines.

According to one of Madison’s biographers, the cellar was rumored to have over 1000 bottles. Historian Stuart Lebiger writes that it included “Port, dry Lisbon, Sherry, Brazil, Malaga, Cape wine (from South Africa), and wines from Bordeaux (Graves and Haut-Brion), the sweet wines of Frontignac and Barsac, and wine from the Rhone region of France (Hermitage).” It is unclear though whether British soldiers would have a chance to sample any of these wines; looters had entered the property before their arrival and the Madison’s may have even taken some bottles with them as they frantically left town. Of course, whatever remained of the president’s private collection was about to go up in a giant inferno.

After finishing their Madeira and pillaging whatever they could find as a souvenir from this infamous night, wooden chairs were stacked high on the dining room table and soon thereafter, the entire residence was set ablaze. The damage was so extensive that by the time all the repairs were finished, Madison’s successor, James Monroe had become president. Surprisingly, it was an act that was condemned on both sides of the Atlantic; one British paper angrily opined, “The Cossacks spared Paris, but we spared not the capital of America.”

To this day, no reparations have been made for the wine that was drunk that night.

Sources:

Borneman, Walter R. 1812: The War That Forged a Nation. New York: Harper Collins, 2005.
Leibiger, Stuart. A Companion to James Madison and James Monroe. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, 2012.
Reichl, Ruth. History in a Glass: Sixty Years of Wine Writing from Gourmet. New York: Random House, 2008.
Snow, Peter. When Britain Burned the White House: The 1814 Invasion of Washington. London: Hodder & Stoughton, 2013.
Will-Weber, Mark. Mint Juleps with Teddy Roosevelt: The Complete History of Presidential Drinking. Washington: Regnery Publishing, 2014.

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