Handbook of Wine

Whilst the greatest effort has been made to ensure the quality of this text, due to the historical nature of this content, in some rare cases there may be minor issues with legibility. As a factor on the other side, one may note that the war gathered into various regimental messes many youngsters who had grown up in a too exclusively whisky-and-soda age, and introduced them to the solemnity of the mess Port. Not that it was always of a very great age or Of a very enlightened type. But it served as an introduction, and the acquaintance has been continued - which is all to the good. The two most severe handicaps to the wine industry are unwise and excessive taxation (unwise because the excess leads to reduction of net. Return as was proved in the instance of cigars) and Prohibition in America. These factors, together with the chaotic condition of trade and the failure of Old markets (incidentally there is a glut of wine due to these two latter causes) may lead to the discouragement of production of wine in France, Spain, Portugal, and Italy, which are our chief sources of supply. Even in that part of America which manages to escape drought, spirits are more in demand, because easier supplied and more concentrated.