Riches and Romance From France’s Wine Harvest
7 V1 k) _0 n1 c8 g1 c T* F September is harvest time. And with bunches of grapes swinging (摇摆) in the wind, the vineyards of southern France are getting ready to celebrate it.
( H+ n' Y! u; A/ _9 n# V The yearly wine festival is held in honor of Bacchus, the Roman god of wine. It’s a fun time with parties, music, and dancing, big meals and, of course, lots of wine.
, F' J/ }+ V8 w W2 b, v French wine-making began more than 2,500 years ago. The world’s oldest type of vine grows in France and always produces a good quality wine. Today France produces one-fifth of the world’s wine, and some of the most famous varieties. c$ C- `5 g" u
The top wine-producing areas are Bordeaux, Burgundy and the Loire Valley. 4 t3 Z" q& G6 ]7 z" V
Champagne, a drink used in celebrations, is named after the place where sparkling (有汽泡的) wine was first produced in 1700. " j8 f# J( T! |" y2 I
Wine is made from the juice of freshly picked grapes. It is the sugars that turn into alcohol.
. i7 O. o, C3 r4 F6 q Traditionally, people used to take off their shoes and crush the grapes with their bare feet to bring out the juice. Nowadays, this practice is usually carried out by machines.
# A; f4 l. R! a0 A3 L8 k Each wine producing region has its own character, based on its type of grapes and soil. + X9 V/ u& S! ~
The taste of wine changes with time. Until 1850, all French champagne was sweet. ) T6 ~: J- F% ~% s# f3 j
Now, both wine and champagne taste slightly bitter.
5 |( j/ V @2 n, J. ~, r The drink has always been linked with riches, romance and nobleness. Yet the
: ~: i, V# D9 T+ x b3 U& p French think of it in more ordinary terms.
" ?% t7 [# [9 g1 T They believe it makes daily living easier, less hurried and with fewer problems.
! m* K( F8 J' I( h$ Z; v$ j0 d "Its entire links are with times when people are at their best; with relaxation, happiness, long slow meals and the free flow of ideas," wrote wine expert Hugh Johnson. : x; d9 k( X0 k: s# G) d- Q" b
1 All French people celebrate the grape harvest every September. 7 _, y! z8 }9 v: B D6 _0 D4 W, S
A Right 1 q. @9 _1 K4 ]6 x
B Wrong % E; A! e5 m* u; P3 x: v R
C Not mentioned
, `3 x, }2 s+ O( r$ p# Z) j0 V6 b 2 In the yearly wine festival, people always enjoy themselves.
0 o% q8 J1 o7 {4 L: v9 w$ s A Right
" g! Z+ h/ v4 J X7 g+ H B Wrong , j7 }4 g {. H, ^" K; K9 M
C Not mentioned |