Papers of John Adams, volume 15
M de Sarsfield a lhonneur de faire bien des complimens a Monsieur Adams et de luy envoyer la lettre qu’il lui a demandée pour du vin. Elle explique tout ce que Monsieur Adams a besoin de Savoir. Il voudra bien Ecrire a M De Piffon Martoret pour lui indiquer Son Correspondant a Bordeaux et prendre tous les autres arrangemens qu’il Jugera apropos.1
tous ces vins ne Sont dans leur perfection qu’au bout de quelques années. Il faut les garder en bouteilles et voiez les regles que bon fait icy.
1o. ne jamais tirer le vin qu’au mois de fevrier par un tems clair. Si on le tiroit dans la lune de mars, Il mousseroit
2o. Eviter de le tirer pendant la gelée, Si on peut. Surtout le vin rouge que cela noircit.
3o. Le garder un an en tonneau avant de le mettre en bouteilles, par exemple, le vin qui Sera vendangé cette année 1783 ne doit etre mis en bouteilles qu’au mois de fevrier 1785.
4o. on Joint icy la composition d’une colle qui est necessaire pour rendre le vin clair.2 on la met dans les tonneaux on remue bien le vin avec un baton que l’on introduit par la bonde et on le laisse reposer en au moins 15 Jours. on peut attendre deux mois sans inconvenient a tirer le vin apres l’avoir collé. Ne. Il faut le laisser au moins 3 mois Sur la Colle. Il y resteroit tres bien un an etant bien Bondé et tenu dans une bonne Cave.
5o. Il faut que les Bouteilles Soient couchées dans la Cave et on met un peu de Sable entre elles.
Monsieur Adams connoit le vin de canon et le vin blanc que M de Sarsfield demande pour lui. le vin de St emilion n’a pas autant de reputation que celui de canon mais Il est moins cher et fort bon.
M de S: a payé le vin de Canon depuis 600₶ Jusqu’a 720₶ Le tonneau de Bordeaux de 1000 bouteilles. le vin blanc ne lui a jamais couté qu’aux environs de 150₶
Je demande d’etre instruit que Monsieur Adams a recu Cette letter cy.3
Translation
Mr. Sarsfield has the honor of conveying his compliments to Mr. Adams and of sending him the letter that he requested regarding wine. It explains everything Mr. Adams needs to know. Mr. Sarsfield would willingly write to Mr. de Piffon Martoret, his correspondent in Bordeaux, to introduce Mr. Adams and to make all the arrangements he deems appropriate.1
All these wines reach their perfection only after a few years. You must keep them in bottles and observe the rules you will find here.
1. Never draw the wine in the month of February under clear skies. If you draw it under a March moon, it will sparkle.
2. If you can, avoid drawing it during a frost, especially red wine, which will then turn black.
3. Keep it one year in the barrel before putting it in bottles. For example, the wine that is harvested this year 1783 should not be put in bottles until February 1785.
4. Enclosed is the recipe for a fining agent necessary to clarify the wine.2 You add it to the barrels, stir it well into the wine using a stick you insert into the bunghole, and leave it to sit for at least fifteen days. You can wait two months after fining the wine before drawing it without a problem. Note: You should leave the sediment in for at least three months. It can remain in good condition that way for a year, if it is well sealed and in a good cellar.
5. The bottles should lie on their sides in the cellar, and it is advisable to put a little sand between them.
19Mr. Adams knows the wine from Canon and the white wine that Mr. Sarsfield orders for him. The Saint-Emilion wine is not as well known as the Canon, but it is less expensive and quite good.
Mr. Sarsfield paid between ₶600 and ₶720 for a Bordeaux barrel of Canon wine holding 1,000 bottles. White wine never cost him more than about ₶150.
I request that Mr. Adams please acknowledge receipt of this letter.3
RC and enclosures (Adams Papers); endorsed by John Thaxter: “Cte. Sarsfield / about Wine / 5 June 1783.”
Sarsfield enclosed a letter, presumably never sent, dated 5 June and addressed to Martoret at Libourne, France. He indicated that JA sought information about Bordeaux wine and mentioned specifically the wines of St. Émilion, particularly Château Canon and Pomerol. Martoret was well located because Libourne is approximately midway between St. Émilion and Pomerol. For additional information on the wines of Bordeaux and JA’s interest in them, see vol. 9:116–119, 127–129.
The recipe consisted of a mixture of finely ground hartshorn and isinglass, a gelatin made from fish.
No reply by JA to this letter has been found.
t:Petersbourg
May 26
th.1783 O.S. [
6 June N.S.]
I wrote you two letters by the last post, which I sent to Amsterdam upon the supposition that you might be at the Hague by the Time they will arrive there. They are dated the 21st. & 23d. inst:—1 I yesterday received a letter from your Son dated Hague May 12th. containing some account of his Route from hence to Stockholme.2 The matter contained in my confidential letter which you will receive from him, I pray you most earnestly to keep a secret even after your arrival in America; or in Congress. I have most substantial reasons for making this request.
I have additional reasons for thinking that jealousy of which I have spoken towards the Close of my last letter but one, exists in full Force. Yesterday I was there upon a previous appointment relative to my main Matter: yet the same kind of Conversation which you will find in that Letter, was renewed almost word for word. It was entered into indeed more minutely than ever. Nor is this all, {minister of Berlin}3 whom we had agreed shou’d be invited to the Consultation upon the main Matter, evidently supported the same sentiments with all his ingenuity. However they have not yet had my real sentiments upon the subjects, nor shall they have them. I know, I flatter myself, the Interests of our Country as well as they do at least. I declare to you at the same time that very possibly the hare 20wou’d not be worth hunting in the common Course. I have long had in contemplation some special views in this business, grounded upon local knowledge. Whether I shou’d be able to succeed in them is not certain. If I shou’d not to a certain degree, it is always in my power to waive the whole business. It is kind in our Friends to take so serious a concern in our Interests however.
I have not yet received any answer to my Memorial, but I was yesterday informed by my private Friend, that I shou’d have it on Monday or Tuesday next. By this delay I am inclined to think, they wait only for the account of the Conclusion of the Definitive Treaty, when the idea of Mediation will be done away. This is daily expected. The other objections may be then waived and thus the matter be compounded. It wou’d perhaps be thought to be too humiliating to give them all up.4
My credit here expired on the 15th. of last March. In February I wrote to Mr: Grand for another Year’s Credit, but have received no answer from him so that I am at this time almost destitute of Cash.5 The method of supply by bills, proposed lately by Congress, perhaps makes the difficulty. They never can arrive here in time. Thus if one matter does not drive me away, another will. This leads me to propose to you, if it be not inconvenient to yourself, to place the Money advanced to your Son in the hands of your Bankers, subject to my drafts. For if I shou’d have to traverse this Continent on to Holland upon my return, when I arrive there I shall be absolutely destitute of Cash. Congress are not aware of the difficulties those changes create. I have never received but one bill from them. If I remain here several months longer I shall be under the necessity of drawing upon Dr: Franklin however repugnant it may be to the late arrangement. You may write upon this subject; if I shou’d have quitted this Country before your Letter arrives, I will take care that it be sent after me, & so of any others. Pray give Mr: Dumas the particular directions relative to sending on Letters to me, before you return to America. A safe voyage to you
I am with much respect and esteem / Your most obedient humble Servant
RC (Adams Papers); internal address: “His Excellency J: Adams / Minister Plenipotentiary &c”; endorsed by John Thaxter: “Mr. Dana / 26. May 1783.”; filmed at 26 May. FC (MHi:Francis Dana Letterbooks, Private, 1782–1784).
For JQA’s letter and Dana’s reply, see Dana’s letter of [3 June], note 3, above.
This passage as enciphered by Dana—165.37, or minister of Berlin—does not make sense and is probably an inadvertence, but 21one repeated by Dana in his letterbook. He probably meant 165.57, or minister of France, as he had in his letter of [1 June], above.
Dana expected a response on 9 or 10 June but did not meet with Ivan A. Osterman, the vice chancellor, until Saturday, 14 June. Osterman told Dana that when news of the signing of the Anglo-American definitive peace treaty reached St. Petersburg, Catherine II would grant him an audience, thereby recognizing the United States, and himself as minister to Russia. This meant that if the audience occurred—sometime in late September or early October as events turned out—Dana would accomplish his mission and be in a position to negotiate a Russo-American commercial treaty. Dana reported the outcome of the meeting with Osterman in a letter to Robert R. Livingston of 17 June, in which he included Osterman’s note stating the Russian position (Wharton, Dipl. Corr. Amer. Rev.
, 6:494–497). He also announced his apparent success in letters to C. W. F. Dumas and Benjamin Franklin of [20 June] (MHi:Francis Dana Letterbooks, Private, 1782–1784). He did not, however, address any letters to JA on the result of the 14 June meeting, a circumstance that might, considering their relationship, seem odd. But Dana intended for his friend to get the information from the letter to Livingston, for a notation on the letterbook copy indicates “Original by the Post of the day under cover to Mr: Adams who is desired to request Mr: Thaxter to forward a Copy of it” (MHi: Francis Dana Letterbooks, Official, 1782–1784). This explains why JA fully understood the anger and frustration expressed in Dana’s letter of [29 July], below, upon receiving orders from Congress to leave Russia unless engaged in negotiations with the Russian government.
Dana’s letter to Ferdinand Grand was of [4 March] (MHi:Francis Dana Letterbooks, Private, 1782–1784). His desire that Grand be queried about the renewal of his credit prompted Dana’s letter to Benjamin Franklin on [20 June], mentioned in note 4.