And opening a large cupboard, fitted with many little drawers, he proceeded to shower me all over with a great variety of gorgeously tinted labels, blue, red, or yellow, stamped with crown or coronet, and hailing from such a profusion of clos and châteaux , that a single department could scarce have furnished forth the names. But it was strange that all looked unfamiliar.

“Château X⁠⸺?” said I. “I never heard of that.”

“I dare say not,” said he. “I had been reading one of X⁠⸺’s novels.”

They were all castles in Spain! But that sure enough is the reason why California wine is not drunk in the States.