Export of Cape Wine. 337 



United Kingdom. Portugal has the monopoly of the use of the word 

 " Port." The Sherry trade is insufficiently important to make it 

 worth the while of any merchant to oppose the popular belief that 

 every Sherry that is not Spanish is a mere imitation. Because you 

 produce a sweet wine of which you are proud, do not delude yourself 

 that it is commercially valuable in England. If you produced a 

 sweet wine quite peculiar to your vineyards, we might be able to 

 create a useful little market for it in the end tlirough association with 

 the standard types of dry wines, but it would be a luxury side-line. 

 To me a sweet wine is a wine that has required some fortification, 

 so you must not imagine I include " rich " wines that contain natural 

 spirit only. 



A natural Pontac might have an attractive richness (as opposed 

 to sweetness) that would make it a valuable article on the English 

 market. I hope the time may come when demand and price enable 

 you to replant this remarkable grape. 



The words "Sherry" and "Port" indicate origin, whereas the 

 words "Claret" and "Burgundy," through custom and the use of 

 the words preceded by that of the country of origin, such as 

 "Australian Burgundy," have become terms indicative of type and 

 not of origin. This has come about through fifty years of advertise- 

 ment and education. 



A question of great importance regarding the type of wine is : 

 "What is the natural production of your soil and climate?" I 

 think you have discovered that, and it would be absurd for any firm, 

 such as ourselves to say that you must do this and that, alter it in 

 this ^ay, grow this grape, have it just so-so strength, and so forth. 

 You are producing wanes of high merit, and it is eminently wise to 

 test the markets with the type wines you have evolved before we 

 harass you by asking for something else. When we are satisfied 

 that that is necessary, after having tested the markets, it will be time 

 enough. On the other hand, if you wish to foster an export industry, 

 you must have confidence in the merchants who are trying to open up 

 markets. The reason you have never built up a good export trade in 

 recent years is because you have failed to understand that recognized 

 custom in Europe and even Australia throws the burden of adec[uate 

 maturation upon the grower. It is the grower's duty to train young 

 wine until it is fit to go out into the world. Australian wine is put 

 free on board at about eighteen months to two years old. French 

 wines are usually shipped to England bottling bright. 



A requirement of success — the paramount necessity — is quality. 

 We should never be satisfied with our production, but ever be aspiring 

 to something better. Thus alone can a producing country avoid 

 mediocrity and keep pace with and ahead of competition. The Empire 

 markets will only accept your fine quality wines, for in all these 

 markets are keen European competitors. France and Germany have 

 always aimed at perfection, which the wise man knows is never 

 attainable and the fool fondly imagines he has reached. Your wine 

 industry is no longer merely in training for the race, but is fully 

 qualified to take part. Your viticulture is complete in all but markets, 

 and these are the life-blood of industry. 



The wine farmers of the Union have now co-operated, they have 

 decided to act as one for the good of all, and this is surely the embryo 

 of greatness. 



