i88 Journal of Agriculture. [9 March, 1908. 



As regards ordinary cellar manipulations there is little to report. The 

 best Ports are matured in pipes of about 120 gallons each, stacked in tiers 

 3 and 4 high. These are kept full and during the first few years they are 

 racked off their lees once a year. 



Such is a very brief sketch of the making and maturing of Port. It 

 will be observed that with the exception of the addition of spirit, it is an 

 absolutely pure, natural wine, owing its character and qualities to the soil, 

 the climate and the " cepages '' or varieties of vine grown. From what I 

 have seen I am of opinion that in Victoria we should be able to produce 

 high-class wines of a " Port " type. We have the soil — I know several 

 localities where the land much resembles the schists of the Douro. We 

 also have the climate. The Douro " cepages," however, have not, as yet, 

 l:>een introduced into Victoria. In mv opinion their introduction is very 

 <^iesirab]e for the improvement of our wines of a Port type. 



The Lisbon District. 



This includes several regions where local cultural methods prevail and 

 distinct types of wine are made, such as Collares, a light dry red wine ; 

 Bucellas, a Portuguese Hock ; Carcavellos, somewhat after the style of 

 Sherry. Torres Vedras produces full bodied dry red table and blending 

 wines ; near Pinhal Novo, across the Tagus, and about 20 miles from 

 Lisbon is the enormous vineyard of Rio Frio, with over 9,000 acres under 

 vines. Some of these are very curious; Collares, for example, where un- 

 grafted European vines are planted in pure sea sand at a depth varying 

 between 10 and 20 feet ! Collares wine is light and agreeable and held in 

 great esteem by the Portuguese who compare it to a French Claret, though 

 it reminds one much more of Beaujolais. At Torres Vedras, and in its 

 neighbourhood are large areas under vines reconstituted some vears ago 

 producing large quantities of a dry red wine of full body and colour, not 

 unlike some of our Victorian red wines. 



Most of these localities cultivate their own special "cepages." At 

 Collares the Ramisco is almost exclusively grown. The Arintho is the 

 chief Bucellas variety, Gallego D'orado and Trincadeira, yield the wine 

 known as Carcavellos. At Torres Vedras the Jao Santarem and Trinca- 

 deira are largely cultivated, whilst at Almeirim, Pinhal Novo and other 

 places south-east of the Tagus one finds such kinds as Trincadeira, Cas- 

 tellao, Fernao Pires, Roupeiro, &c. Portugal is verv rich in different 

 \arieties of vines. The above are the principal wine varieties grown in 

 the neighbourhood of Lisbon. 



Several fine table grapes are also largely cultivated, chief amongst 

 which we have Formosa and Diagalves (some authorities consider these to 

 1;<' identical). These are good carrying sorts; considerable quantities are 

 shipped to England and elsewhere during the season. The Boal, of which 

 there are several varieties, also deserves mention. There are several other 

 fine table grapes less largelv cultivated. A fine Muscatel, known as Mus- 

 catel de Jesus, is also largely grown. It is very like the Gordo Blanco, 

 but Portuguese authorities tell me it is not the same. They consider it to 

 be superior. Without seeing the two growing side by side it is not pos- 

 sible to decide this point. 



Reconstitution. — Near Lisbon many different geological formations 

 occur. Tertiary sandstones are very common. One also sees basalt here 

 and there and occasionally limestone and granite. The vineyards are 



