lo June, 1909.] Cataluna. 387 



cataluSa. 



{Continued from fu^ge J JO.) 

 F. de Castclla, Government \ iticnlturist. 



Llansa. 



Provided with a letter of introduction to Don Ramon Ballesta y 

 Sans, I arrived at Llansa on 29th January. I was very warmly received 

 and most kindly shown everything there was to be seen in this most 

 interesting neighbourhood by Don Ramon's son who accompanied me in 

 a long walk during which we visited several vineyards, situated in almost 

 inaccessible situations for the vineyards run up the sides of these steep 

 hills to a height of a couple of thousand feet and more. They rank 

 amongst the most picturesque vineyards I have seen, not excepting those 

 of the Alto Douro in Portugal. Here, once more, one finds Primary 

 geological formations, slates and schists such as we know so well in 

 Australia, and here also does one meet with the Rancio wines almost 

 identical with those of the Priorato in olden times. There is less forti- 

 fication and less blending, for everything is done on a smaller scale, 

 and more as it was in olden days, than in an important commercial 

 centre such as Reus. 



After leaving Figueras, the line runs across rich level country in a 

 N.E. direction, approaching a gap in the high hills before one. At 

 Villa juiga, I saw once more, in a cutting, the rocks so familiar in Aus- 

 tralia, but only to be met with in odd localities in Europe, for I was 

 again getting into country of Primary age. Geological formations 

 are a good deal mixed up about here, granite being visible now and 

 again, l:>ut further on at Llansa scarcely any but Primarv rocks are to 

 l^e seen. The vineyards of Llansa almost baffle description ; viewed from 

 below, one sees little but the retaining walls of the terraces and the 

 diagonal lines of the storm water channels, placed every here and there 

 to provide, as much as possible, against the washing away of the scantv 

 soil. Our photographs give some idea of this arrangement and of the 

 queer patterns presented on a mountain side when a considerable portion 

 of it is, as often happens, covered with vines. The terraces here are 

 bv no means level, the retaining walls being only sufficiently high to reduce 

 the natural slope of the ground enough to permit work. They do not 

 constitute, as in Portugal, a regular series of steps. As in the Priorato, 

 it is the most inaccessible vineyards which produce the choicest wines — the 

 best Rancios- In the richer low-lying land, ordinar\- wines of fair 

 qualitv are grown but it is only on the Primarv rock that they can grow 

 Rancios of quality. 



Much of what I have already written concerning the Priorato, applies 

 equally well to this district. There is but little difference. The soil is the 

 same ; the Garnacho is exclusively cultivated on the hillsides for the pro- 

 duction of Rancio wines and, except in a few rich valley soils, Rupestris 

 du Lot is the only stock used. The Garnacho is here usually known under 

 its Catalan name of Llorane ; a white varietv of it is cultivated to some 

 extent and yields wine of excellent quality. The grapes of the white and 

 red varieties are usually mixed at vintage. 



I was able to take a 5 or 6 mile walk among these most picturesque hill- 

 side vinevards. We ascended the mountain to a height of about 1.600 feet 

 before getting out of the vine zone, though at this elevation the vineyards 



