74 journal of Agriculture. [lo Feb., 1910.. 



Apart from this view of the question, however, is it not surely illogical 

 to think that the somewhat recently fermented juice of fresh fruit should^ 

 be wholesome in the case of the apple yet injurious in that of the grape? 

 For cider is, in Southern England, mostly consumed before it is twelve 

 months old. 



The wholesomeness, or otherwise, of food products concerns medical 

 men rather than agriculturists, but it is time that attention was drawn to^- 

 these mischievous errors concerning the age of wine which are the result 

 of ignorance and prejudice. 



These two facts enable it to be sold profitably at a price which places 

 it within the reach of all, a price which fluctuates very considerabl> , but 

 which is such that sound, well-made, wholesome wine seldom costs the con 

 sumer who procures it in bulk, more than iid. per gallon (rather less than- 

 2d. per bottle). Of late years, perhaps, no agricultural produce has 

 undergone more violent fluctuations than this very type of wine, owiug to- 

 the altered conditions of supply and demand arising from the ravages of 

 phylloxera in the first place, and the ultimate solution of the difficulty by 

 means of reconstitution on American stocks. Prices have been exceedingly 

 profitable in .some seasons, whilst in others thev have fallen to consider- 

 ably less than the value of the casks required to store the wine in. The 

 viticultural crisis of 1907, which led to grave trouble in Southern France, 

 was the result of an acute fall in the price of wine, and it is satisfactory 

 to note that at the present time the outlook has very considerably improved. 

 In a general way, it may be stated that with the price of the wine, at the- 

 vineyard, at 4|d. to ^A. cost of production is barely covered ; at 6|d. 

 a fair profit, and at 8jd. to gd. a verv handsome profit is realized. 



" Vin ordinaire" is either red or white; formerly little else than red 

 wine was made, but of late years white wine has increased very consider- 

 ably in public favour and has therefore been much more largely produced. 

 A considerable (]uantity of it is now made annually from red grapes, 

 which preponderate in the vineyards of France. Both types have much 

 in common, though thev differ, of course, in colour, tannin contents, and' 

 flavour. They are light and agreeable and strike an Australian by their 

 acidity, which is considerably higher than that of our wines. This acidity 

 is entirely due to the grape and mu.st not be confounded with that result- 

 ing from defective fermentation. This high acidity is one of the valuable 

 features of these wines, for it enables them to be mixed with a good deal 

 of water without their flavour undergoing very marked modification. 

 Frenchmen distinguish between wines which stand watering and those- 

 which do not ; the common wines of the country belong to the former 

 category in a very decided manner. Though possessing but little 

 bouquet, they have a briskness and freshness which renders them attractive- 

 to the regular consumer. Thev are thirst quenching in a \ery high degree, 

 especially when mixed with water. These wines are. as a very general 

 rule, faultlessly made and in excellent condition. With the keen com- 

 petition of the present dav, a defective wire would be quite unsaleable. 



A remarkable feature of these wines is their evenness. The chief varia- 

 tion is in the alcoholic strength, which ranges between 8 degrees and 11 

 degrees French standard (14 per cent, and 19 jjer cent, proof spirit), ro' 

 much so that it is very generally sold an degree (by the degree), the 

 price being determined according to the alcoholic strength. 



The following analyses of four typical samples of "vin ordinaire" 

 selected in France bv the writer show the usual composition of this wine. 

 They were analyzed by Mr. W. Percy Wilkinson, Federal Analvst, before 

 his transfer to the Federal service, and whilst he was State Government 

 Analvst : — 



