398 Journal of Agriculture, Victoria. [10 July, 1916. 



PORTUGUESE VARIETIES OF VINES. 



Bi/ M. d'A. Burney. 



When Mr. de Castella visited Europe on behalf of the Victorian 

 Government he made arrangements for the grafting in France of 

 some varieties of Portuguese vines. The major portion of these 

 vines imported by Mr. B. W . Bagenal, was acquired by 

 Mr. A. Prentice, and was planted in his vineyard near 

 Kutherglen. At the end of 1913 this vineyard was purchased by 

 Burgoyne Bros. As it contains the largest area under Portuguese 

 varieties in Australia, it may be of interest to record the result of the 

 1916 vintage, as each variety has been gatliered, weighed, and fermented 

 sei^arately. In the two previous years the crop was so small that 

 separate treatment was quite impossible. The wine resulting from the 

 mixture is totally different in style and character from any other sweet 

 wines produced here ; but, as the varieties were mixed, it was impossible 

 to attribute this difference to any one variety. The three varieties 

 are Touriga, Alvarelhao, and Bastardo. These may be considered to be 

 the most important of the varieties cidtivated in Portugal, but there are 

 others which find favour in Portugal and which are not included in 

 the Mount Athos vineyard. Among those absent it would be of interest 

 to mention: — Souzao, Mourisco Preto, Donzellinho do Castello, Tinta 

 Cao, Tinto Carvalho, &c., all of which are largely cultivated in 

 Portugal. The selection made by Mr. de Castella was, however, for the 

 purpose of obtaining grapes of the finest quality only for the production 

 of wines of a port type. 



The results obtained at the 1916 vintage appear to amply justify 

 this selection. In order to compare the yield of these Portuguese 

 varieties with other varieties well known in Australia, the following 

 table showing the yield per acre and the sugar strength of the bulk will 

 be of interest. Considerable care was taken to pick each variety 

 separately in order to get an absolutely accurate estimate of the yield 

 per acre. Picking took place of all the varieties described below upon 

 the 21st and 22nd March: — 



Toiiriga 



Bastardo 



Alverelhae 



Greiiaelie 



Shira/. 



It will be seen that the sugar strengths are appreciably less than 

 Grenache and Shiraz picked imder similar conditions. The soil is of 

 .schistose formation, Avith a considerable proportion of stone running 

 through it. The appearance of the grapes at the time of vintne:e was 

 deceptive. Bastardo is the earliest vine to come into leaf. The grapes 

 appear to ripen earlier than Shiraz, but the vegetation is by no moans 



