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



promise, and seem to be quite different from the produce of any other 

 European varieties. It is already obvious that to obtain a wiue of a 

 ^' vintage " type more prolonged contact with the skins is necessary, in 

 Portugal prolonged maceration is the rule, whether the wines are 

 intended for " vintage " or tawny types. Here in Australia Brown 

 Muscat is frequently introduced into port blends, with the resulr that 

 the blend losses any resemblance that it may have had to true port. 

 Pale-coloured x\ustralian ports which win prizes at wine shoAvs in 

 Australia have usually greater resemblance to brown sherry than to 

 !iny other European wine. In Portugal wine-spirit only about 30 over 

 proof is used for the fortification of ilie best quality wines. This is 

 probably with the object of reducing the percentage of acidity, which 

 does not find favour Avith the English palate. In Australia, where 

 complete maturity can always be obtained, absolutely silent spirit should 

 be preferable. 



There are already cellars in Australia containing very fine old wines 

 of the port type made from Shiraz, Grenache and other varieties which 

 are not cultivated in Portugal. The varieties now in full bearing m 

 the Mount Athos vineyard should enable a great improvement to be 

 made in producing a type of wine more closely resembling true port, 

 and for which there is a large market in Great Britain at a high price. 



It is obvious that there is still much to be learned in the handling 

 of these Portuguese varieties, but the results of the 1916 vintage should 

 enable us to emerge from the experimental stage and act with a con- 

 siderable degree of certainty in the production of wines of the port 

 type in the future. 



As reasonable success has already been achieved in the production 

 of wines of a port type in Australia from varieties of grapes hitherto 

 confined in Europe to the production of dry table wines, it is obviou> 

 that Australia possesses conditions of soil and climate entirely favorable 

 to the production of sweet wines. The introduction of the true 

 Portuguese varieties must therefore logically improve the type of wine 

 the moment that we can learn by experience how these varieties should 

 be treated. 



Notes on Portuguese Vine Varieties. 



By F. cle Castella, Government Vitlculturist. 



Mr. Burney's note on the results of the Alto Douro Vine varieties 

 growing at Mount Athos vineyard wdll doubtless be read Avith much 

 interest by all Victorian wine-growers producing wines of port type. 



Rutherglen, and several other parts of the north-east of Victoria, 

 have already produced sweet wines of remarkable quality, and this 

 mainly from grapes usually cultivated in France for dry wine produc- 

 tion. The similai'ity of climate and soil to those of the Alto Douro 

 makes it highly probable that the utilization of the vine varieties which 

 yield the Avorld's highest grade sweet red wines may haA^e results of 

 far-reaching importance in Australia. 



Independent expressions of opinion, such as Mr. Burney's note, are 

 of the greatest value at the present time, Avhen we are beginning to 

 cultiA'ate, on a commercial scale, many recent introductions of consider- 

 able promise. Undue multiplication of varieties is no doubt undesir- 

 able, but there is reason to believe that some of the new-comers will 



