10 Nov., 1916. J Xotts on Portuguese Vine Varieties. 677 



In Miiiho it does very well on A. R.G.I. 



It is especially good for highly-coloured wine, its juice being nearly as deep 

 as that of Alicante Bouschet, but more of a deep ruby or garnet-red colour, which 

 is very durable, its wine, wliicli has but little bouquet, has much bod}', and it is 

 readily realized that it should be an excellent blending sort, for the great vine- 

 yards, where choicer varieties predominate. For light and delicately-perfumed 

 table wines, however, its proportion should not be exaggerated. On tasting, it is 

 found to have a delicate but full flavour, witn a peculiar character, reminding of 

 the after-taste of a peach. 



In cooler regions it ripens late, and the stalk remaining green renders the 

 wine hard and astringent unless the grapes be stemmed. 



Its fermentation is very long, and, if made alone, after the Portuguese fashion, 

 in vats with a large surface exposed to the air, in spite of repeated trampling with 

 tlie human foot, complete fermentation takes so many days for its accomplishment 

 that there is a risk of the skins becoming acetic before the gravitv has fallen 

 to Oo B. 



The opinion expressed by Gyrao as to the double structure of the 

 berry is contradicted, the statement being made that — 



The colour is contained exclusively in the skin. By slight pressure an ashen- 

 coloured or at most a slightly reddish juice is obtained, which proves that the 

 colouring matter is by no means to be found in the pulp of the berry, this being 

 contrary to the statement of Antonio Gyrtio. The following gravities are men- 

 tioned as having been obtained at different localities : — 



Gravity. 

 Mur9a (Traz os Montes) ... ... 1.091 



Castedo (Alto Douro) ... ... 1.116 



Castanheiro do JNorte (Alto Douro) 1.01*9 

 Moncorvo (Traz os Montes) ... 1.108 



The comparison made by Dr. Adeline Costa in 1901 of musts of Souzao and 

 Alicante Bouschet, at Guimaraes (Minho) is quoted as follows : — 



Souzao or Vinhao 

 Alicante Bouschet 



Sr. de Oliveira comments on the enormous difference in gravity to the advan- 

 tage of Souzao, " which has certainly a wine-making value superior to Alicante 

 Bouschet in every direction, unless, perhaps, that of yield." As regards the parts 

 played by Souzao for the making of green wines*, he quotes a letter received from 

 Sr. Antonio Christino, in which he wrote : — " This vine finds itself here in its true 

 home, and constitutes to-day the basis of choicest wines of Minho." 



The following ampelographical description is given : — 



Tine. — Vigorous; trunk cylindrical; l)ark light-brown, easily detaciiable in 

 short strips. 



Huih. — Breaking at a medium periofl; young leaves yellowish above and 

 whitish beneath. 



Canes. — Liong, round or slightly flattened, trailing, striated with russet veins; 

 when matured, of a vinous cliestnut, tiie striations becoming deep sepia; inter- 

 nodes very irregular (6 to 12 cm.)t; knots only slightly marked, brittle, tinted 

 with carmine; tendrils numerous, very long. 



Leaves. — Tliree loljcfl, thick, pliable, large, as broad as long, yeUowish-green on 

 both sides, but the upper side is deeper, cottony, at tlie end of tiie season (in late 

 summer) blotched and dotted witli carmine red and in October becoming yellow 

 smeared with red; underside woolly; veins pruniinent and liglit yellow on the 

 underside, of same colour on the upper side, but later in the season assuming a 

 carmine colour; substance very thin; tiie two sinus scarcely formed by tlie 

 development of three teeth of the upper lobe, the teriniiuvl lobe being very large 

 and projecting forward, sometimes the sinus are U shaped ; petiolar sinus deep, 

 almost^iosed ; teeth alternating, large, pointed, and carmine when the grapes are 

 ripe. Ijeaf stalk long, cottony, striped witli red. 



* The liglit ilrv red wiucs of high aci(lit\ Krowii in the north of Portugal, 

 t "-J to 4| inches. 



