10 Nov., 1916.] Notes on Fortuguese Vine Varieties. 683 



Kubiao (1844) states that — 



It is one of the red grapes of the Alto Douro, which, in spite of having a thick 

 skin, yields good wine; it requires spur pruning. 



According to Villa Maior (1866-75), 



It is called Uva Rei at Maeedo, and also in Traz-os-Montes, but must not be 

 confounded with the Mouriseo of Minho (North Portugal), which is entirely different. 

 At Vesuvio (Alto Douro) it yields excellent wine, and ripens early; it is in general 

 planted apart from other sort.s, and its wine made separately. The yield of must 

 IS given as 55 per cent, of the weight of the grapes, with a gravity of 1.120 

 (157^-0 B.), and containing 0.188 per cent, of acid (as sulphuric). On the Douro it 

 comes into leaf at a medium period. 



Ferreira Lapa (1866-74) states that — 



At Azeitao, on the 'i'agus, a district producing dry wines, Mouriseo Preto, 

 or Mortagua, is very profluctive, but suffers extremely from oidium. It is a 

 variety from whicli a wine is made without mixture of others ; a special wine 

 which belongs to the category of choice or of choicest {Finos ou finissimos). 



Accordiug to Dr. Paulino Oliviera (1878), 



On fhe Doui'o Tinto Cao, Rabo de ovellia, Alvaraga, Souzao, and especially 

 Mouriseo, resist phylloxera much more than other varieties; in vineyards com- 

 pletely lost, where portions have been already eradicated, plantations of Mouriseo 

 have been preserved, which, in spite of phylloxera, continue to yield a regular" 

 crop. 



Visconde de Villar Allen (1878-79) also writes concerning its 

 phylloxera resistance, and advises raising seedlings of it for the regenera- 

 tion of the vineyards. 



Vizetelly* says- 

 Next comes the Mouriseo Preto or Tinto, which the Trazmontanos have nick- 

 named the " Uva Rei," or King Grape, thick-skinned and pulpy like Touriga, less 

 sweet, but pleasanter in flavour, and yielding in must 55 per cent, of the weight 

 of its bundles. 



Sr. Duarte de Oliveira, in Ampelof/nrp/iie, quotes from several of the 

 above authors, and gives further particulars from which the following is 

 abridged : — 



During some years after the pliylloxera invasion, Mouriseo Tinto regained 

 great favour with vine-growers. Important plantations were made with this vine, 

 which was wrongly considered resistant, a mistake which has also been made in 

 connexion with some otiier pure viniferas. 



The wine-making value of Mouriseo was affirmed by Villa Maior, who said, in 

 1876, '■ it is one of the finest and most precious sorts cultivated on the Douro." 



Mouriseo Tinto is grown as a table grape in all the Portuguese vine districts, 

 but as a wine grape it is almost exclusively to be found in Traz os Montes and 

 the Douro, being largely grown in some of tiie best port wine vineyards. In 

 North Portugal, it is considered one of the best table grapes, playing as important 

 a part as Chasselas does in France. 



It has many of the qualities needed in an exceih nt table grape, and much 

 resembles Black Hamt)urg. 



In good years, and primed long, it is very productive. In order to acquire 

 perfect ripeness, it needs rich soil and warm regions like the Alto Douro. It 

 ripens r)etwcen the second and third period (Piilliat), and only rarely attains a jet- 

 black colour. Mouriseo suffers little from oidium, and mildew rarely damages it. 



Its wine is of the most delicate flavour, and, mixed witli other grapes, it 

 communicates to the blend a very choice bouquet. On tlie Douro it is very 

 fruity (li(|norex\, but for port wine it is blamed with not iiaving colour enough. 

 Ferreira da Silva is ([iioted as stating that its wine coiit:iine(l alcohol 

 1.'} per ii-nt. by volume (22.8 per cent, proof) ; dry extract, 27.3 per cent. ; and acid, 

 2.2 per cent, (as sulphuric). He also quotes M. J. .loulie as givin.; the gravity 

 of its must in Minho as 5) degrees B., and in Traz os Montes (Mur<,^a) as 13 

 degrees B. 



• Fart* al.out I'ort and Marti-ira. 



