11 Dec, 1916.] 



I'ortuguese Wine Varittits. 



733 



to the colour of the berries. He regrets the neglect of this and a few 

 other of the choicest Alto Douro varieties since reconstitution. 



" On going through the ancient Douro vineyards, those especially which by 

 their importance have created the just reputation of port wine, one regrets 

 deeply to see that celebrated vines like Tinto Cao, trae creators of our great 

 wealth, are disappearing mure and more to niaiie place for others quite plebeian, 

 and which have not the least title to recommend them, and to cause them to be 

 received among tne noble varieties which clothe the steep hills bordering the 

 impetuous river of Northern Portugal. But a similar wrong tendency prevails 

 in all countries: in Spain as in Italy; in France as in Portugal; here, especially 

 in the region of wines which have no rivals in the world as liqueur wines, the 

 error exists, and it is one tiiat will cause itself to be felt ere long of abandoning 

 little by little the varieties which have created their reputation during long 

 years." 



He cannot nnderstand Odart, who says of it, " Good wine, a little 

 liard; needs ageing," and points out that on the other hand tal)le wine 



Fig. 17. — Leaves of Tinta Cao (about one-third natural size). 

 Photo, tiilien at Boa Vista, Alto Douro, Portugal, in October, 1907. 



made from Tinto Cao does not need to be too old for it to be irreproach- 

 able. He quotes Dr. Joaquim Pinheiro d'Azevedo Leite, who says, " As 

 it is a vine of niedium yield, it is little grafted, especially now that more 

 productive varieties are preferred." 



Ill order that it may show what it is worth from a wine-making 

 stand-point, it requires a good aspect and the scliisto.se soil of the Douro, 

 which is very poor, and where manuring is not practised. In old days, 

 the laws of tlie country prohibited the manuring of vineyards, the object 

 being to sacrifice quantity to quality. (Law of King Don Jose I., 30th 

 August, 1757.) 



On richer soils this variety is (•iiii;il)le of yielding much heavier 

 crojjs, thougli Tiiituriilly not of wine of the same cpiality. 



The wine of Tinto Cao is very perfumed, and reminds one of that 

 of Touriga, thougli its colour is not so deep. Pinto Villar (1815) is 

 (pioted as saying that this variety ]>roduces an excellent wine with a 

 magnificent bouqufi iiiid a cliiinning tl.ivonr. but it hicks colour. 



