Journey from Vienna. 103 



The culture of the vine is attended to with singular care 

 through all this extent of country. The grounds for plantation, 

 the size of the vine, the requisite labours, the double ploughing 

 or digging of the soil, the shelter for the young plants during 

 the winter these preparatives are minutely superintended by 

 the real owners, with an ardour like that of an amateur, watch- 

 ing over rare and delicate plants. Of course the vines exhibit 

 an air of symmetry, of neatness and vigour, not usual in ordi- 

 nary vineyards. The props are upright and well set, the 

 branches tied and bent with judgment, the distances between 

 the vines correctly adjusted, and the paths about them well laid 

 down to afford a prompt access to them. Men are also ap- 

 pointed to guard against damages of any kind, especially to- 

 wards the end of the season, when the grapes begin to ripen. 



The vintage is always very late, generally about the end of 

 October, as they wait till the grape has attained its greatest 

 maturity, and till some parts are half-dried upon the vine. The 

 quality of the wiue chiefly depends upon the state of the wea- 

 ther in autumn ; the fruit must ripen and grow dry gradually, 

 and the warmth or heat must be in proportion to the coolness 

 and dews of the nights, and the mists that are then frequent. 

 Should one of these circumstances predominate, or premature 

 frosts be sensibly felt, the grape would riot arrive at its full 

 maturity, and the fairest promise of a good vintage would be 

 blasted. 



Other particular and unusual precautions are also adopted. 

 AH the grapes thoroughly dried, are laid apart, as also such as 

 are merely ripe ; but in both cases the damaged parts are 

 thrown away, and the sound fruit only is used, which prevents 

 the admission of any improper flavour. Occasionally care is 

 taken to keep separate the different varieties, of which there 

 are four or five, in the plantations of the Hegy Allya. 



The grapes that are gathered when merely ripe, are trodden 

 and pressed apart. From these the ordinary sort is produced, 

 which in good years is pretty sweet, very spirituous, and of an 

 agreeable flavour, but this wine is consumed in the country 

 and has no superior reputation. The wines commonly known 

 by the name of Tokay, though in many parts of Europe what 

 are sold for such, are either adulterated or fabricated, are pre- 

 pared in a peculiar manner. The juice of such grapes as are 

 half dried, is mixed with that of the common grapes in greater 

 or less quantities; from this mixture, which is very luscious, 

 comes a good wine, of which they make two sorts, the Aus- 

 bruch and the Maslas, but I could not be present at the vintage 

 and distinguish the precise difference between them. 



The half-dried grapes are thrown into a heap, and from 



