WINE-MAKING IN CALIFORNIA. 14S> 



of Alexandria, generally used in white wines of that type, has 

 prejudiced the public against them, so that there is but little 

 demand for them now. Aside from the Muscadelle de Bor- 

 delais described below, which, however, has an entirely dis- 

 tinct flavor and bouquet, there is but one variety now culti- 

 vated, which will make a very fine wine, dry or sweet, as it 

 may be handled in cellar; this is the White Muscateller* 

 Synonyms Gelber Muscateller, Muscat blanc, Muscat de 

 Frontignan. This is mostly cultivated in Southern Europe, 

 in Germany, Spain and France, and its wine classed very- 

 high, both in the dry and sweet form. The famous "Muscat 

 Lunel " of France, one of the choicest sweet or liqueur 

 wines, which retails as high as $3 per bottle, is made from 

 this grape, and there is a certain class of customers here, 

 who prefer its dry wine to any other, and pay high prices 

 for it. 



Vine a strong, upright grower; wood reddish brown, 

 straight, with rather long joints. Leaf round, seldom lobed, 

 generally heart-shaped, medium size, smooth, light green 

 above, paler green below. Leaf stem thick and short, cords 

 of young shoots greenish brown, slightly wooly. Bunch 

 medium, narrow and long, compact, sometimes shouldered;; 

 short thick stems; berry medium, round, yellowish green, 

 often acquiring a brown tinge in the sun, covered with white 

 bloom, thick skin, very sweet, with a pronounced but delicate 

 Muscat flavor. This may yet become a very profitable vari- 

 ety in this State, as it is a good bearer with long pruning, 

 and fine wine has been made repeatedly from it. It seems to 

 succeed well in the more southern sections, and more atten- 

 tion should be paid to it there, for the manufacture of 

 liqueur wine 



WHITE WINES OF SHERRY TYPE. 



There are quite a number of the recent importations from 

 Spain and Portugal, especially among those made by the 



