182 GRAPE CULTURE A]^D WINE-MAKING. 



would be more valuable if tlie grapes were not in so many in- 

 stances planted on a too rich soil. Exquisite are the " Grenacbe" 

 from Sabajes and Carignena — reddish, sweet, of an agreeable fla- 

 vor, with a good deal of spirit ; and a white sweet wine from Bor- 

 ja. Saragossa is the chief market-place. The cantaro contains 

 about two gallons and one and a half quarts ; a nieiro or carga 

 about 38 gallons. 



Biscay has very poor wines, mostly green, tart, and sour, which 

 do not bear keeping. The only exception is a wine from the en- 

 virons of Vittoria, called Pedro Ximenez. 



Estremadura furnishes, besides some good wine, Tinto, which, 

 nevertheless, has little similarity with that of this name from Ali- 

 cante. It is a mild wine, has a good color and spirit, a fine taste, 

 and agreeable bouquet. It is the only Spanish wine which will 

 bear comparison with the best French wines of the second class. 



Gallicia produces very little. The best of her wines come from 

 Eibadavia and Tuy. Of both some is exported. The common 

 measure is named cantaro, holding IGt^f^o litres — about four gal- 

 lons three quarts. 



Grenada has only two distinguished places for good wines : the 

 territory of the city of Malaga, and Velez Malaga, five leagues 

 from Malaga. Upon the mountains around the former city grow 

 the grapes which give those exquisite wines known in France and 

 Germany under the name of Malaga, in England under that of 

 Mountain wine. They distinguish seven varieties of it : 1. Pedro 

 Ximenez — sweet, delicious, with a great deal of bouquet, but infe- 

 rior to that from Xeres. 2. Vino Tintorio — when young, dark 

 amber-colored and very sweet ; with age it loses some of its sweet- 

 ness, and becomes more spirituous and aromatic. This is the 

 kind that comes, under the name of Malaga, to the various coun- 

 tries. It bears keeping over one hundred ^^ears. Its price in- 

 creases with its age ; and while the hotta (440 litres) of a new wine 

 sells for 150 francs, the hotta of the oldest one will bring 5000 

 francs and more. 3. Muscat; of which there are two kinds, Mal- 

 aga Muscat and Drop or Tear Muscat. These have a yellowish 

 color and much bouquet, especially the latter, which is also clear- 

 er and finer. 4. Cherry, made of common wine with which sour 

 cherries are macerated, the taste of which the wine adopts. 5. The 

 dry white wine, near in quality to the Sherries, and sold under 

 that name. 6. Malvasie, similar to that of Sihes, which will, how- 

 ever, keep but a very short time. 7. Tinto, of a dark color, sweet 

 and keen. 



Velez Malaga, five leagues east of Malaga, furnishes also a great 

 deal of wine, which is sold for genuine Malaga, although of a little 

 inferior quality. The main product of Velez is raisins. 



Minorca produces, in the environs of Aleyor, a very good dark 

 red wine, of excellent taste, which nevertheless does not bear ex- 

 portation, losing its good qualities in a few days by a sea voyage. 



