192 HISTORY OF FRUITS. 



of Lisbon. No wine improves more by keeping than 

 Bucellas, if good when bottled ; and, excepting hock and 

 the Grave wines, it is the most excellent dinner-wine we 

 import. Port wine is imported in casks, containing one 

 hundred and thirty-eight gallons, which is called a pipe, 

 but often gauges two, or four gallons over : upon this the 

 duty must be paid, although the merchant makes no 

 charge for the extra quantity. 



France has been long famous for her vineyards, and 

 even exported wine to Italy in the reign of Vespasian. 

 Our traffic with Bourdeaux for wine commenced about 

 the year 1172; and we now obtain from France a great 

 variety of delicate wines, among which are the red and 

 white hermitage, burgundy, claret, champaigne of several 

 sorts, frontignac, muscadel, lunel, barsac, langon, vin de 

 grave, &c. &c. The generality of these wines do not re- 

 quire long keeping, and, without great care, burgundy and 

 champaigne soon become ropy and spoiled. The most 

 esteemed French wines are 



" The claret smooth, 



The mellow-tasted Burgundy, and quick, 

 As is the wit it gives, the gay Champaigne." 



From Switzerland we procure neufchatel, velteline, la 

 cote, reiff, &c. &c. 



The borders of the Rhine furnish us with a variety of 

 Rhenish wines, the most esteemed of which is called Hock; 

 from Hockheim, the town where it is made. This wine 

 cannot be kept too long, as it obtains both body and 

 flavour, as well as colour, by age. Hock wine is given 

 with the greatest advantage in cases of the typhus fever. 

 About one-half of Germany can boast of having good 

 vineyards, while the other half has none : all the wines of 

 this country require long keeping. 



