WINE AND THE ART OF WINE TASTING. 13 



deemed worthy to stand in rank with Chateau-Lafite and the other two, 

 Chateaux-Margaux and Chateau-Haut-Brion, which together form the 

 four " grands vins," high-class wines of the Gironde. 



'C. Fine Common Wines. In this third category are placed those 

 wines which are intermediate between the fine wines and the common 

 wines. This class of wines can be produced in large quantities in Italy, 

 as there are numerous regions both in the hills and plains which pre- 

 sent the requisite favorable conditions. 



The wines in question generally lack or are deficient in delicacy; 

 with time, and sometimes, too, with a little artificial aid, they acquire 

 some aroma which is not, however, always very delicate. These wines 

 form, or ought to form, the bulk of our export trade; but if we wish to do 

 a steady trade we must set ourselves diligently to make and properly 

 handle these wines. To do this the producers must abandon the idea 

 of making high-class wines, and confine themselves to wines of this 

 kind. 



The wines of this class produced in Italy, especially by those who 

 have recourse to artificial additions, or who do not well understand the 

 processes of wine making, present a certain dryness to the taste which 

 is not exactly pleasing. 



The taster will pronounce them sound wines without any particular 

 defect, but he is not quite satisfied. This may be owing to an artificial 

 aroma, or to the addition of alcohol; it may be caused by heating, or by 

 a too violent fermentation, to the grapes having been picked at the 

 wrong time, or to an injudicious correction of the must, or but as this 

 is not the place to try to account for it it will suffice to state the fact. 



Such artificial aids, then, as the addition of drugs, the drying of the 

 grapes, heating, etc., should be abandoned, and instead a judicious choice 

 of vines, or a blending of grapes or wines substituted; in this way it 

 will be possible to deliver to the trade wines which have a sufficient 

 freshness of taste and frankness of flavor; they will be to a certain . 

 extent smooth and delicate, and will possess more or less of that fruity 

 taste so much liked by consumers. 



D. Common Wines, or Wines of the Plains. This is a class of wines 

 of which it is not very easy to give a definition or to point out its exact 

 limits in Order that it may not be confused with the preceding or com- 

 prehended in the following class. To prove that this is a real difficulty 

 it will suffice to quote the eminent agriculturist, F. Re: "I have some- 

 times drunk wines made from grapes grown in a naturally clayey soil, 

 subjected to irrigation, which were very good, and some even which 

 seemed to be of superior excellence." 



I should therefore state that all wines grown on level ground cannot 

 be classed as common wines; even on the plains, when the climate and 

 especially when the soil and the variety of grapes are particularly favor- 

 able, choice wines may be produced which are worthy to figure in the 

 preceding class. 



The division or class of common wines comprises all those wines con- 

 sumed in the largest quantities, and which, because of the ease and 

 economy with which they are produced, can be sold at a low price, so that 

 they find steady consumers among the working classes, who consume, 

 after all, the greater part of the product of the vineyards. 



These wines are most commonly the product of grapes grown on the 

 plain, either in vineyards or associated with other crops; this does not 



