28 



a means of producing a wine of, to some extent, what character we 

 wish. In a very warm climate we want to make a wine as light 

 as possible, in a cold one it is a strong wine we must try to 

 make. The strength of wines made from different varieties in the 

 same vineyard will greatly differ. For example, one may give a wine 

 containing 14 per cent, of alcohol whilst another would produce one 

 containing over 20 per cent. 



It follows that the variety which gives the best results in the first 

 or cool region would be utterly unsuited for the third region, at least 

 for the production of light wine. Although it might yield a strong 

 sweet wine of high quality as such, the demand for this class of wine 

 is only limited. 



All varieties are not influenced alike by an increase in the warmth 

 of the climate its effect in increasing the alcoholic strength of the 

 wine is more considerable on some than on others. For example, a 

 certain sort might give a wine containing 18 per cent, of alcohol if 

 grown at Lillydale, whilst it might contain 26 per cent, if grown at 

 Rutherglen. The relative strength for a second variety might be 

 Lillydale 20 per cent, and Rutherglen 23 per cent. The increase in 

 strength would be 8 per cent, for the first sort, and only 3 per cent, 

 for the second, which, in other words, gives more constant results 

 under varied climatic conditions than the first sort. 



The time of coming into leaf in the spring and of the ripening of the 

 grapes varies greatly. It is very advisable that the vine-grower should 

 keep a permanent record of the date of the first appearance of the leaves 

 and flowers on his vines. Late budding varities are to be recommended 

 in localities subject to spring frosts, whilst early ripening sorts should 

 be cultivated if the weather about vintage time be usually unfavor- 

 able. Some varieties have greater or less power of resisting frost, 

 once they are in leaf, whilst others are capable of bearing fruit on the 

 secondary buds if the main ones have been destroyed. The suitability 

 or otherwise of a variety also depends on its capacity for resisting 

 fungus or insect diseases, or being more suited to a special style of 

 pruning. These peculiarities will be given in the next chapter where 

 each vine will be described in detail. 



