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The absolute return per acre will be the same in both cases, but the 

 smaller yield, entailing less expense in gathering, vintaging, and 

 casks, leaves a larger margin for profit. 



At present the production of Victorian wine is so limited that it 

 has not come to be looked upon as a regular article of commerce in 

 the markets of Europe. The demand for it is small, and, consequently, 

 in the absence of competition, wines in reality of very dissimilar 

 values often sell for -the same price. With the largely-increased 

 production, which is sure to result from the extensive planting of the 

 last year or two, a re-arrangement of prices is bound to come, tending 

 to raise the price of superior wines and lower that of wines of 

 ordinary quality. 



The successful wine-grower of the future will be the one who 

 devotes himself to the production of high-class wines. At present it 

 may be more remunerative to produce larger quantities of an inferior 

 article, but a time will come when the producer who sacrifices quality 

 to quantity will find difficulty in getting rid of his wine, whilst for a 

 superior article there will always be a demand. 



The strength of the wine to be produced is the next point requiring 

 consideration. In Europe strong wines are going out of fashion 

 every day and giving place to lighter ones ; people preferring a claret 

 of which they can drink a bottle without inconvenience to a strong 

 wine of a port or sherry type, which does not quench the thirst, and 

 of which only a couple of glasses may be taken with impunity. In 

 Australia the taste for strong wines still continues, although lighter 

 ones are coming more into favour every day. 



A light wine is the one for which there is, and always will be, the 

 greatest demand. It is destined to be the universal drink for all 

 classes, being more beneficial, cheering, and invigorating than any 

 other. The great bulk of strong wines now produced will be devoted 

 chiefly to blending purposes, and will not probably command a high 

 price in the near future, with the exception of a limited number of 

 high-class strong wines, which will always command good prices as 

 liqueur wines or ports. 



Sweet wines may be included in the same category as strong wines. 

 A wine cannot remain sweet unless it is sufficiently rich in alcohol to 

 prevent the fermentation of the unchanged sugar. Such wines, often 

 termed ladies' wines, liqueur, or fruity wines, are perhaps more sought 



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