510 THE WINES SHOWN AT THE INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION. 



Some few samples are remarkable from their great age. Thus " Vhi 

 d'Alicant," of St. Gilles, Departernent du Gard, is of the vintage of 1801, 

 and yielded 33-3 per cent, of spirit. A red wine from Luz in the same 

 Department, dated 1811, is 23*9 per cent., and a wine called LaMarigny, 

 of Neunier, Department Indre et Loire, also of 1811, is 18 - 9 per cent. A 

 sample from Chateau la Serre, of Libourne in the Gironde, is of the 

 vintage of 1783, and strength 19 - 6. But these are but young in com- 

 parison with one from the Departernent du Tarn, which has reached 

 the venerable age of 111 years, and maintained a strength of 18*9 per 

 cent. This last, though still sound and healthy, possessed little or no 

 character, and from the complete exhaustion of the sugar, and the 

 greater prominence thus acquired by the tannic acid, it had a positively 

 bitter taste. 



The wines of Australia, of which 18 samples have been tested, are 

 interesting as being comparatively unknown in this country, and as the 

 representatives of a culture and manufacture yet in its infancy, but of 

 high importance for many considerations. None of them are of 

 high character, but those from Sydney in particular possess some 

 sound and excellent qualities that promise well under improved 

 culture and more careful manipulation. All have a high natural degree 

 of spirit. 



The wines from Victoria, though much the same in strength as those 

 from New South Wales, are decidedly their inferiors in quality. The 

 body is weak, and the flavour poor and uninviting.* 



The names by which several of them are designated may perhaps 

 indicate the kind of grape used in their manufacture ; but, if so, the 

 alteration of climate, season, or some other circumstance, must have 

 completely changed their character, as not a vestige of resemblance 

 remains. The Frontignac here .is a red sour wine, instead of being 

 white and luscious. The perfume, however, which attached to the dis- 

 tillate, gave indication of its origin in the muscat grape. The 

 Hermitage and Burgundies are of a sickly pale red colour, and 

 thin body. Indeed all the red wines bear a great family likeness 

 to each other, and, as well as the white wines, are destitute of any great 

 individuality. 



The Tokay has no point of similarity to its celebrated namesake, 

 and, except a higher degree of strength, is in other respects like the 

 rest of the white wines ; and the white Victoria was still in a state of 

 fermentation. 



* It appears that these wines, being in the first instance very new, were for 

 three months exhibited in a hot glass building in Melbourne, had afterwards a 

 voyage of four months to England, and were then shown in the International 

 Exhibition building for six mouths in an upright position. It is, therefore, 

 evident, that their flavour and character were not likely to be in good condition ; 

 that they were sound and alcoholic appears extraordinary under the circum- 

 stances. 



