VINE CULTURE AND THE GRAPE. 



435 



In South Australia nature herself is opposed to the production of 

 these high bouquet wines ; there she demands consideration for body, 

 sweetness, spirit, and other high qualities of generous T^dnes. The 

 Eiesling and Verdeilho when not tortured, yield wines second only to 

 the Bucellas of Lisbon, and the sweeter kinds of Madeira ; while the 

 Donzellinha, the Black Portugal, the Schiras, Malaro, and Grenache 

 yield wines of the character of good port, such as it is known 

 in Portugal, the strongest of Hermitage, and that peculiar produce 

 known as Roussillon. The produce of the Australian vineyards may 

 vie with those of the most favoured countries of southern Europe. 

 The local consumption of colonial wines increases year by year, and 

 it is considered that they would compete successfully with the light 

 wines of France in the English market, were they admitted at the 

 same rate of duty. The price is yet too high to enable Australian 

 wines to come into consumption here ; but if the rapid progress of 

 production continues, there will soon be a large surplus to export to 

 other countries^ 



Although at present wine can scarcely become an article of much 

 export from Australia, it is interesting to watch the progress of the 

 cultivation and to observe the rapid development of the vine. It was 

 remarked in the Jury Eeports of the London Exhibition in 1862, that 

 with care and time, there is every prospect of these colonies becoming 

 the great wine-growing countries of that part of the world. Since 

 that opinion was enunciated, remarkable progress has been made and 

 the quality of Australian wines has received high favour at the Dublin 

 Exhibition of 1862 ; that of Paris 1867 ; Vienna 1873 ; and London 

 1873. There is, as might be expected, in dealing with an area almost 

 continental, and considering the numerous varieties of the vine that 

 have been introduced from all parts of Europe, an infinite difference 

 in the produce. We there find wines of the character of the German 

 wines, others resembling the French wines, whilst some have the 

 substance and body of the wines of Spain. It was at one time con- 

 sidered that Australian wines would not keep well, but the question 

 has now been settled in the affirmative, for their natural strength is 

 such that they require no fortifying. The raisins dried in some of 

 the Australian colonies are unsui'passed for size and flavour, and the 

 same may be said of currants. In South Australia of late years the 

 price paid for grapes for crushing has been for Tokays and Madeiras, 

 4Z. per ton, and for Frontignacs, Verdeilhos, and Muscats from 4Z. 10s. 

 to bl. 



As many vineyards will yield 3 tons of grapes to the acre, it 

 can be readily seen that vine growing is a really profitable investment. 

 On comparison of the various figures, it will be found that the 

 colonies of South Australia and Victoria far outstrip the older colony 

 of New South Wales, which was the first to commence the culture of 

 the vine. South Australia stands first and foremost as the fosterer 

 of the vine and wine making, as the following figures show : 



Acres under 

 Vine. 



1850 282 



1854 408 



1858 1055 



Acres under 

 Vine. 



1860 3180 



1865 6364 



1871 6131 



2 F 2 



