26 



EXTENT OF THE VTNEYAUDS 



those of Port Saint Mary's and San Lucar. A great 

 portion of the wines exported, to England under the name 

 of Sherry, are the growth of Malaga, and are brought 

 round and transhipped at Cadiz. Most of the Sherries 

 sold by retail in England, under 40s. a dozen, are either 

 of this kind or of the commonest qualities of the San Lucar 

 and Port St. Mary's vineyards. The whole quantity of 

 Sherry annually exported from Xeres, does not exceed 

 25,000 butts. In no case do the exporters send a genuine 

 natural wine — that is, a wine as it comes from the press 

 without a mixture of other qualities. It is rather a singular 

 circumstance that the sale of the produce of the common 

 vineyards is more ready and certain than of that fit for 

 exportation. The latter is all purchased up by a few 

 individuals, and held by them till it is taken off by the 

 gradual demand. The stock is equal to many years' con- 

 sumption, and some of the holders are said to possess 

 stocks to the amount of a million dollars. No wine is 

 allowed by law to be sold for consumption till it is twelve 

 months old. The produce of the arenas is much greater 

 than of the albarizas, but a greater quantity of it turns 

 sour. The very dry wine called Amontillado, is generally 

 said to be produced in a way which no one can account 

 for, as it is not possible to say beforehand whether the 

 wine, when fermenting, will turn out Sherry or Amontil- 

 lado. If so, it is probable it is the result of a more 

 perfect fermentation ; indeed, Mr. Domecq agreed with 

 me in this opinion. Rafael Torda, a Spanish writer on 

 wines, says, that it is the produce of a particular grape, 

 the Palomina. Although the Manzanilla and common 

 wine of the country are more apt to turn sour than the 

 Sherry, the latter is also occasionally subject to that 

 degeneration. Mr. Domecq said, that as many as 100 



