256 ON COLONIAL WINES. 
district, and by grafting it, a certain proportion in each 
year, on to their old vines. By this means, in ten, 
twelve, or even fifteen years, each district would excel 
in its particular kind of wine, as the Rhine produces 
hock ; Bordeaux, claret ; Burgundy, burgundy ; the 
Douro, port, &c. ; and our wines would then, through 
the agency of our wine merchants, be introduced 
into the home markets, which will never be done 
to advantage, unless what we have recommended is 
carried out." 
The peculiarity of our red wines, and the same may 
be said of Australian red wines generally, is a slightly 
earthy taste. Now this I believe to be due to the 
faulty manner of making, and the want of knowledge in 
maturing the wine, more than to anything derivable 
either from the air or the soil, or the variety of 
grape used. I have noted, however, that Mataro 
is generally the least affected by it, and Malbec the 
most. Red wines made by Mr. C. Maplestone, at 
Ivanhoe, from grapes well matured in a small, 
well-sheltered vineyard, and carefully chosen, on a 
plan substantially the same as that recommended 
for a like class of wines by M. Casalis Allut, were as 
nearly free from this objectionable taste as any I have 
met with. It may, however, be said that much might 
be done in making fine wine in a small vineyard, and 
under all the most favourable conditions, and to a 
certain extent this is true. But by adopting a plan in 
many of its points the same as that of Casalis Allut, 
and on the large scale, S. Baldini, the able feitor of the 
Hon. J. G. Francis, at Sunbury, has produced red 
wines that commanded the admiration of the judges 
