ON COLONIAL WINES. 259 
These were pure and simple wines— well made, but, 
being young and full-bodied, they needed care and 
keeping. But after lying quiet for five years, they 
proved to be quite equal to the very best sent to the 
Exhibition— wines quite ripe at, say, six or seven 
years old, that would be a credit to the colony in any 
country in the world. 
p Jt is frequently remarked that the produce of young 
vineyards becomes drinkable, and matures sooner, than 
that of old ones ; and all my observations go towards 
confirming it. There are no old vineyards in Victoria, 
and very few in Australia. There can be but three 
or four in all, that date back twenty-five years ; but 
there are a good many of ten or twelve years. Now 
I understand by the produce of young vineyards those 
not older than their third year of bearing. The pro- 
duce of such as these does soon ripen, and it also soon 
passes its best, deposits colouring matter, and becomes 
thin and poor, though it may retain its distinctive 
bouquet. It is, perhaps, providentially so arranged, that 
the cultivator may not lay long out of a return. 
One important object which I proposed to myself in 
studying the samples left with me at the close of the 
Intercolonial Exhibition, 1866-7, was to watch from 
time to time, and ask the opinion of good judges 
when they considered a sample was at its best. The 
declared ages of all were marked on the labels. This 
has been done. Not one of them, whether red or 
white, improved after its eighth year, and but very few 
showed decided signs of decay at that age. In every 
instance those which held their own were from rather 
sweet to sweet kinds ; and were, with two or three 
