ON COLONIAL WINES. 271) 
The method followed in the making of wine by the 
greater part of the cultivators is the following :— 
" As soon as the lagar is full of the mixed grapes, 
without any attempt at separating the dry, rotten, or 
green berries, all together is trodden out for wine, 
and plenty of men put on at once, so that the first 
part of the treading may be done in the shortest space 
of time ; afterwards the work is carried on with fewer 
men during two days and the halves of two nights. 
" Wlien t]ie fermentation has been well set up, they 
wait to ascertain how the wine offers to turn out The 
fermentation is allowed to go on from two to eight 
days. The proof which is required is its having a 
vinous taste and smell, and a certain roughness* of 
flavour on the palate. When it arrives at this point it 
is put into large casks, without any addition of brandy, 
until it is racked previous to being sold, and even then 
only a small portion is added. The Senhor Campilho, 
one of the best vignerons in these parts, and whose 
wines are made with more than customary care, gives 
two almudes of brandy to every 700 gallons." 
REMARKS ON WINES SENT TO THE EXHIBITION, 
MELBOURNE 1872-3. 
It would be out place now to trespass on the report of 
the wine experts, further than to add that during the 
period that has elapsed since I had an opportunity of 
personally judging of any large collection of Victorian 
wines (1867), there is the most unmistakable evidence of 
vast improvement in nearly all their vinous properties. 
Most of our red wines then had, when young, a well- 
pronounced disagreeable earthy taste ; but with more 
care, and impioved methods of fermenting, and after- 
T 2 
