206 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 Maz., 1900. 
The object of the writer in calling attention to these prices is to point out 
the estimation which is given to each variety of grape in South Australia. 
Opinions of wine-makers in the colony which was the pioneer in Aust ite 
viticulture, and which yearly exports large and increasing quantities of wil@™ 
Great Britain and other parts, are worthy of consideration by Queensi®” — 
yignerons. | 
The Carbenet and Malbec are far and away the best grapes for light 
wines of the claret class, and are paid the highest prices; yet there 18 only 
one vineyard in this colony that, to the writer’s knowledge, contains ia 
grapes in any quantity, and that is Mr. Lambert’s, at Mount Walker. ‘The 
claret grapes are therefore practically non-existent in Queensland, BY ie | 
Hermitage, an excellent all-round grape, comes next in value, and this 18 ut | 
plentiful here. Dolcetto and Grenache are wanting in Queensland—the form 1 
a good light-red wine grape, the latter a variety for sweet wines. =, this | 
Mataro or Espar, with its confrére, Black Spanish, are in the majority 2 na | 
colony, but, with the exception of the Grenache, it is the least esteemed 1 ™ | 
south. “se 
Pineau or Black Cluster apparently has no place there, or comes 1D wa | 
the Mixed Black at £110s; yet this is one of the commonest vines 
Queensland. ihe | 
Coming to the white grapes, it must be explained that the lowness of | 
price compared to the red grapes, is caused by the demand being infinitely ' 
than for the red, as the bulk of the wine exported is red wine. The hight 
prices are paid for Riesling, W. Hermitage, and Frontignan ; up to the prese? 
the writer has not met with the bond fide Riesling in this colony, and very 
Frontignan, sh 
The Verdeilho comes next at £3 5s., and it must not be confounded WY 
the so-called Verdeilho of Queensland, which is nothing but the Clairette, 
of the least esteemed in South Australia. The writer has met with the? 
article in one or two vineyards, under the name of Madeira. t 
The Tokay is not at all a common grape in Queensland, but it is 4 ae ‘i 
rate grape for all-round work. The Sweetwater and Clairette are very com™ 
here, and the least esteemed down south. : a 
The fact is, in the early days of viticulture in Queensland, as it wa 
South Australia, the mistake was made of planting for quantity and nob 
quality; but in the latter colony vignerons have long since found out that tet 
wines are not to be made from inferior grapes, and the Mataro and Chet 
&c., have to a great extent been rooted out or grafted with the finer variene 
whereas Queensland still continues to replant them. With federation in Mee, 
and southern competition to be met, it behoves Queensland vignerons to ae 
themselves in this respect, and for the future to plant nothing but the ED 
varieties of vines, and if the existent common kinds could be grafted : 
necessarily all at once) so much the better. An excellent example of wh® ae 
vineyard should contain is to be found at Mr. Lambert’s place at Mow 
Walker. The red varieties are Carbenet, Malbec, and Black Hermitage, “7 4 
some Mataros, and Black Spanish he still clings to for old times’ sake. To t Bie 
could be added the Dolcetto and one or two good French vines. The wi 
varieties are the W. Hermitage or Roussonne, the W. Pineau, the true V erdeil ff 
the Tokay, and W. Portugal. To these could be added the true Riesling; Sa i 
vignon, and some Port and Madeira grapes now being raised by this departme? 
The Frontignan is a very valuable white variety for sweet wines. it 
If the above choicer kinds were more commonly grown in this colony 
gore be a considerable step towards meeting coming competition from 
south. 
