1872 Cooling Cups and Dainty Drinks (Mixellany)

Port. 21 Alto Douro. The choicest vineyards are situated on a succession of hills on each side of the river Douro, distant about 50 miles from Oporto, from which place the wine derives its name, i.e., Porto, or Oporto wine. The vintage season, which begins in September and ends in October, is capable of producing, in favourable years, 70,000 pipes of wine, each pipe averaging about 1 ] 5 gallons. The vintages are divided into separate classes, the principal being those which are termed Factory wines (vintros de Feitoria), or assorted wines for exportation to England, and " vintros separados" or assorted wines for home and other consumption. Mr. Oswald Crawford, in his Consular Commercial Report, gives the following account of Port wine- making :—" The wine-making, though at first pri- mitive, is in all essential particulars very cautiously and skilfully performed. The over-ripe or inferior grapes being picked out, the best are thrown into a large stone-built vat (lagar). Into this as many men as can easily find room enter and tread out the juice; the must is then allowed to stand till a thorough fermentation has taken place. It is now that a small portion of brandy is added, as is also done with Sherry and Madeira, to prevent the wine, containing, as it does, so many rich ingredients, from