1880 Facts about Port and Madeira by Henry Vizetelly

128

In the Port Wine Country.

one by one to tbe lodge doorway,and boisted on to bulloclc- cai*ts wbicb descended witb tbem to tbe river, wbere lighters were in readiness to convey tbem to tbe steamer lying moored off tbe Oporto Custom-bouse. At tbe lodges of Offley,Forrester,and Co.we tasted some fine full-bodied but exceedingly mellow vintage wines of tbe years 1870 to 1875, from tbe renowned Quinta da Boa Vista. A sample of 1866,regarded as one of tbe worst years among Port wine vintages, was also sbo"svn to us, and proved exceedingly ligbtand refinedin flavour,having,moreover,a beautiful bouquet. Tbe white Ports, although of fine quaUty, were exceedingly sweet and remarkably pale in colour, in accordance witb tbe requirements of Russian consumers,for whom these wines are almost exclusively prepared. Tbe larger Port wine bouses are, as a rule, very conservative in their ideas, and only two of tbem profit to any extent by mechanical appliances to effect a saving of manual labour in their lodges. These are Messrs. Silva and Cosens, and W.and J. Graham and Co. Tbe premises of tbe former adjoin those of Cockburn, Smithes, and Co., and are entered under an archway conducting to an open terrace whence a magnificent view of Oporto is obtained beyondtbelong red-tiled roofs oftbe lodges of VilLa Nova. To tbe right of this terrace are a couple of lofty and capacious lodges, wbere tbe firm store their younger wines,and adjoining is a recently-erected structure,designed by Mr.Rouse, tbe English engineer resident at Oporto, who superintended tbe erection of Senbor Souza's adega at Celleir6s. This structure, said to be tbe largest single lodge in Villa Nova,is divided into four aisles by slender iron columns wbicb sustain tbe immense roof of open woodwork covered witb slate,ligbt being admitted abundantly by means of windjws on three sides. Tbe contrast between this ligbt and airy structure and tbe typical close and gloomy ViUa Nova lodge is a striking one. In this model lodge, as throughout Messrs. Silva and Cosens's establishment, tramways run in various directions for tbe readier transit of casks, and just outside tbe building is a reservoir, into wbicb