1880 Facts about Port and Madeira by Henry Vizetelly

130

In the Fort Wine Country.

acquire with considerable age. The white Ports intended for the Russian market had a liqueur-like flayotu', and a soujpgon of moscatel in their bouquet, arising from a slight admixtm-e of moscatel grapes in the lagar. In winding along one of the steep narrow lanes which con duct to the majority of the Villa Nova wine-lodges we come upon a little ornate chapel and an adjacent antique mansion— screened by a row of camelias just bursting into bloond—in that inartistic rococo style of architecture so prevalent through out Portugal. The native owner of this residence is the lucky proprietor of one-fourth of the soil of Villa Nova, and counts numerous English shipping firms among his tenants. Prom the lane one overlooks a sloping quinta planted with vines trained along trellises, and with fruit and other trees. Next to the chapel are the spacious lodges of Messrs. W.and J- Graham,on the open door of which one notices the customary little tablet inscribed"Propriedade Ingleza," with its diminu tive representation ofthe TJnion Jack in one corner. Tablets of this description are affixed to the entrances of most ofthe lodges belonging to English firms,their introduction dating from the epoch of the civil war, when the shippers were anxious to' preserve their establishments from the fate which befeU the lodges of the Alto Douro Wine Company. Proceeding up a paved courtyard we find ourselves on the threshold of Messrs. W.and J. Graham's stores,as a sturdy bare-legged peasant-girl, assisted by a couple of matulas,is rolling a pipe of wine,just brought up by her in a bullock-cart, into one of the lodges. These latter comprise three long structures, divided by a series of arches; also a building termed the tonel-house erected on a lower level, and what is known as the custom-house lodge, consisting of ten cumes, intersected by heavy stone i^illars and massive arches. Most of the old wines are stored in separate lodges,some short distance from the principal estab lishment. The firm have no fewer than seventeen large vats for blending their wines, six of these being stationed in tlie central lodge, adjoining a small reservoir lined with glazed