1880 Facts about Port and Madeira by Henry Vizetelly

, Contents.

PIOE. Upper Corgo Wines—The Journey to Villa Eeal—A Sunday Scene at Sao Miguel de Lobrigoa—Haltat Comieira—Typical Portuguese Beggars —Reach Villa Eeal—Great Antiquity of the Town—Dom Diniz,"who, as svery one knows, did what he chose"—Fine old Houses built by Adventurers returned from India and the Brazils . . . . .101 rx.—The Poet Wine Capital.—A Cohple op Villa Nova Wine-Lodges. "We Recross the Serra do Marao—Bullock-Drivers wearing great-coats made of Rushes—Picturesque coup d'ceil presented by Oporto—Animated aspect of the River Douro—Its varied Craft—Most of the Hard Work at Oporto performed by Women-The Female Bullock-Drivers and their partiality for Jewelry—The Oporto Streets so many Paved Precipices— Long Horns and Ornamental Yokes of the Oxen—Rarity of Female Beauty throughout Portugal—Is most prevalent among the Peasantry —Se^n Chairs still used by Oporto Ladies—City Night Patrols— Tortoises and Mussels—Redundancy of the Picturesque and Absence of the Artistic at Oporto—Scarcity of Fireplaces in the Oporto Houses— Capotes and Woollen Shawlscommon at Winter-time in Oporto Drawing- rooms-—The Ruados Inglezesand the British Factory-house—^Villa Nova da Gaia—The Lodges of Messrs. G. G. Sandemau and Sons—Their Antiquated Aspect^Anival of New Wine from the Alto Douro-Its Blending and subsequent Racking—Port kept sparingly in Soleras— Messrs. Saudeman's gloomy-looking AmareUa Stores—The Firm's large stock of Port Wine—Their Cooperage—Martinez, Gassiot, and Oo.'s Lodges—A Rustic Counting-house—Coopers at Work-Gauging,Brand ing,and Seasoning of New Pipes—Falling-in of a Lodge Roof—Con servative bpint observable at Martinez, Gassiot, and Co.'s—Pipes pre- parmg for Shipment—Brandy kept isolated in the Lodge • • -US The Villa Nova Wine-Lodges Vintage Poets. The House of Cockbum, Smithes, and Co. Founded during the Year of Waterloo—The Lodges of the Firm originally built by the Alto Donro TbAL°3T^t J "P retreating Miguelites in 1833 F;3;!ln^- • ?v ^°® Siftage and Tawny Ports of the Estebhshment of the House of Offley, Forrester, and Co. tLrn tlTp"" ^°.'^g®®.kno™ asthe Armazeus das Aguias—Witness at Hem he Preparation M Port Wmefor Shipment—Fine Vintage Wmes from the Qumta da Boa Vista—White Ports for Russia—Silva and Losens s ViUa Nova Establishment—Their New Lodge the Largest at ViUa ^ova VamuB Mechanical Appliances had reconrse to for Econo- Firm's Steam Cooperage and Machinery for Cask- Matog—Their Vintag® and other Wines—The various Lodges of W.and ■d. trraham and Co.--Their numerous Blending Vats and Shafts with L lu 1?®! fo'" Transferring Wine from one part ot the Lstabhshment to another-Animated Sce e at th ir Cooperage— bamplM of Fine Ports shown to us—Only the Best Alto Douro Wmes of ^od years Shipped as Vintage Wines—The Treatment they Undergo aimr Arnvmg at Villa Nova—Mode of Blending—The Racking and Vmtage Ports—Vintage Years in the Alto Douro since 1834 ■ ef w ''"'PP®'"® of Vintage Ports—Vintage Wines Tasted at the Lodges the irn' fu® Taylor, Fladgate, and Co., and Ports and other Wines of the tSOnnSi Co., and Mackenzie, DrisooR, and Co.— aue uporto Steam Cooperage Company and th ir Estahlishment . ■ . 124 Teave nns p s Port—The Lodges and Wines of Hunt, Roope,