1933 Jack's Manual by J A Grohusko

INTRODUCTORY

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through which this boisterous river dashes is the place of growth of this wine, the vineyards extending in terrace upon terrace from the edge of the river to the top of the highest mountain in the Alto Douro district. In the selection of port wine much depends upon the weather, as the physical conditions of those who partake of it must be considered; people accustomed to open-air exercise enjoy gener ous wines, and in warm weather light, tawny wine should be preferred. In some houses it is customary to drink a vintage port no younger than twenty years in bottle, but there are many good wines which mature in from four to six years and acquire suffi cient perfection to satisfy the connoisseur who is not too fas tidious. If more than one quality of port wine is required, it is better to commence with the richer or younger wine and follow with the drier or older. Port has high medicinal properties. It is a tonic and has greater or less astringency according to the various growths and vintages. There is a prevailing notion that genuine ports are not obtainable. If invalids and convalescents knew of the splendid tonic and building-up properties of our real ports, they would not be slow in obtaining them. There are wines grown in Spain resembling port, such as the Tarragonas, and in France is made a wine resembling port known as the Roussilion, but a much better substitute than either of those is the pure port wines of southern California, grown from the same varieties of grapes as are native to the Alto Douro district. Port represents nearly all the elements of a fine wine, besides being most agreeable to a refined palate. An old bottled wine when judiciously used, with its fine volatile ethers, is singu larly useful in restoring strength and regularity to the heart's action, and for certain forms of anaemia it is nearly always bene ficial. A full-flavored potent wine of moderate age, retaining much of the richness of its original flavor, is for such purposes