1880 Facts about Port and Madeira by Henry Vizetelly

'208

Tlie Wines of Tenes-ife.

a portion of the wines held by the firm is stored. Here we "tasted a variety of growths shipped nnder the name of Vidonia (the grape from which they are produced being so called),com mencing with the vintages of 1876 and 1875, which, however, had not yet developed any especial characteristics. On the other hand a sample of 1874 proved remarkably soft, and some 1871-72 wine, destined for the Russian market,had acquired an oily richness of flavour combined with considerable aroma. Some so-called Taoro,vintaged four or five years ago,was rather sweet; but in the course of a few more years, we were told, it would develop a marked pungency. A wine fifteen years of age, which had made the voyage to the West Indies and home again, and a"London Particular" of 1865 which had received, as is the rule with Tenerife wines, some eight gallons of spirit per pipe, were remarkably soft and aromatic, though less deep in colour than Madeiras of the same age would have been. It may bere be mentioned thatthe vinification of Tenerife wine is almost precisely the same as that of Madeira, with one important exception. Although previous to the oidium there were a few estufas in the island, to-day there are none; so that the wine is no longer subjected to artificial heat with the view of advancing its maturity. If left to itself it has a tendency either to grow harsh when old or to become ropy. In order to guard against the first result a small addition of"gloria"—a thinnish kind of vino dulce—is given to it on arriving at Santa Cruz in April or May from the stores where it has been kept since the preceding vintage; while ropiness is dispelled by constant racking and a small admixture of spirit. Messrs. Davidson's bodegas, situate in the northern quarter of Santa Cruz,comprise a range of buildings disposed in horse shoe fashion, where 6,000 pipes might be, and have been, easily stored. A venerable cellar-master, who could boast of seventy years' experience in the rearing of Tenerife wuies, conducted us throughthem. Wecommenced bytasting an1875 vintage,which had a good vinous flavour,and a'74,ahke mellow and aromatic. A dry wine of eight years old had acquired many of the charac-