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As
we
proceed
further
through
the
Po
Valley,
skirting
the
hills
located
at
the
Toot of
the
Appenines,
where
our
attention
is
attracted
by
the
artistic
manner
in
which
the
grapevine
is
trained,
in
garlands
and
festoons
from
tree
to
tree,
giving
the
country
a
picturesque
and
festive
appearance,
we
are
not
sur-
prised
to
find
sj'nthesized
all
these
natural
beauties,
and,
I
should
say,
the
very
bountif
ulness
of
the
Aemilian
district
in
the
famous
Lambrusco
wine,
produced
near
Modena,
a
red,
sparkling
wine,
of
violet-like
bouquet,
somewhat
similar
to
Nebbiolo,
but
more
tasty
and
not
quite
so
fruity.
In
the
infinite
gamut
of
wines,
which
gladden
the
heart
of
man,
Chianti,
this
most
popular
and most
representative
of
Italian
wines,
represents
a
type
entirely
of
its
own,
well
defined
and
well
established.
Elegantly,
nay
coquettishly,
gotten
up
in
tho.se
familiar,
neatly-trimmed
flasks,
adorned
with
the
national
colors
of
Italy,
Chianti
is
essentially
a
joyous
and
vivacious
wine,
the
prototype
of
the
red
wines
of
Tuscany,
characterized
by
the
brightness
and
vivacity
of
their
ruby
color,
the
vinosity of
their
bouquet,
the
moderateness
of
their
alcoholic
strength
(just
sufficient
to
move
the
brain
without
impairing
it),
by
the
cleanliness,
smooth-
ness
and
gentleness
of
their
tlavor,
and,
above
all,
by
that
quality
which
the
Tuscans
define
as
"passante,"
viz.,
easily
dige.stible.
Chianti
has
not
the
austerity
nor
the
deep
flavor
of
Barolo
or
(iatlinara,
but
has
many
of
the
soft
graces
of
the
Valpolicella
or
Valtellina,
which
alone,
among
the
fine
table
wines
of
Italy,
can,
on
aristocratic
tables,
contend
with
this
son
of
ancient
Etruria.
Aleatico
is
a
red.
Muscadine
wine,
of
which
Henderson,
the
well-known
English
authority,
says
that
"the
name
in
some
measure
e.xpres.ses
the
rich
quality
of
this
wine,
which
has
a
brilliant
purple
color
and
a
luscious
aromatic
flavor,
without
being
cloying
to
the
palate,
as
its
sweetness
is
generally
tem-
pered
with an
agreeable
sharpness
and
slight
astringency.
It
is,
in
fact,
one
of the
be.st
.specimens
of
the
dolce
piccanti
wines;
and
probably
ap])roaches
more
than
any
other
some
of
the
most
esteemed
wines
of
the
ancients."
P^rom
Tuscany,
whose
good wine
is,
as
Bedi
says,
"Gentle-
man,"
and
"No
headache
hath
he,
no
headache,
I
say,
for
those
who
talked
with
him
yesterday,"
we
step
into
the
Orvieto
dis-
trict
of
Central
Italy,
famous
for
its
white
wines,
and
for
being
the
home
of
the
historical
"Est-Est-E.st
Wine,"
which
robbed
Germany
of
one
of
its
abbots,
the
bibulous
Johann
Fugger.
The
celebrated
wines
of
Naples
come
from
the
slopes
of
fiery
Mount
Vesuvius,
where
it
would
seem
almost
parado.xical
that
the
vine
should
flourish
and
yield
such
excellent
products