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DRINKS.
105
many
sorts
drunk
in
Britain.
Russian
wines
generally,
as
those
of
many
other
countries,
are
largely
diluted,
and,
like
the
majority
of
Greek
wines,
do
not
improve
by
keeping.
Sicily.
A
thousand
years
before
Christ,
says
Mr.
Sim-
monds,
districts
of
Sicily
were
famous
for
wine.
The
coins
of
Naxos
(500
B.C.)
bear
the
head
of
Bacchus
on
the
obverse,
on
the
reverse
Pan,
or
a
bunch
of
grapes.
Of
Sicilian
wines,
the
light
amber
or
brown
wine
of
Marsala
is
best
known.
There
is
Ingham's
L.P.,
and
Woodhouse's
;
there
is
also
the
Old
Brown.
The
Faro
is
perhaps
the
strongest
wine
of
Sicily.
The
wine
of
Terre
Forte
is
made
near
Etna,
in
some
vineyards
of
Benedictine
monks.
Marsala,
as
we know
it,
is
generally
adulterated,
or
fortified,
to
use a
more
technical
term.
Even
the
''
Virgin
"
has
not
escaped
this
common
lot
of
wines.
Much
Marsala
is
indeed
sold
as
Marsala,
but
much
more
is
sold
as
Sherry.
The
wine
of
Taormina
has
the
classic
taste
of
pitch.
Augusta
produces
a
wine
with
a strong
flavour
of
violets.
This
to
some
palates
is
the
most
agreeable
wine
drank
in
Sicily
or
elsewhere.
The
Del
Bosco
of
Catania,
and
the
Borgetto
have
been
both
recom-
mended
by
the
subtle
taste
of
Dr.
Charnock.
A
dry
wine
called
Vin
de
Succo
is
made
about
terl
miles
from
Palermo.
The
wine
of
Syracuse
somewhat
resembles
Chablis,