1876 Facts About Sherry by Henry Vizetelly

18

Facts about Sherry.

a metal strainer, and tlience into tlie vat placed beneath to receive it. Presb grapes are now spread over the bottom of the lagar, and,after being duly danced upon, are shovelled on one side ; and this kind of thing goes on until sufficient trodden murk has been accumulated to make what is called the pile. The pisadores now retire in favour of the tiradores, or pressers, who,springing into the lagares, collect all the trodden grapes together and skilfully budd them, by the aid of wooden shovels and that readier implement the hand,ia a compact mass around the screw, just as an expert plasterer would build up a circular column of compo. The form taken by this in the first instance,owing to the weight ofthe murk,is necessarily conical, consequently the base has to be neatly trimmed and the detached fragments budt round the upper part of the column until this attains a height of some 5 ft. When perfected it is bound round with a long band of esparto, about4in. wide,from base to summit,and a flat wooden slab being placed on the top, with the nut of the screw immediately above it, the handles of the screw are rapidly turned, causing the juice to exude between the interstices of the esparto. For the first few minutes the labom- is light enough. Presently, however, it becomes severe, and, although the pressers strain with all their might,they can only succeed in turning the nut by a series of successive jerks which necessitate the binding of their hands to the handle,for fear, when exerting their utmost strength,they should lose their hold of it, together with their footing on the slippery floor ofthe lagar,and so come to serious grief. This treading [and pressing of grapes goes on nightly for fourteen hours, with occasional intervals for refreshment, until the end of the vintage,lasting altogether for sixteen days. The pisadores are paid at the rate of 5 reals, about Is,, the flfty baskets, or arrobas, of grapes, enabling them to earn about 30reals,or upwards of 6s., each per night. The tiradores receive 27 reals, or 5s. 6d., each for their night's work. Wine is freely given to them to encourage them to put forth aU their strength, so as to get through the pressing of the grapes as speedily as-