1876 Facts About Sherry by Henry Vizetelly

Hie Bodegas of San Lucar de Barrameda. 25

blending whicb it undergoes causing it to modify its harsher qualities. Pine manzanilla up to its fourth or fifth year has a fragrant floral bouquet, which, combined with its singular freshness of flavour, causes it to assimilate in a remarkable degree to good Rhine wine. "We tasted in different bodegas scores of wines ranging from their first up to their ninth or tenth years, and foimd that it was only when the wine was in its fourth or fifth year that the peculiar bitter aromatic flavour for which manza nilla is distinguished had completely manifested itself. In Senora Manjon's bodega we tasted manzanillas twenty years old. One of these wines had developed a distinct amontUlado character, while another was ofthe nutty-flavoured oloroso type. Manzanilla is the produce of the highly-prized species of grape which passes under the name of ths listan in San Lucar, and is known throughout the Jerez district as the palomino bianco. The bunches are large, the berries being of a medium size, and when thoroughly ripe of a brownish golden tinge. Their flavour is pleasant,and they contain an abundance of sac charine. Much diversity of opinion prevails as to the origin of this name of manzanilla, the common belief being that it is owing to the San Lucar wine resembling the camomile (in Spanish manzanilla) in flavour; but persons likely to be well informed enteidain no doubt that it takes its name from its striking similarity to a wine produced at a place called Manza nilla, some five-and-twenty miles from Seville. A hundred years ago the finer San Lucar growths used to be largely expoided in jars to the Spanish South American colonies. To-day more than haff the wine goes to Jerez and Pueiio de Santa Maria for shipment, the remainder being consumed chiefly in the locality and at Cadiz and surrounding districts. The stocks of manza nilla, vino de color, and dulce, principally, of course,the former, at San Lucar, are estimated to amount ordinarily to 100,000 butts, an average vintage yielding about 18,000 butts. Before quitting San Lucar we had an opportunity of witness ing a gipsy concert in the still-used coclqrit of that pleasant little