1876 Facts About Sherry by Henry Vizetelly

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Facts about Sherry.

the pile,jerMng the screw,and pumping up the hydraulic press were going on at the same time. We noticed here that, although sweet wine was being made, a large percentage of grapes which had dried on the vines tiU they had become complete raisins, and which nevertheless could have been made to yield a considerable amount of concentrated juice, usually escaped pressure. That they should do so in.the lagares was a matter of no surprise, and it seems that, owing to their becoming embedded among the pressed skins of the general mass of grapes, even the hydraulic press was powerless to crush them. Among them,no doubt,were a certain number of uvas muertas, or dead shrivelled grapes; stiU in some vine yards we had observed hundredweightsof perfectly goodraisins— from which,at Chateau d'Tquem,the wine known as the creme de tete is produced—scarcely one with its skin broken, but which had been thrown aside with the refuse to be exchanged with the neighbouring farmers for straw and be given by them to their pigs,who doubtless duly appreciated the sacchariferous dehcacy. After inspecting the vintagers at their early dinner in the dimly-lighted, cool casa de la genta, we were about proceeding to another vineyard when a lad trotted up on a mule with well- laden panniers swung over its sides. We learned with satis- fection from one of the proprietors of the Cerro de Obregon, who was doing the honours of the vineyard, that these con tained our breakfasts, which comprised prawns the size of infant lobsters,red mulletfresh that morningfrom SanLucar,succulent Spanish ham,and cutlets, with various etcseteras, among which was a dish composed of new-laid eggs and finely-chopped tomatoes,fried together in oil atthe casa, and forming a kind of paste capable of sending the most fastidious Parisian gourmet into raptures,and giving even a finer flavour to our host's choice old amontillado. Remarking during breakfast upon the beautiful view which the site occuj)ied by the casa de la vina commanded,we asked our host why,the spot being so convenient to Jerez, and the air among the vine-clad hiUs so delicious, he did not build a villa