" The resulting wine, a curious mixture of alcohol, sugar, lactic acid,
and water, is most unpalatable, sour, uninviting, and unwholesome,
besides ruining the name of Australian wine when sold as such.
" I may here warn vine-growers against the advice given to them by
some would-be authorities, who tell them they can make a light wine
by picking grapes before they are ripe. This is absurd. The unripe
grape contains a certain percentage of vegetiible acids, such as tartaric,
malic, &c., &c., some of which are themselves converted into glucose
during the process of ripening, whilst others are eliminated after help-
ing to transform the starch of the vegetable tissues into glucose. It
stands to reason that if the fruit be picked before complete maturity,
these acids, which are not capable of fermenting, -will be found un-
changed in the wine produced, thereby rendering it acid and undrink-
able. It is, of course, necessary, in warm climates, to pick the grapes
before they get over-ripe or shrivel up ; but it would be just as foolish
to rush to the other extreme, and pick the fruit too soon.
" If, instead of blindly following the mode of culture which has been
adopted in a cold climate, the vine-grower would listen to the dictates
204 THE ABT OF LIVING IN AUSTRALIA.
of reason, and were to try a few inexpensive experiments, he would
soon find out his mistake, and confer a boon on himself as well as on
his neighbour, not to speak of the consumers of his wine.
" Even in the cooler districts of Victoria, such as the Yarra Valley, I
do not know of any variety of vine which is weakened by long prun-
ing, even in a series of years ; while certain varieties are so influenced
by short pruning as to bear no fruit at all. If this be the case on the
Yarra, how much more must it be so on the Murray ? "
Mr. de Castella then referred to some other matters con-
nected with the practices followed at Mildura, and concluded
with these encouraging words : —
" I contend that no other culture will give such magnificent returns, do
so much good to a country, or have greater attractions for the happy
proprietor of the vineyard, as there is no branch of agriculture which
presents such a vast field for experimental research, or which is so
extensively benefited by the practical application of scientific laws
and principles, as viticulture."
THE MAKING OF THE WINE — THE CELLAK.
Up till this time our whole attention has been taken up
with everything that has to do with the production of the
grape. But with the gathering of the crop a complete
change has taken place, for nature no longer exercises such
a controlling influence. At this stage the art of wine-
making really begins, and the climate, the soil, and all the
other factors that have so much to do with the growth of
the grape assist us no longer. From the moment that the
grapes are gathered till the wine is ready for bottling is a
most eventful period ; for, during this important time,
under proper treatment, wine may be made to reach per-
fection.
Indeed, it is only by paying the most minute attention
to all the details connected with the making of wine that
Australian vignerons will succeed in placing our wines
before all others ; because it is very important to remember
AUSTRALIAN WINE. 205
Page 138
Presented as published in 1893. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
" The resulting wine, a curious mixture of alcohol, sugar, lactic acid, and water, is most unpalatable, sour, uninviting, and unwholesome, besides ruining the name of Australian wine when sold as such.
" I may here warn vine-growers against the advice given to them by some would-be authorities, who tell them they can make a light wine by picking grapes before they are ripe. This is absurd. The unripe grape contains a certain percentage of vegetable acids, such as tartaric, malic, &c., &c., some of which are themselves converted into glucose during the process of ripening, whilst others are eliminated after helping to transform the starch of the vegetable tissues into glucose. It stands to reason that if the fruit be picked before complete maturity, these acids, which are not capable of fermenting, -will be found unchanged in the wine produced, thereby rendering it acid and undrinkable. It is, of course, necessary, in warm climates, to pick the grapes before they get over-ripe or shrivel up ; but it would be just as foolish to rush to the other extreme, and pick the fruit too soon.
" If, instead of blindly following the mode of culture which has been adopted in a cold climate, the vine-grower would listen to the dictates
of reason, and were to try a few inexpensive experiments, he would soon find out his mistake, and confer a boon on himself as well as on his neighbour, not to speak of the consumers of his wine.
" Even in the cooler districts of Victoria, such as the Yarra Valley, I do not know of any variety of vine which is weakened by long pruning, even in a series of years ; while certain varieties are so influenced by short pruning as to bear no fruit at all. If this be the case on the Yarra, how much more must it be so on the Murray ? "
Mr. de Castella then referred to some other matters connected with the practices followed at Mildura, and concluded with these encouraging words : —
" I contend that no other culture will give such magnificent returns, do so much good to a country, or have greater attractions for the happy proprietor of the vineyard, as there is no branch of agriculture which presents such a vast field for experimental research, or which is so extensively benefited by the practical application of scientific laws and principles, as viticulture."
THE MAKING OF THE WINE — THE CELLAK.
Up till this time our whole attention has been taken up with everything that has to do with the production of the grape. But with the gathering of the crop a complete change has taken place, for nature no longer exercises such a controlling influence. At this stage the art of winemaking really begins, and the climate, the soil, and all the other factors that have so much to do with the growth of the grape assist us no longer. From the moment that the grapes are gathered till the wine is ready for bottling is a most eventful period ; for, during this important time, under proper treatment, wine may be made to reach perfection.
Indeed, it is only by paying the most minute attention to all the details connected with the making of wine that Australian vignerons will succeed in placing our wines before all others ; because it is very important to remember