Good ordinary wine, alimentary wine— for wine is a real and excellent food — is by no means a wine strong in spirit, nor is it a wine of great age ; but it is a wine of fine cSpage, not going beyond 10 per cent, of spirit, or even 6 per cent." UNIFORMITY JX AUSTRALIAN WINES. This is a subject the importance of which cannot be over estimated. And it is one markedly calling for consideration, as there have been, and still are, grounds for complaint in 284 THE ART OF LIVING IN AUSTRALIA. this direction. It will be advisable, therefore, to look well into the question, because it will amply repay the trouble bestowed upon it. First of all, then, let us refer to the remarks of Mr. Fran9ois de Castella, the author of the Handhoolc on Viticulture for Victoria. He jwints out that in each district there will be one class of wine which will sui-pass all others in excellence, and that this is the type which the grower should produce. All the vine-growers in any one district should endeavour to make their wines of the tj^ specially adapted for that particular district ; and of course the type will vary in different districts. In this way, and only in this way, will it be possible for the public to obtain an unvarying article. At the present time there are in each district a number of wines possessing various names, such as Hermitage, Shiraz, Carbenet, Burgundy, Chasselas, Riesling, Tokay, &c., but these names actually mean nothing. Each district should produce a different type of wine. A Riesling from the Yarra and a Riesling from the Murray are as distinct as Hock and Sherry. Mr. de Castella further advises that each vine-grower should join the Vine-Growers' Association in his locality. In this way the membere of each district can agree amongst themselves to produce one class of wine, or at most two — say one white and one red. Instead of the same names being applied to entirely different wines, the wine will come to be known by the name of the district in'which it is produced. One will then be able to have some idea of the contents of a bottle, from the label upon it. At present the name on the bottle is no indication whatever of the wine within ; indeed, the same name is on the outside of many totally distinct wines. This change must assuredly come, and the sooner it does the better for Australian wines. Mr. Pownall, in the course of his evidence before the Royal Commission on Vegetable Products in Victoria, also drew AUSTRALIAN WINE. 235 attention to this same want of uniformity. He believed that each vineyard ought to aim at making a standard quality of wine, so that wine-merchants might know what to expect from that vineyard. The wines throughout Australia should likewise, as far as possible, bear uniform names. He stated that lie had met wines in various vineyards grown from the same grape, and called by different names ; and though this might seem a trivial matter, yet it led to endless confusion. Moreover, it should not be permitted to continue, especially as it could be so easily rectified.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

Good ordinary wine, alimentary wine— for wine is a real and excellent food — is by no means a wine strong in spirit, nor is it a wine of great age ; but it is a wine of fine cépage, not going beyond 10 per cent, of spirit, or even 6 per cent." UNIFORMITY JX AUSTRALIAN WINES. This is a subject the importance of which cannot be over estimated. And it is one markedly calling for consideration, as there have been, and still are, grounds for complaint in this direction. It will be advisable, therefore, to look well into the question, because it will amply repay the trouble bestowed upon it. First of all, then, let us refer to the remarks of Mr. Fran9ois de Castella, the author of the Handhoolc on Viticulture for Victoria. He points out that in each district there will be one class of wine which will surpass all others in excellence, and that this is the type which the grower should produce. All the vine-growers in any one district should endeavour to make their wines of the tj^ specially adapted for that particular district ; and of course the type will vary in different districts. In this way, and only in this way, will it be possible for the public to obtain an unvarying article. At the present time there are in each district a number of wines possessing various names, such as Hermitage, Shiraz, Carbenet, Burgundy, Chasselas, Riesling, Tokay, &c., but these names actually mean nothing. Each district should produce a different type of wine. A Riesling from the Yarra and a Riesling from the Murray are as distinct as Hock and Sherry. Mr. de Castella further advises that each vine-grower should join the Vine-Growers' Association in his locality. In this way the members of each district can agree amongst themselves to produce one class of wine, or at most two — say one white and one red. Instead of the same names being applied to entirely different wines, the wine will come to be known by the name of the district in which it is produced. One will then be able to have some idea of the contents of a bottle, from the label upon it. At present the name on the bottle is no indication whatever of the wine within ; indeed, the same name is on the outside of many totally distinct wines. This change must assuredly come, and the sooner it does the better for Australian wines. Mr. Pownall, in the course of his evidence before the Royal Commission on Vegetable Products in Victoria, also drew attention to this same want of uniformity. He believed that each vineyard ought to aim at making a standard quality of wine, so that wine-merchants might know what to expect from that vineyard. The wines throughout Australia should likewise, as far as possible, bear uniform names. He stated that lie had met wines in various vineyards grown from the same grape, and called by different names ; and though this might seem a trivial matter, yet it led to endless confusion. Moreover, it should not be permitted to continue, especially as it could be so easily rectified.

The art of living in Australia