Cassell's dictionary of cookery

Another Australian wine very much resembling hock is Gouais ; this wine is something between hock and Sauterne, and, as it can be bought for 24s. a dozen, is well worth a trial. The next class of wines to which we would refer is the white Australian wines that resemble sherry. First we will take Fairfield (amber). This wine very much resembles Cape Sherry, and is certainly inferior to ordinary good sherry ; it also has a slight resemblance to the home-made wine one occasionally tastes at farmhouses that is made from rhubarb. Tliis wine is, however, very wholesome, and probably after a time would be very palatable when the taste for it is once acquired. A very superior wine, however, is met with in VerdeUho : this is made from vines resembling those in Madeira, and the wine, which can be bought for about 26s. a dozen, has a decidedly Madeira flavour, and is the best specimen of Australian white wine of the class corresponding to sherry and Madeira that we have met with. Shiraz is another wine resembling sherry, and costs about 24s. a dozen. Perhaps the most marked of the Australian wines, and the one that proves best how likely these wines are eventually to become better appreciated, is dry Muscat of Alexandria. This wine has the most beautiful bouquet that can be imagined, and its flavour resembles the first crush in the mouth of three or fovu- fine ripe muscatel grapes — those large white oval ones covered with a light bloom, and attached to a clean thick stalk — yet, notwithstanding this exquisite bouquet and flavour, the wine is dry. Unfortunately, samples differ ; the lighter the colour however, the better the wine. This dry Muscat of Alexandria can be bought for about 30s. a dozen, or even cheaper, and, when the specimens are good, is well worth double the money. We would strongly advise connoisseurs and epicures to make a trial. A very delicious cup, superior to Moselle cup, can be made from this wine, by mixing it with soda-water, sugar, a few slices of lemon, and a lump of ice. This makes a cheap and very refreshing drink in summer. We next come to the Australian red wines, which, as a rule, will be found very superior to the white. The finest Australian red wine that I have ever tasted is called Carbenet. This fine wine has a most beautiful bouquet, resembling good Chateau Margaux claret. It resembles Burgundy in flavour, with perhaps a very slight port flavour added. Or it may be compared to a very dry Rousillon, This wine is very soft, and this, coupled with its rich-scented bouquet, entitles it to rank high among the Australian wines. Indeed, it is far superior to the general run of Burgundies and clarets that can be bought at the same price, which is about 36s. a dozen. Fairfield (ruby) is another red wine, somewhat resembling dry port. The bouquet of this wine is very inferior to Carbenet, and it has a rather dead taste, in which can be detected a slight flavour of raisins. Perhaps the next best wine to Carbenet is Mataro ; this is also similar to a dry port or Burgundy; it has a good bouquet, and is well worth the price at which it is generally sold. Chaselas is a red wine, but is somewhat poor and acid. A better wine is Hermitage, which somewhat resembles the Hermitage made on the banks of the Rhone, and is probably named after it.