The Sun.
London, England, 1863-09-28 00:00:00

AUSTRALIAN WINES.

....
A report has just been presented by Mr. Keene
to the commissioners of her Majesty's Customs, in
which the Australian wines are mentioned, and it is
to be regretted that more complete opportunities
were not afforded to that gentleman for testing
more fully the merits of the wines exhibited by the
the several colonies. He states that he was only
able to obtain 18 samples of the Australian vin-
tages, although he had received numerous promises
that samples would be supplied to him. Of the 18
samples which were tested under the sanction of
the commissioners of the customs, the report states
that none were of a very high character, but that
those from Sydney possessed some sound and ex-
cellent qualities that promise well under improved
culture and more careful manipulation ; but the im-
portant fact is established that all the samples have
a high natural degree of spirit. The wines from
Victoria are stated to be inferior to those of Sydney;
the body is described as weak,
and the flavour poor
and uninviting.
if the samples tested had possessed
a
it would have been little
shortni.liting qualities, seeing that for three months
pl
yd i u
they were exhibited in u hot glass building at Mel-
bourne, afterwards made a voyage of four months
to this country,
and finally shown in
,in upright
position for six
Months in the International Exhi.
bition. In the face of these drawbacks, however,
the wines were " sound and alcoholic,"and this must
qualities.that "the names by
be considered as no small proof of their intrinsic
The report statesare
distinguished may,
which several of the wines
perhaps, indicate the kind of grape used in their
of climate,
manufacture ; but if so, the alteration
season, or some other circumstance must have com-
pletely changed their character, as not a vestige of
resemblance remains. The Frontignac here is a red
white and luscious;
irci.l'h attached to the dis.
toc:cLl, v
eorf,
Nbv Chi
stiottiorpwerifnuen,wi:iti:
tillate gave indication of its origin in the Muscat
The :Hermitage
grape.and 80. iiidies ere of a
and
sickly Palo red colour :"6 thin bad y. Indeed,
all the new winos have a great family 1ike-
,,,,,a to each other, and, as '
well as the white
wines, are destitute of any great individuality."
We also learn that the Tokay was not like its
illustrious namesake,
and that so little pains had
been taken in the prepo.ra.tion end selection of many
nf th sarn i
e
-- —ll,es that someof the white wines of
Victoria Were still in a state of fermentation, The
irstio"l f 1 ,of N Smith Walc3 wine
t-,. 0 t Ile sampies .ow,
gave the following results:--T=he Australian hock
cave 15.9 per cent. of alcohol ; the lrrawang, 24.6 ;
Porphyry (red wine), 25.9; Camden Park, 25.9;
lialudah (white), 93 3. The Victorian wines were
—Mat,iro 20.2 ; Frontignac, 22.0 Hermitage, 20.8;
Burgundy, 23.9 ; Red Victoria, 28.6 ; White Vic-
toria, 25.9 ; Tokay, 27.9 ; White Pineau, 24.6 ;
Sauterne, 24.6; Chasselas, 24.6. The great defi-
ciency in connection with all these Australian wines
was that sufficient attention had not been paid to
their manufacture and subsequent manipulation,—
Australian and .Neto Zealand Gazette.