Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-02-27

TIE VINTAGE IN PoRTUGAL.-AbOve and he
low, and on all sides, and as far rs could be
seen, were vines, and nothing but vines; ter
races upon terraces OF them from the very edge
Of the Douro to the tops OF the highest noun
tains. No villages to be seen, only here and
there white house, usually built about half
way up mountain side; no trees anywhere,
nothing but the little terraces OF yellowisll
brown stone, covered at the top with yell0wish-
bro IN EARTH aud the little green vines like
%Ooseberiy bushes, about three feet high, grow
ing along them, Here and there we saw parties
OF men and women scattered along the terraces
gathering the grapes; and we met strings OF
men, ragged filthy, stained all over with wine,
laboring in single file up the steep paths and
awkward steps that lead from terrace TO terrace;
each man carrying on his head large deep
basket filled with grapes, in a crushed unSav-
ory-looking mass, the red juice oozng out in
every direction.
Alasl Tor our visions of lovely, picturesqucly
dressed peasant girls, such as one has seen IN
pictures tripping gayly along with little white
baskets poised airily on their heads, and con-
tanning halfa dozen punches Of exquisite grapes
of different cOlors elegantly arTdn-ed, and some
times few flowers or 4 reach or w on The top,
to complete the picture! How hideOus is the
reality! A coal-heayer grined with coal dust is
not a picturesque object, but be is positively
beautiful as compated TO a laborer in a vine
yard, smeared from head 10 foot with daT6-rcd
grape juice.
When we reached an "ade-a," or winepress,
we were even more disenchanted. As we drew
near the eyil-Smelllng place, we became aware
OF Il low, mOnotOnOuS sound, which We were told
was the music to enliyen the gang She were
treadmg the grapes. On entering the building,
as we became accustomed to the darkness, we
found the interior to he almost entirely filed by
three large stone cSternS, or "lagaTeS,Y each
capable Of containing more than twenty pipes
OF wne they were about three feet deep, and
filled with Il black mass OF stalks, skins and
juice, which had been grapes, and would in time
become wine. In this mass were slow
ly moving about TO the sound fthe melancholy
music aforesaid, aud which consisted OF a drum,
fife and guitar, dozen men, dressed in ragged
shirts, and their bare legs stained to hideous
red color by much soaking in grape-juice.
Everything rocked of new wine, which was
5 dashed about in every direction. The men,
moving slowly through the grape, juice, and
immersed in it to above the knees, lifted their
feet high at ca step, so as 10 bruiSe and stir
thoroughly the mass. The amount of treading
necessary varies considerably, but usually lasts
Tor from thirty to forty hours, the gang being
OF course, relieved at intervals. In this "adega,"
the men had already been for a considerable
time in one of the "legares," while one was vet
being filled with grapes, basket after basket
being brought from the vineyard and thrown in
while we were there. Ga our expressing a wish
to taste the "must" the man in charge of the
"adega" produced white plate, and called TO one
VI lHC Sdu3 Ill llC ldgdf 10 dppTON'U Tue Sluc;
he did so, and then, TO my horror, lifting his Leo
in the air, he allowed til: juice which streamed
from it to run off over his heel on to the plate,
which was held to catch it. | found afterward
that this extremely disgusting proceeding was
in truth unavoidable, because the must sinks
to the bottom of the "lagar," and could not
otherwise be got at through the thick crust of
skin and stalks which rises to the surface, while
III this way the juice alone drains off into the
plate. Mr.. - and the "commssano" smelled
and tasted the "musp' with much care; and,
after consulting together, they came to the CON
clusion that more treading was unnecessary,
and the men were ordered to leave the "lagar"
The next operation would be TO run, off the
wine into vat, and add enough brandy to it to
stop its further fermentation. In this vat ii
would remain until the beginning of the fol.
lowing wear, when it would be drawn off into
smaller casks (pipes) and sent down to Oporto,
to be got ready for shipment to England
CbdmberS'S Journal.