Zabuc
A noted Persian wine generally employed for the drinking of toasts.
Zaccar, Cottes de

A large wine growing district between 0rleans-ville and Alger in Algeria. The wines from here have V.D.Q.S. rights.
Zante
A wine making island of Greece.
Zara
The capital of Dalmatia, Yugoslavia, noted for its Maraschino liqueur (q.v.), made from Mascara cherries grown in the district.
Zapatos de Pisar.

(Spanish, treading boots)-These are specially constructed cowhide boots, studded with nails, inset at such an angle that while the grape juice is expressed the pips elude the nails and stay unbroken.
Zeher-e-Khoosh.
The poetical Persian name said to have been given to wine originally by the Emperor Jamshid. It means the delightful poison.
Zell
A wine town and commune of the Lower Moselle, famous for its Schwarze Katz (black cat) vineyard, signs of which are to be seen everywhere. Some other vineyards : Burglay, Domherrn, Pittbaum, Plantes, Petersborn, Jungferberg, Geisberg, Wasserlay, Pommerel, Wegsheid, and some twenty more. There is also a Zell in the Palatinate and one in Franconia.
Zeltingen.
A town and most important wine commune of nearly 500 acres of vineyards on the Middle Moselle, Germany, and situated between Erden and Graach. Some vineyards : Stephanslay, Kirchenpfad, Steinmatier ‘ Himmelreich, Roflay, Schlossberg, Sonnenuhr, Hemlay, Rotlay, Jakobsberg, and some thirty more.
Zeutern
A village and wine commune in the Baden, Germany, wine region. Some vineyards : Spermel, Kallenberg, Engelter.
Zilavka
A noted white wine from the Herzegovina province of Yugoslavia. 1
Zinfandel
Probably the most important wine.making grape in California, in acreage and production. Its true identity is somewhat of a mystery and causes most experts to disagree. It is, however, certain that it is a Vitis vinifera and was obtained from Europe by one Colonel Agaston Haraszthy, who had settled on an estate near Sonoma (q.v.), in California, and is looked upon as one of the most important viticultural pioneers of America in the nineteenth century. In 1862, Haraszthy was sent to Europe by the Governor of California to gather information, and the report of his visit was embodied in a book “Grape Culture, Wines and Wine Making” which appears to have given the infant industry a tremendous impetus. The book, however, does not give a clue as to the identity of the Zinfandel. It makes a red wine and at one time it was thought to be identical with the Hungarian Kardaka. There is, of course, the Zerfandler grape (allied to the Veltliner family), well-known in Austria and especially around Gumpoldskirchen, but this is a white, spicy Traminer-like type. Californian Zinfandel wines vary greatly in quality from district to district, but when they are good they have won great praise among American experts. One leading work describes Napa and Sonoma Zinfandels as being fine, fruity and sound, like a young Beaujolais ; while another says that they are fruity, zestful and aromatic, with a raspberry flavour. They are recommended to be drunk young.
Zornheim.
A wine village and commune (300 acres) just south of Mainz in the Rheinhesse, Germany. Some vineyards : Gans, Widerschein, Gertel, Schemel, Steig, Deker.
Zosimus.
A fourth century scholar, said to be the first to practise the art of distillation.
Zubrowka.

A spirit made from a pungently scented grass of the same name.
Zucco
A sweet white wine made in Sicily.

Zurich.
Sixty years ago there were fourteen thousand acres of land under cultivation of vines in the Canton of Zurich, but now such is the degree of industrialisation in this highly populated region that the vineyards barely cover seventeen hundred acres. None the less, three thousand individual growers and just over a hundred communes make this Canton by far the most viticulturally important in East Switzerland. The best known wines are those of the Zurich lake and the reason for their excellence is that the vineyards are situated on the lake shore and benefit from the extra heat due to the reflection of sunlight on the lake’s surface, and also the frequent arrival of seasonal southern winds (Fohn) which warm up the southern vineyards. Some wine villages here are : Feldbach, Stafa, Vetikon, Merlen, Herrliberg, Erienbach and Kusnacht. Further north, wines are made in the Limmat Valley and here some villages are Weiningen, Otelfingen, Boppelsen, Buchs and Regensberg.
Zwetschgenwasser.
A spirit made in Germany from the Zwetsche, a longish kind of plum.
Zwicker.
The name given in Alsace to a wine made from a blend of two or more grapes. If, however, both or all the grapes are noble in quality, the wine can be called Edel-zwicker.

Zymase.
A particular enzyme which accelerates the transformation of grape sugar into alcohol.
Zythum.

A Syrian beverage made from fermented grain flour.

Yaffa
The ancient name of Jaffa, the noted Palestine wine centre.
Yam Wine

A fermented beverage made in parts of Africa and South America from the roots of the yam plant (a species of Dioscorea).
Yard of Wine

A quaint form of long glass of the length indicated, filled with wine which had to be emptied at one draught.
Yava
A variant of Kava (q.v.).
Yayin
One of the Hebrew words for wine in the Bible.
Yeast
A very old Saxon word (formerly gist, gest), also called barm. In French “levure” ; German, Gascht; Portuguese and Spanish, “jermento”. The word has several different meanings :

(1) a yellowish substance produced as a froth during the alcoholic fermentation of malt worts and other saccharine fluids ;

(2) beer yeast, a yeast dried and pressed into a cake for keeping ;

(3) a fungus of the genus Saccharomyces, which category includes· wine yeasts which collect on the bloom of grape skins (each grape is said to have 100,000 wine yeasts on it at the time of pressing) and help the fermentation.
Yecla.
A wine town of importance in the province of Alicante, Spain.

Yema
The must obtained from the first treading (pisado) of the grapes in the sherry district. This is naturally of the best quality.
Yeso
Spanish for gypsum (qv.).
Yezd.
A noted and much acclaimed wine growth of Persia.
Yolo
A small wine producing district of Cafifornia.
Yon-Figeac, Chateau

A premier cru St. Emilion (Graves) growth. making 300 hogsheads of red wine annually.

Yonne
The departement of France in which is situated Chablis
Yquem, Chateau d’

This mighty Chateau-probably the most famous wine growth of the world-stands in grounds extending to nearly 400 acres, of which over two hundred and fifty are given over to the plantation of white grape vines, which go to make four hundred hogsheads of superb wine a year. Classified in 1855 as the premier grand cru class of Sauternes, the vintage at this Chiteau sometimes takes a month to gather in, for none of the bunches of grapes are picked until they have taken on the pourriture noble, or noble rot, so essential to the making of great Sauternes. The Chateau has been in the hands of the Marquises of Lur-Saluces since the eighteenth century.
Yuba
A wine making district of California.
Yugoslavia
This country which was created after World War I-the home of the Serbs, Slovenes, Croats and Macedonians-is the twelfth largest wine producing country in the world with the huge total (in relation to the size of the country) of just over seventy million gallons annually. Though known, of course, under other names, these wines have long been famous, and in the Middle Ages especially they were well known to travellers taking the great caravan route to the East. Then, centuries later, the wines of Luttenburg (as Ljutomer wines were called) were extremely popular in the then gay Vienna. By far the most important district from the quality point of view, is the province of Slovenia which lies in the extreme north of Yugoslavia and borders on Austria and Hungary. It lies at the foot of the southeastern fringes of the Alpine system, and the climate is rather Central European, though tempered by the sea winds of the Adriatic. Here the vine has flourished for over 1,800 years and Pliny the Elder had a good word for the vineyards of the Goriza hills, and, further, Emperor Probus, specifically allowed the Pannoman to replant their vineyards which a previous Emperor (Domitian) had destroyed. Slovene vineyards can roughly be divided as follows : 1. To the west the wine district centred around the town of Ljubljana, whose annual international wine congress is becoming increasingly important ; 2. Further eastward, a district centred around the town of Maribor and also the Pohorje Mountains; 3. To the south of Maribor around the town of Ptui, well known for its fine wine museum; 4. Further eastward still and almost on the Hungarian border is the Ljutomer district (the vineyards are on the River Mura) of which the centre is the town of Ljutomer. In this area a vineyard with a great reputation is that of Jerusalem which got its name from the fact that a band of men setting off for the Crusades stopped here and went no further. 5. Radgona, a district on the very borders of Hungary from whence comes a full, medium sweet white wine called Tigermilk. The wines of these districts are mainly (that is the quality ones) white and are usually called by the name of the grape used (Sauvignon, Riesling, Muscat, Sylvaner, Sipon) to which is added the name of the district. Wine is also made elsewhere in Yugoslavia ; around Goriza, along the Dalmatian coast, on the Island of Korcula, in Istria, as well as in the south of the country. Yugoslavia’s national spirit is Slivovitz or SIjivovica made from the fermented juice of ripe plums which grow in huge forests (official statistics say that there are nearly a hundred million in production) in Bosnia, a central province where the wine production is also enormous.
Yverdon
A town right on the southern shore of the Lake of Neuchatel, Switzerland, where the wine districts of the Cotes de l’Orbe and those of Neuchâtel meet.
Yvorne
A white wine-making village of the Chablais district of Switzerland, on the Lake of Geneva in the Canton Vaud.
Ywera
A sort of spirit made in the Sandwich Islands and said to resemble whisky.

X
Combinations of this letter, such as XX and XXX-treble X -have for long been used in the brewing trade to denote various strengths.

Xeres
An old form of English spelling of Jerez-de-la-Frontera and also, by extension, of sherry.

Ximenez.

See Pedro Ximenez.

Wachenheim
A noted wine commune of the Middle Palatinate (Mittel Haardt) situated between Forst to the south and Bad Durkheim to the north. Some vineyards : Altenburg, Hagel, Dreispitz, Schenkenbohl, Rechbachel, Langenbachel, Bachel, Luginsland, Bblilig, There is also a village of Wachenheim in the Rheinhesse and a village of Wackernheim near Bingen.
Wachstum
German for growth. on the Loire situated to the This is followed by the name of the grower and-by law-means that the wine has not been sugared or improved.
Waldbdekelhelm.
A wine commune in the Nahe valley of Germany. Some vineyards : lm Loch, Mühlberg, Rotenberg, Konigsfels.
Waldrach
A little wine commune on the River Ruwer, Germany. Some vineyards: Schloss Marienlay, Jesuitengarten, Meisenberg, Krone, Ehrenberg, Hahnenberg.
Walnut Liqueur

See Noix.
Walporzheim.
A noted commune on the River Ahr (q.v.), a tributary of the Rhine. Some vineyards : Donikyll, Domlay, Klosterlay, Steinkaul, Krauterberg, Pfaffenberg, Himmelche. All these vineyards make a red wine of a Burgundy type.
Wash
The name given to various liquid preparations when made ready for actual distillation. The stills used for this purpose are called wash stills.
Wassail
A very old British toast pledged in mead, wine, etc., the word being derived from the Old Anglo-Saxon wes “hal” literally, be in good health. The verb to wassail means to sit carousing, and there is also wassailing and wassail bowl.
Water Melon Brandy

A type of spirit made in the Caucasus from water melons.
Watervale
A well known winemaking district of South Australia, noted for its fine rieslings.
Wawern
A wine commune on the River Saar Germany. Some vineyards : Plotsch, RitterpIad, Goldberg, Kamm, Kloper.
Wax, Grafting

Used in California for vine grafting.
Wax Dip.

The dipping of wine bottles after they have been corked (and, most important, after the corks have completely dried) is now almost solely confined to vintage port. The bottles are dipped some quarter to half an inch into hot scaling wax and then with a seal the name of the shipper and the port vintage are embossed upon the top. Although this operation sounds (and is simple), it cannot be overstressed how important it is to see that the wax when it finally gets on to the neck is not too brittle.
Weepers
The trade term used to describe bottles of wine which show signs that the. wine has seeped up between the cork and the bottle neck.
Wehlen
A most noted wine commune (200 acres of vineyards) and village on the Middle Moselle, Germany. Situated close to Bernkastel, Wehlen has -among others-the following vineyards : Sonnenuhr, Lay, Feinter, Rosenberg, Normenberg, Klosterlay.
Wein

German for wine.
Weinartig

(German) Vinous, also weinig.
Weinbeere

(German) Grape.
Weinberg

(German) Vineyard.
Weinessig

(German) Vinegar, usually just called Essig.
Weinhandel.

(German) Wine trade.
Weinhefe.

(German) Lees of wine.
Weinheirn.
A wine commune and village near AIzey, Rheinhessia, Germany. Some vineyards : Hucken, Holle, Sybillenstein, Kehl Platte and some dozen more.
Weinlese.

(German) Vintage.

Weinstrasse.
(German) Wine road, wine street. Called in French Route du Vin, this semiofficial idea of getting publicity for a wine district is a relatively recent tourist propaganda idea. The scheme is to get the motorist off the main road and through the wine villages. Thus there is a Route du Champagne and a Route du Beaujolais (of great charm) and many others in France. Germany has a Weinstrasse in the Baden Baden area, and another in Franconia through Wurzburg, but perhaps the best known of all and certainly the one where one sees the most vineyards is the rather flat Weinstrasse of the Palatinate.
Weinzwang.
(German) A statutory obligation to order wine with a meal.
Weinhijfen.
German name for yeast taken from wines after the first racking. The Weinhofen is distilled into a spirit called Hofen Brantwein.
Wellen
A wine commune of the Upper Moselle, Germany. Some vineyards : Steinkaul, Galgenberg, Altenberg, Schlamnifahr, Hoffbung and some ten more.
Westhofen
A wine commune of 750 acres of vineyards in the Rheinhesse, Germany, between AIzey and Worms. Some vineyards : Hasenloch, Pilgerborn, Leimen, Nickelgarten, Benn, Hinkelstein and around fifteen more.
Wet Inches

The official term used to describe the wet markings on the gauging rods used by Customs officials for gauging wines and spirits in cask.
Weyher
A wine commune of the Upper Palatinate, Germany. The wines from here are ordinary. Some vineyards : Flasgarten, Armster, Blenk, Reetz, Heckmann and about ten more.
Whisky
A spirit distilled from malted and unmalted grains. The two main types are those made by pot stills and patent stills respectively. The Irish spelling is whiskey. See Irish and Scotch Whiskies.
Whisky Blending

At one time the individual makes of the various distilleries were consumed unblended, but during the last seventy to eighty years the public taste has changed to lighter spirits in the form of mixtures of malts and grains. The art of whisky blending is by no means easily acquired.
White Spirits

All spirits when distilled are whitish in colour but attain or receive various colourings by storage in cask and by certain accepted colouring agents. The general public demand is for spirit so standardised in colour, but there is a limited demand among connois-seurs for white -uncoloured-whiskies, brandies and rums.
White wines

Although the many varieties of wines in existence are of numerous colours and shades, they are generally divided into two main classes, white and red. The principal white types are Sauternes, White Graves, Hocks, Moselles, White Burgundy and Chablis. The essential difference between white (and for this purpose rose wines can be classed as white) wines and red is that with the former. as soon as the crushing of the grapes has taken place, the juice is run off-and away from-the skins, pips and stalks.
Wiesbaden
Although a world famous guide book says that Wiesbaden is more famous for Sekt (German sparkling wine) than for its table wine interests, this gay thriving (many huge buildings were put up here by the Americans during the Occupation) spa which is visited by 100,000 visitors annually is quite an important centre (with Mainz an almost twin town on the opposite side of the Rhine) of the German Rhine wine trade. It is also from Wiesbaden that the Rheingau starts.
William of Malmesbury

A 12th century English historian and a noted authority on vinous subjects. In his time vineyards were plentiful in England and he compared the wines made here very favourably with those of French origin.
Willis
An 18th century chemist and analyst of note who studied closely and wrote on the then vexed question of the causes of wine fermentation.
Wiltingen
A village and commune (300 acres of vineyards) on the Saar, Germany, generally conceded to make the best wines of the district. Some vineyards : Scharzberg, Scharzhofberg, Rosenberg, Gottesfuss, Braunfels, Kupp, Klosterberg, Dohr.
Wine.
Between the two world wars the Wine and Spirit Association reorganised its constitution and one of the first things that the new body did was to issue a definition of wine, as follows : Wine is the alcoholic beverage obtained from the fermentation of the juice of freshly gathered grapes, the fermentation of which has been carried through in the district of its origin and according to local tradition and practice. Most countries have produced a definition of wine, and most of them agree in substance with the above, though there are slight variations and it is to be noted that non wine producing countries tend to be more strict than wine making ones. Some random definitions foliow :

1. Australia. The produce solely of the alcoholic fermentation of juice or must of grapes.

2. Belgium. The product of the alcoholic or incomplete fermentation of fresh grapes.

3. Chile. The name of wine shall only be given to liquids resulting from the alcoholic fermentation of the juice of fresh grapes, or those dried in the sun, without the addition of any other substance and without being subjected to any manipulations other than those permitted by law.

4. Denmark. A beverage obtained by alcoholic fermentation of fresh grapes or the juice of fresh or dried grapes on the cep (vine plant) which is found in the same state as when it leaves, the country of production.

5. France. The product solely of the fermentation of fresh grapes or of the juice of fresh grapes.
N.B. The word wine may not in France be applied to any other beverage. Thus, Vin de Fruits, Vin d’Orange, Vin de Raisin Sec (raisin wine) are not permitted in France.

6. The definitions in Greece, Spain and Portugal follow closely that of Chile.
Wine Brandy

Actually, all brandy should be the resultant product of the distillation of wine, but the word brandy has by itself become associated with many other kinds of spirits not so produced ; hence the use of the compound term wine-brandy” as a definite distinction.
Wine Broker

In many wine-making countries much of the actual disposal of wines is done by means of brokers, especially in Bordeaux. See also Courtier.
Wine Feasts.

In olden times, the occasion of a good vintage was duly celebrated by notable wine feasts, but nowadays, such festivals have gone out of fashion.

Wine of Bacchus

A wine made on the Greek Island of Santorin of more than passing repute.
Wine of the Night

A poetical name for the St. Elie wine made on the Island of Santorin.
Winery
In Australia and South Africa this word is freely used to describe the place where the grapes are pressed and fermented.
Wines from the Wood

Wines drawn direct from casks for consumption are called wines from the wood. In olden days, wines were served in this way, but German Palatinate on the border now the practice is almost entirely reserved for such wines as ports, sherries, Madeiras, etc. tral to denote casks or wine in
Winey, Winy

0f, or characteristic of wine.
Winkel
A town and most distinguished wine commune of Rheingau. The word means angle or a quiet corner.
Wood-
A word used by the wine trade to denote casks or wine in casks, as distinct from wine bottled or in cases.
Woody
Said of a wine which has taken on the smell of wood through having been too long in the cask. Corkiness and woodiness are often mistaken.
Worcester
One of the most important wine producing regions of South Africa.
Worms.
This ancient German town-the mainspring of its economy is the wine trade-with its thriving population of 60,000 has certain claims to being the oldest city of Germany. In Roman times it was known as Borbetomagnus and then in A.D. 400 it became the scat of the Burgundian Kings. Worms is situated on the River Rhine, to the south and at the end of the Rheinhessen district. In the northern part of the town is the celebrated Liebfrauenkirche, the Church of Our Lady, and around it is a celebrated vineyard of some 25 acres called Liebfrauen-stift. In all probability the wine called Liebfraumilch originated from here. Some other Worms vineyards are : Maria Munster, Morgen, Mersch, Langewann, Mittelweg, Klinge, Rheingasse, Gassel, Kamertweg, Pfaffenacker, Katterloch, Halde. In addition to vineyards around Worms proper, certain villages in the locality are embraced by the town’s vinous activities, viz. Worms-Herrnsheirn (vineyards Schild, Klause, Kessel, Kieskaute, Romersteg, Abendheimerpfad, LercheIsberg, and some twenty more), Worms-Horchheim (vineyards : Kelterberg, Kirche, Goldberg, Mittelweg, Galgenweg, Kreuzgewann), Worms-Leiselheim (vineyards : Nonnenwin-gert, Platte, Hohl, Plenzer, Ruhe), Worms-Weinsheim (vineyards : Haubert, Riedwegen, Platt, Dorf, Morgen).
Wormwood.
The name of a plant, Artemisia absinthium, proverbial for its bitter taste. The leaves and tops are used in medicine as a tonic and for making absinthe and vermouth.
Wormwood Wine.

A domestic wine made with a basis of wormwood and used long ago in England for medicinal purposes.
Worts.
The fermented grain preparation used for the distillation of spirits.
Wurttemberg.
Something like a quarter (45,000 acres) of the wine grown in Germany is grown in this area, generally called the Baden-Wurttemberg district. In the Wurttemberg part it is red wines chiefly that are made, in and around Stuttgart and Heilbron.
Worzburg.
This German city of 100,000 inhabitants, situated on

the River Main, is the capital of Lower Franconia and the very centre of Franconian wines, bottled into Bocksbeutels (q.v.). In the town is the Juliusspital (q.v.) and also the superb Marienberg fortress (originally a Celtic encampment) which now houses an excellent Wine Museum. See also Steinwein. The Wurzburg vineyards are some 750 acres in extent and are sufficiently numerous to be subdivided into the following groups, with the names of some vineyards of -each in brackets : Steingruppe (Stein, Harfe,Schalksberg, Standenbillil, Stemmantel, Zuruck). Leistengruppe (Aussere Leiste, Felsenleiste, Innere Leiste, Roth, Schlossberg)
Witrzgarten.
German, a herb garden. Also a vineyard name found in several German wine growing districts, e.g. at Uerzig and Hallgarten

Vadans
A wine making commune within the district of and with the right to market its wine as Arbois (q.v.)
Vaduz
This most attractive little town is the capital of Liechtenstein where a fair amount of most palatable wine is made ; it being consumed in the local hotels by the thousands of tourists who pass through the principality yearly.

The finest vineyards are just outside Vaduz; and are owned by the reigning prince and are labelled “Vaduzer, Furst Liechtensteinische Domane.”

It is made in excellent modem cellars with all the latest equipment. The wine (mainly white) is good.
Valais
The second most import ant wine making canton of Switzerland both in quality and production for here are 8,700 acres under vines and it is the only canton which has been able to expand the acreage from year to year. The majority of the wine is white and most of it is marketed under the trade name Fendant, the name of a grape very closely allied to the French Chasselas. The principal wine centre of the region is the lovely town of Sion embracing the communities of St. Leonard, Sienne, Chermignon, Granges and Lens, Martigny is the second wine town with the communities of Leytron, Fully Chamson, Ardoi and Vetroz. At Viesperterminen in the Can ton of the Valais the highest vine yard in Europe is found (1,300 metres above sea level). In this canton is made what is unquestionably the best red wine of Switzerland-“Dôle”, (q.v.)
Val de Peňas

A town due south of Madrid half way towards the Mediterranean and in the Manzanares district from when, comes a table wine of the same name. There are numerous distilling interests in the town.
Valtellina
A white (there is a little red made) wine with a fine reputation made in the extreme north of Italy in the province of Lombardy. The town of Sondrio is the trade centre but the wine is hardly seen in Italy for most of it is shipped to Switzerland for consumption.
Valencia
A province of Eastern Spain where wine is made on a vast scale. At one time sweet red Valencia types had a good sale in Britain. Now most of the trade seems centred around the town of Utiel.
Valensole
A village in the Basses Alpes, France, where a certain amount of red wine is made.
Valinch, Valincher, Velinche, Velincher, Valentia

An old English word (also called a barrel thief and a thief tube) from the Spanish venencia. It is a pipe of silver or tin (nowadays also of glass) used for lifting wine out of a cask by inserting it in the liquid and then pressing the thumb on the small hole at the top.

Valladolid
One of Spain’s fore-most wine provinces. The wine from here is bland, neutral but not unclean. Some wine villages are Rueda, Nava del Rey, Mucientes, Mota del Marques, Tordesillas, and Cigales.
Valmur
A foremost growth of Chablis, Yonne, entitled to be called Chablis Grand Cru.
Valpantena
Similar to and made near Valpolicella but less fine and shorter lived.
Valpolicella
0ne of the most renowned red wines of Italy. Made in the Valpolicella hills near Verona in the province of Veneta.
Valwig
A village commune near Cochern in the not very fine stretch of the Moselle, the Untermosel. It has however a higher reputation than most other places in this district. Some vineyards : Herrenberg, Schwarzenberg, Palmberg, Rumblesberg, Teilberg.
Varietal
A word almost unknown in England but becoming increasingly familiar in tho American language in reference to wines. It stands for a wine, nearly always American, made predominantly with a variety of grape from which the wine takes its name and by law it must contain a minimum of 51 per cent. of that variety. Some Californian examples are Zinfandel, Traminer, Grenache, Sylvaner, Cabernet, Pinot Noir, Semillon, Folle Blanche, Grey Riesling, and a host more.
Vanilla.
The sweet smelling pod coming mainly from the plant vanilla planiflora, from which is made a very sweet liqueur.
Vaporisation
A term used in connection with distilling. Pure alcohol vaporises at 78 degrees.
Vatican Wine.

Wine made from an historic vine grown within the precincts of the Vatican itself and reserved for the personal use of the Pope and his immediate clerical staff.
Vats.
Very large containing vessels or tanks used for the storage and also the blending or vatting of quantities of various wines and spirits. Sometimes they are made of wood but more recently of concrete or some similar framework, lined with glass. More recently still they have been made of stainless steel. The name figures in early Bible histories as fats, which is also an alternative English word for the same thing.
Vaucluse
One of France’s most prolific wine producing departements. In it are the wine districts of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Tavel, Rasteau and Muscat de Beaumes (qq.v).

Vaud
The best, largest (9.000 acres of vineyards) and most important viticultural canton of all Switzerland. The vines are planted (a) all along the north side of Lac Leman from Geneva through Lausanne along to Vevey, (b) on the Vaudois shores of the lake of Neuchfitel called the Cotes de l’Orbe, (c) in an area in the Rhone valley called Le Chablais and comprising the villages of Yvorne, Aigle, Ollon and Bex. Of these districts the most important is the first which divides itself quite distinctly into two sections, Lavaux and La Cote (qq.v.).
Vaucrains
A well-known vineyard of Nuits, Côte de Nuits.
Vauntorillon
A former red wine growth of the Yonne départe-ment, France.
V.D.Q.S.
This stands for Vin Délimité de Qualité Supérieure and is the title given to certain French and Algerian wines which are not considered by the French Government as being good enough to merit the full Appella-tion Contr61ée status but are in quality above the daily table wines sold as ten degrees or eleven degrees, etc. Some V.13.Q.S. wines are (a) in France : Cahors, Corbières, Costières du Gard, Côtes d’Auvergne, Vins de Béarn, Vins du Lyonnais, Vins de la Moselle, Vins de l’Orléanais, Gros Plant du Pays Nantais, Côtes de

Provence, Coteaux d’Ancenis. (b) in Algeria : Mascara, C6tes du Zaccar, Mostaganem, Ainel-Hadjar, Haut Dahra.
Vedrines.
See Chateau Doisy-Vedrines.
Veltshochheim.
A wine commune in Franconia, near Wilmburg. Some vineyards : Abtsberg, Hof, Fachtel, Steige.
Velez Malaga

A village near the town of Malaga, Spain, which used to produce much wine passing under the general name of Malaga.
Veldenz.
A commune on the Middle Moselle near Berncastel, not actually on the Moselle itself but on a tributary. The wines are supposed to have a slight resemblance to Saar wines. Some vineyards : Bitsch, Geis-berg, Cartsberg, Kirchberg. Neuberg, Schisspflug, Lay, Gollenberg, SchlAven.
Velouti.
(French) : velvety. Wine without a suspicion of greenness or roughness. Its softness is not the sugared sweetness of vins de liqueur and it imparts to the palate no other sensation than that of its perfume and pIeasurable taste.
Veltliner
A white wine grape species, almost the national grape of Austria. Makes a good spicily-perfumed dry wine. Now becoming popular in California.
Vendange
The French word for the vintage ; the harvesting of the grapes. It is the root of several other terms, vendangeurs, etc.
Vendays
A village and commune of twenty-five thousand acres right in the north of the Medoc and towards the sea. Makes very ordinary wine.
Vendres, Port

A lovely port on the Mediterranean on the Cote d’Azur to which vast quantities

of wine are shipped from Algeria and also an important centre in itself for Banyuls and other vins doux naturels.
Venencia

See Valinch.
Vensae
A village and commune of eight thousand acres right in the north of the Medoc and towards the sea. Makes very ordinary wine.
Verde

See Vinho Verde.
Verdelho
The name of a grape used in Madeira from which a wine of the same name is made. It is rather sweet but capable of great keeping powers and improvement in bottle.
Verdiechio di Jesi

A white semi-dry wine made in the Marche province of Italy.
Verdona
A wine of the sack type once made in Teneriffe. It once had a vogue in England but this had already died out at the end of the eighteenth century.
Verdot-Blanc, Verdot-Colon, Verdot-Rouge

The names of . species of grapes used in a secondary capacity in the Gironde.
Vergelesses
A vineyard of Savigny in the Cote de Beaune.
Verjuice
From the old French “vertjus”, green juice. The word was originally used to describe a liquor made from the crushed acid juice of green or unripe grapes, crab apples or other sour fruit. In the Middle Ages verjuice was in great favour as a condiment. It was also used for medicinal purposes and in cooking.
Vermentino
Also Vermentino di Gallura. A white table wine produced near Santa Teresa di Gullura in the northern part of the Island of Sardinia, Italy.
Vermouth
The habit of adding aromatic herbs to wine is as old as history. The ancient Greeks in order to preserve their wines added resin, and again Hippocrates more than 400 years B.C. concocted a grog containing almonds, grey amber and honey. Cicero enjoyed making for himself Vinum absinthiatum, an infusion of absinth blossoms and dittany leaves and to which Pliny attributed many virtues. That is the background of the special wine of which Vermouth is the most important modern example. It would appear that it was first made in Germany where the herb artemisia absinthium widely used to lend a pleasing flavour to aromatic wines-is called Wermut and it was only natural that a brew of wine pepped up with this plant should be called Wermut Wein in Germany. Then France dropped the word wine and adopted the word as a generic name choosing the French spelling Vermouth. The first important commercial production of Vermouth started in the last years of the eighteenth century in Turin. Although most European countries manufacture Vermouth and the range of colours and tastes vary infinitely and they can either be bone dry or liqueur sweet, the English public have come to call dry straw-coloured Vermouth French, and the darker sweet Vermouth Italian. Two of the centres of French-made French Vermouth are around the town of Sete in the Herault, and Marseille, while the greater part of Italian Vermouth is made in Turin.
Vernaccia
In Italy today the name of a grape which is used (among other places) in Tuscany and in Sardinia where a most potent and intriguing white wine is made called Vernaccio di Sardegna.

Vernage
An English word dating back to Chaucer’s time (He drinkith ypocras, clarre and vernage/0f spices hot to encrese his corrage.) which comes from the old French vernage, which in turn comes from the old Italian vernaccia (q.v.) and meant in England a kind of strong wine like Malmsey or Bastard. A later meaning was a strong sweet kind of white Italian wine.
Verneuil
A village and wine commune in the valley of the Marne, Champagne district.
Vert.
French, green. Young wine which still contains much acidity which is one of the factors for a good keeping wine as in the adage ‘Vin vert, riche Bourgogne.’
Vertheul.
Also Verteuil. A village and commune (5,000 acres) of the Medoc between Cissac and St. Estephe. Some growths : Château le Bourdieu (200 hogsheads annually), Chateau Reysson (300 hogsheads), Chateau Victoria (240 hogsheads). There is also a wine co-operative here.
Vertus
A village and notable white wine making commune in the Cote du Blancs area due south of Epernay, Champagne district.
Verzenay.
A famous wine commune (and village) in the Montagne de Reims area between the towns of Reims and Epernay, Champagne district. Its still red wines were at one time famous and it is referred to in a famous wine poem by Longfellow (q.v.).
Verzy.
A notable wine commune (and village) in the Montagne de Reims area between Reims and Epernay. It is just south of Verzenay.
Vesle
An important French river traversing the Champagne wine countries of the Aisne and the Marne.
Vesuvio
A wine made on the south eastern skirts of Mount Vesuvius, Italy.
Vevey
A lovely lake shore town making good white wine in the Canton of Vaud, Switzerland. It is also the place where is held the fantastic F8te do Vigner-ons which last took place in 1955 and previously in 1927, 1905, 1889, 1865, 1833 and 1819. It originated well before the seventeenth century and the first basic ideas were to give rewards to vignerons who had tended their vineyards and second to commemorate in general the culture of the vine. As the years passed each Rte or pageant got more elaborate until it finally became a vast national spectacle lasting over three hours in a huge specially constructed stadium in which nearly four thousand people from Vevey and the immediate villages take part.
Viana
A port town north of Oporto in the Minho province of Portugal. In earlier days it was the centre of the wine trade between Portugal and England. Now Oporto has completely ousted it.
Vicenza
A town in northern Italy near Venice which acts as a distributary base for wines made in the neighbourhood.
Victoria
See under Australia, and also under Konigin Victoria Berg.
Vidonia
lt is not certain whether this is another spelling or corruption of Verdona (q.v.) or whether it is a slightly different wine getting its name from its having been made with the Vidogna grape. It also came from the Canary Islands and was also white.
Vidueno
Name given in the Sherry district to a group of vine stocks producing grapes of the same kind.
Vienne
The nearest town (on the Rhone) to the wine making places of the Cote Rotie and Condrieu (qq.v.).
Vigne
French. for the vine (q.v.).
Vigneau
See Rayne Vigneau.
Vignobles
French for vineyards.
Vila Nova de Gala

A town on the river Douro (really the twin town to Oporto) where most of the wine lodges of the important port shipping firms are established.
Vila Franca de Panades

One of Spain’s most prolific, important, and up-and-coming wine districts and towns. The latter is exceptionally attractive and moreover contains a good wine museum housed in an old palace, a government sponsored wine college and is the place where a journal devoted to wine-the Dionysius-is printed. It is situated just south of Barcelona and the wine is mainly white and pleasant.
Vilany-Pees
A wine producing region of importance in Hungary.
Ville Dommange

A wine village and commune in the Montagne de Reims district of Champagne.
Villenave-d’Ornon.
A town of 8,000 inhabitants and a commune of 5,000 acres situated some 5 miles south of Bordeaux. Here is made a fair quantity of both red and white Graves. Some chateaux : Baret (320 red, 100 white hogsheads annually), Limbourg (80 red, 20 white), Couhins (60 red, 160 white), Cantebau-Couhins (60 white) La Haye-Pulles (160 red, 100 white), La Ferrade (80 red, 32 white). There are a further 50 small growers producing from 4 to 20 hogsheads each.
Villeneuve.

See Arnaud de Villeneuve.
Villers-Mamery.
A wine village and commune in the Montagne de Reims district of Champagne.
Villers-sous-Chatillon.
A wine village and commune in the ValMe de la Marne district of Champagne.
Vin
The French for wine, derived from the Latin “Vinum”. Other Continental forms are Italian and Spanish Vino, Portuguese Vinho, German Wein. All the following are French : Vin blanc (ordinary white table wine), Vin borru (rough, surly, new wine before it has fallen bright), Vin brut (See Brut.), Vin chaud (mulled wine), Vin de coule (wine of the first pressing), Vin cremant (creaming as distinct from fully sparkling), Vin cuit (boiled down concentrated wine), Vin de cuvee (wine of the first pressing of the grapes), Vin de garde (a fine enough wine to lay down), Vin de goutte (a wine from the last pressing of the grapes), Vin jaune (wine, generally associated with the Jura, where the fermentation is similar to that of Jerez and which has taken on the gofit de jaune by lengthy maturation in cask), Vin de marc (an inferior wine made from the last pressing of the grapes-now called Marc -with the addition of water and sugar), Vin de Montagne (wine made in the Montagne de Reims district, Champagne), Vin de .), Vin de paille Messe (altar wine (See under Straw Wines), Vin de Palus (claret from the islands and low lying lands of the Gironde), Vin de pays (wine of the locality. Often used in the sense that while it is good it will not stand up to the great wines of the world when shipped out of its district), Vin de queue (wine made from the last of the pickings), Vin de t8te (wine made from the first pickings), Vin ros6 (grey-pink wine made by crushing red grapes but excluding the skin).
Vifia
Spanish, a vineyard.
Viflador
Spanish, wine grower.
Vinay
A village and wine com-mune just south of Epernay in the Côte de Blancs, Champagne.

Vinage
French. This word means the adding of alcohol to wine to increase its strength and according to the Code du Vin it is only permitted with wines destined for exportation but not to Algeria, Tunisia and Monaco. The rules which apply to this operation differ according to whether the wines to receive vinage treatment are those with an appellation d’origine simple or those with the full appellation contrWe. Thus the Institute of Appella-tions d’Origine have prohibited vinage for the following (among other) wines : Sauternes, Barsac, Cerons, Loupiac, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Saint-Peray, Bandol, Lirac.

Vinasses
French. A residue obtained in the making of alcohol.
Vineland
The name given to a part of Canada by Norse ex-plorers because they found the wild grape growing in profusion there.
Vine, The.

The genus Vitis covers all types of grape-bearing (it is to be remembered that the majority of these genera bear no edible fruit) vines. This plant occurs in nature almost over every part of the globe, but by far and away the most important member of the family is Vitis vinifera which is now (nor for the past centuries) never found in its wild state). It is the grape which Neah planted which made him drunk; it flourishes all over Europe and the north coast of Africa, it makes all the greatest wines of the world, it is very easily attacked by the phylloxera (other species resist this plant louse) and like other species is a climbing plant capable of attaining great age. In the more important wine growing districts of the world the following varieties will be found but it cannot be overstressed that the same varieties are not only given different names in different countries but are called by (often several) different names in different districts in the same country. * Gironde : Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Merlot, Semillon, Gros Verdot. Burgundy : Pinot Noir. Chardonnay Charente : Folle Blanche. Beaujolais : Gamay Noir. Jura : Savagnin, Ploussard. Banyuls : Grenache. Alsace : Sylvaner, Riesling, Traminer, Muscat. Germany : Riesling, Traminer, Gewurtzraminer. Austria : Veltliner. Spain, Jerez-de-la-Frontera: Pedro Ximenez, Palomino, Caflacazo, Albillo, Perruno, Ileba Mantuo, Molluz. Spain, Alicante : Monastrell. Portugal. Douro : Bastardo, Tinto, Touriga. Hungary, Tokay : Furmint. Italy : Neb-biolo, Aglianico, Greco, Mos-cato, Verdello, Trebbiano, Malvasia,Sangiovese,Lambrusco, Prosecco, Aleatico. Madeira : Verdelho, Sercial, Bual. So much for the variety vinifera. But in North America there is also Vitis labrusea, Vitis riparia, Vitis vulpina, Vitis rupestris, Vitis rotundiflora.

Vinegar
This is one of the oldest drinks or condiments in the world. Moses mentions it ( He shall drink no vinegar of wine) in such a way that it is clear that the acetification of wine was known since Biblical times. Hippocrates the great doctor used it medicinally and it was offered as a sustaining drink to Jesus on the Cross. Vinegar is an acid liquid made from many substances by the acetous fermentation of alcoholic liquors, the chief product being acetic acid. There are basically three main vinegars : Malt, most popular in England; Wine, most popular in France; and Cider, most liked in the U.S.A.
Vine Dressers

Those who attend to the cultivation and treatment of vines.
Vineux
French, vinous. Of a wine with much alcoholic strength.
Vinicole
French, matters appertaining to wine.
Vinification
The Oxford English Dictionary gives the definition as the conversion of grape juice or the like into an alcoholic liquid by fermentation ; a French dictionary says it is the art of making wine. To the French vigneron the exact definition would probably lie between these two. In any event it is generally accepted that however great the vineyard, however fine the grapes, it is the vinification that makes or mars the wine. After the pressing of the grapes the must goes into cuves or huge oak vats containing (in Bordeaux especially) anything from 25 to 80 hogsheads each. Recently however in more modern cellars these oak vats have been replaced by those of glass and cement and the method of tipping the must into these cisterns has been modernised : a platform is built into the top of the cisterns upon which is built a miniature railway which allows for the circulation of movable grape presses. Then by a system of either pulleys or movable cranes the grapes are hoisted on to the presses and when crushed, the must goes straight into the cisterns. Incidentally in buildings constructed to conform with this modern method, casement windows are usually constructed on the first floor to maintain the most even temperature possible-a condition of paramount importance for a sound fermentation. The temperature of a cuve should be between 20 and 30 degrees Centigrade. In Bordeaux, with red wines, a grower will make three wines ; the finest from his older vines and, of those, the ones which have been planted in the sunniest part of the vineyard, the second of younger vines less favourably situated ; the third is from what is left of the euve and is mixed with white wine to be consumed by the workers.
Vinho
Portuguese for wine.
Vinho Claro

Portuguese, unfermented wine.
Vinho Estufado.

Portuguese, applied to wines of Madeira after they have received the estufa (see Estufado System) treatment.
Vinho Generoso

Portuguese, wine which has been fortified.
Vinho Verde.

Portuguese, green wine. These wines are made mainly in the northern province of Minho and the vines are often planted at the edges of farms, the trees forming a natural trellis. According to an official Portuguese document, they are low in alcoholic content and rich in malic and lactic acids giving the wines a naturally slight sparkle and agreeable freshness.
Vino
Spanish and Italian for wine.
Vino de Aflada

Spanish, wine of the year ; applied to new sherry.
Vino Bianco

ltalian, white wine.
Vino de Color

A dark Spanish wine obtained from mixing a certain amount of arrope and must. It is used for blending and colouring purposes.
Vino Cotto.

Italian, boiled down must.
Vino Corriente.

Spanish, ordinary current wine.
Vino Dulce

Spanish, sweet wine.
Vini di Lussi

Italian, fine, luxury , dessert wines.
Vino Frizzante

(ltalian), sparkling wine. Usually applied to the cheaper types.
Vino de Pasto

Spanish. This in Spanish just means wine of the repast, but between the two world wars it was used by many English wine merchants to denote a medium dry sherry which they put in quality above their pale and full golden lines.
Vino Rosato

Italian ; rose wine.
Vino Rosso

Italian ; red wine.
Vino Tierno

Spanish ; Tierno means delicate or tender and is applied to a thick sweet wine used for blending purposes, especially in Malaga.
Vino Tinto

Spanish ; red ‘wine.
Vinosite
French : wines with a high degree of alcoholic strength. In wines which are of poor quality this flavour will come unpleasantly through. With great wines however, vinosity makes them even more drinkable and complete.
Vinifera

See under Vines.
Vintage
The annual gathering of the grape crop. In Bordeaux in favourable years this will take place between the tenth and thirteenth of September, the ordinary white grapes being generally picked a little later than the reds of the Medoc. In certain bad years, however, the vintage is not gathered in until October. In 1932 for example, in the Medoc, 14th October was the date. Wines which are the produce of a single vintage and are sold as such are called vintage wines.
Vintner
Sometimes Vinter. Derived from the Latin name vintenarii applied to those who sold wine by retail as distinct from those selling it in taverns-the tabernarii.
Vintners, The Worshipful Company of-

This company is situated in Upper Thames Street just by Southwark Bridge. The company’s corporate Hall was burnt down in the Great Fire of London in 1666 and the present Hall was built on the same site in 1670. The origin of the organisation of the vintners of London is doubtful but it is obvious from the records available that some association of the members of the trade existed long before the definite grant of letters patent forbidding anyone to engage in the trade unless a member of the Mistery of the Vintners. The exact date of the granting of the charter has been much in dis-pute among earlier antiquaries. Stow and Anthony Munday contended that their first charter was given by Edward III in 1365 (some works say 1364) but this, it was asserted, was not a regular charter but one authorising them to carry on an exclusive trade to and from Gascony for the importation of wines. Whether a charter or not it was almost certainly as much an incorporation charter as any granted to the other great livery companies at the time. It can however be taken as a real in-corporation and it was then confirmed by Henry VI (granting as well several new privileges) on the 23rd August, 1437.

Probably the most noteworthy event in connection with the Vintners’ Company which occurred in the Middle Ages was when Sir Henry Picard (Lord Mayor of London in 1365), entertained in 1363 five kings to a sumptuous banquet. Although on a tablet in the Hall of the Vintners’ Company a tablet shows the names of the following kings, Edward 111 of England, David of Scotland, John of France, Waldemar Ill of Denmark, and Amadeus VI ofCyprus, a brochure published by the Vintners’ Company in 1935 points out that no king of Cyprus bore the name Amadeus, and Waidemar of Denmark did not come to England until a year after King John of France was dead. Still, the event was important to have been recorded in the Liber Niger in 1485 and Stow in 1615.

In those days the vintners exercised severe control over tavern keepers and made strong regulations against fraud. They were strict about early closing of inns and as soon as the curfew sounded all had to be closed under the penalty of half a mark. They appointed four officers who were required to inspect all taverns and customers were allowed to see their wine drawn from the cask lest they be defrauded. To this end it was illegal for a taverner to have a cloth or curtain before the door of his cellar. Fines for swindling the public by selling putrid wine in medieval days were either imprisonment or (suited to fit the crime) that of having the bad liquid poured over the head of the offender with the remains of the cask being allowed to run away into the gutter.

Some other random things about the Vintners’ Company are: (a) Historian Stowe records that in 1410 the Master Sir John Lewys entertained Prince Henry ; Thomas, Duke of Clarence ; John, Duke of Bedford ; and Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, to a supper amongst the merchants of London at his house in the Vintry. The four sons of Henry IV. (b) The Vintners with the Dyers Company and the Crown have from time immemorial owned the swans on the river Thames and each year there has been performed a picturesque ceremony of marking the swans called swan upping. (c) A Free Vintner is one who can open up a wine business (in and around the City of London, the Cinque Ports and along the old coaching roads) without applying to the Licensing Justices for permission to take out a Customs and Excise Licence. He can only use what is commonly called the Vintners’ Privilege if he is a vintner by servitude or patrimony but not by redemption (payment) and nor can he open up in towns not specified in the Charter. (d) In 1927 was started the Vintners’ Travelling Wine Scholarship awarded to one person annually to enable them to visit the major wine growing districts of Europe. Before World War 11 the time to be spent abroad was one year ; since the war the time has been cut. (e) In 1953 was started the now famous Master of Wine Examination which consists of a written, oral and tasting examination which takes place at the Vintners’ Company in May of each year. Details of the syllabus can be obtained from the Clerk to the Company.
Viazel.
An important wine commune of the Vaud Canton, Switzerland.
Vintry, The

An ancient London City ward where the Vintners’ Company had their special wharf at Queen Hythe for the landing of wines from foreign countries. This wharf was known as the Three Cranes Vault.
Vinum Xericurn

This is the British Pharmacopoeia name for sherry.
Viognier
A white grape which is the most important species used in the making of Condrieu (and other Rhone) wines. Its other characteristic is that it is extremely infertile.
Virgil
The works of the Roman poet abound in much serious information and appreciation of wine.

Virgin Marsala

The name given to a pale coloured and dry Marsala.
Visp
A wine commune of the Valais Canton, Switzerland.
Vitis

See article on Vines.
Vizetelly, Henry

A man of Italian extraction, the son of a London publisher, whose written works on wine were in the nineteenth century outstanding. He had been Wine Juror for Great Britain in the great Vienna Exhibition and then later wrote a first rate book on champagne and then his famous (published by Ward Lock & Tyler in 1876) Facts About Sherry, completely vindicating this drink which had at that time been under attack as bad for the liver.
Vodka
The Russian, Polish and Finnish national spirit which is made from rye malt and often potato starch and used to be made from maize or barley. Its rectification is extremely high. It is served extremely cold, and has often been considered one of the best accompaniments to caviare.
Vollrads
See Schloss Vollrads.
VoInay
A very well known commune of some 500 acres south of the town of Beaune in the Cote de Beaune. Some vineyards are Les Caillerets, Le Champans, Santenots, Les Angles, Ronceret, Brouillards, Chanlin, Mitans, Les Lurets, Pitures-Dessus, En L’Ormeau, Village-de-VoInay, Les Aussey, Clos des Ducs, En Verseuil.
Volsted Act

The popular name for the 18th Amendment to the American Constitution which was passed in October, 1919. It forbade the manufacture, sale or transportation of intoxicating liquors within, the importation thereof to, or the exportation from the United States and all territory subject to the jurisdiction thereof, for beverage purposes.” It was repealed in 1933.
Volume
In most Continental wine making countries the alcoholic strength of wine is estimated by its percentage ot actual volume as against the British system of proof strength.

Uchi
An African drink made of fermented coconuts, wild dates, etc.

Uerzig or Urzig

A fine wine-making commune (of 150 acres) lying on a bend of the river Moselle. It is one of the earliest recorded wine producing places of the district and indeed in A.D. 690 the Franconian daughter of King Dagobert had a wine estate there. They are reputed to mature rather more slowly than other wines around here and are occasionally slightly spritzig.

Ugni Blanc

A grape (also called the Trebbiano) used in making both red and white Chianti. In the Charente region of France, where it is known as the St. Emilion, it is cultivated for distillation purposes. It is known as the Graisse Blanc in the Haute Garonne. It is a species making a great deal of wine but only of fair quality in Mediterranean regions. Also used in California but mainly there for blending.

Uisguebeatha
An Irish and Scotch Gaelic word, “Uisge”, water and “beatha”, life (see also Aqua-Vitae) from which comes the more normal spelling Usquebaugh and in turn Whisky.

Ullage
From the French “ouiller “meaning to fill up (a barrel). In the trade it stands for the amount of wine or other liquor by which a cask or bottle falls short of being quite full. It used to stand for the quantity required to make good the loss by leakage or evaporation. Bottled wine and champagnes in particular are sometimes sold free from ullage.

Ulpu
A Chilean beverage made of ground roasted wheat.

Ulversheim

(Also Wald-Ulversheim.) -A wine commune of the Rheinhesse. Some vineyards : Farrenberg, Graunesberg, Gegerscheiss, Rodern, Diebspfad.

Umbria
The Italian province from whence comes Orvieto (q.v.).

Unclassified Wines

Often used to describe chateaux, domaines, and various other growths of the Gironde in contradistinction to clarets classified by the official classification of 1855.

Underproof
The term applied to spirits the strength of which has been reduced below proof. (see Proof spirits).

Unfermented Wines

A somewhat misleading description in view of the accepted definition of the word wine. It is applied, however, occasionally to grape must in which the natural fermentation has been checked by various means. When this checking has been done by adding alcohol the liquid is called by the French “Mistelle.”

Ungeheuer
The name of a celebrated vineyard of Forst in the Palatinate, Germany.

Ungstein
A wine commune and village just north of Bad Durkheim, in the middle Palatinate, Germany. Some vineyards : Herrenberg, Spielberg, Russel, Diemert, Langsteig, Weilberg, Kobnert, Osterberg.

Unsweetened Spirits

Spirits to which no sweetening matter has been added. The term is most commonly used in connection with gin in contradistinction to sweetened types such as Old Tom. Unsweetened gins are now more generally described as dry.

Upper Egypt

In ancient times the wines of this region had acquired considerable fame even beyond its borders and special taxes were put upon them. Subsequently the wine making industry became practically extinct.

Uruguaian Wine

Viticulture in Uruguay dates from 1874, but adverse conditions were encountered until Francisco Vidiella, Pascual Harriague, Luis de la Torre and others achieved success in their various experi-ments. Francisco decided that the most suitable vine was the Vina del Penarol, and later this variety came to be known as the “Vidiella”. It is similar in character to the Folle Noir. Pascual Harriague imported the variety known as the Torda from Concordia and created the La Cabadella vineyard. This variety (also called the Harriague) is a productive plant yielding highly coloured wines with a high alcoholic content. Subsequent progress saw the introduction of good stocks from France, Spain, Portugal and Italy. The Gamay, for example, of Burgundy is well established. The vineyards of Uruguay are almost all in the province of Montevideo where some sixteen million gallons of wine are produced annually. Generally the trade is confined to imitation of European types.

Uruk
A potent Siberian intoxicating beverage made from the wild apricot and cherry.

Usuph
A form of raisin wine made in Morocco.

Utiel
A town in the province of Valencia, Spain with great wine interests. The name and word has been protected by an official board controlling the name of origin.

Uva

Spanish for grape.

Uzes
A town of 5,000 inhabitants in the département of the Gard in the very south of France and noted for its wine and distilling interests.

Table Wines.

A term usually employed for the lighter, and unfortified, types of beverage wines taken with meals.
Tâche, La.

An outstanding fourteen acre only vineyard of the Vosne Romanee, Cote de Nuits, district of Burgundy. Often sold as La Tâche, Romanee, and the average annual production is around 15,000 bottles.
Taeniotic Wines

Wines anciently made in Lower Egypt and noted for their sweet, delicate and aromatic qualities. According to Athenaeus (q. v.) they were green in colour.
Tafia
A rum-like spirituous liquor made from the lower grades of molasses, or refuse brown sugar. The word is much used in the east and west and is given in Malay dictionaries as a spirit distilled from molasses. It is the same as the French word guildive from which we get our English word kill-devil.
Tailings-
Collected distillate of brandy containing less than 50 degrees of alcohol.
Taillan, Le

A commune of 3,500 acres and village of 1,300 inhabitants, only 6 miles north of the town of Bordeaux but just officially in the Medoc. Some chateaux, with the annual output of hogsheads in brackets: du Taillan (80), Fontanct (120), Brun (10).
Tailles
A French word for the second and third pressings of grapes. Mainly used in connection with sparkling wines.
Tain
A most attractive town of 4,000 inhabitants right on the river Rhone. It is 50 miles south of Lyon and because of its proximity to the famous vineyards of Hermitage it is now usually called Tain-l’Hermitage. It is really a twin town of Tournon whichis on the opposite side of the river.
Talbot, Chateaux

A fourth classified growth of the Medoc in the commune of St. Julien and making 560 hogsheads of wine annually. At one time the property was owned by the Marquis d’Aux and is one of the oldest of the Medoc. It gets its name from the name of the EnIglish Marshal who in 1453 lost the famous battle of Castillon.
Talence
This is a town of 23,000 inhabitants two miles south of and really a suburb of Bordeaux. It is also a 2,000 acre commune of the Graves district. The two most important chateaux are La Tour Haut Brion making 60 hogsheads of red wine and Château La Ville Haut Brion making 60 white.

Tankards
Old fashioned drinking vessels generally made of pewter but sometimes of more valuable metals such as gold, silver, etc.
Tannin
An astringent vegetable substance found in the skin, pips and stalks of grapes (it was first isolated in gall nuts) and thus of paramount importance in wine. The word comes from the old French tanin, and tannic acid is found in far greater quantities in red wine (because the skins are left with the must during the fermentation period) than white. See Egrappage.
Tantalus
Son of Zeus and the nymph Pluto. Also a stand containing usually three cut glass decanters which though apparently free cannot be used until a grooved bar which engages the stoppers is removed.
Taper Corks

A special tapering shape of cork, used when the original corks have been withdrawn. They are mainly used in tasting rooms.
Tappit-hen
From a Scotch word Topped, crested, tufted. A tappit hen is a hen with a topknot and also a drinking vessel having a lid with a knob and especially one containing a Scotch quart.
Taps
Corks, or faucets, through which liquids are drawn off. Those used by the trade are usually of wood or metal.
Tapster
A man who taps ale or wine in an inn-a host.
Tarbes
A town near Pan in the Pyrenees, France, where much wine is made.
Tare
The net weight of a cask, etc. without reckoning its contents.
Tariffs
A list or schedule of duties, customs etc. to be paid on goods imported or exported.
Tarragona
This superbly poised Spanish Mediterranean port of forty thousand inhabitants was once the greatest city of Roman Spain and even today the Roman remains within the city are one of the wonders of Europe. The town itself, which has been called (for it is on a hill jutting out into the sea) the balcony of the Mediterranean, is the capital of the province of the same name and is the headquarters (only equalled by Reus 10 miles inland) of a very extensive wine trade, so much so that one firm have their own wine pipe line running for several hundred yards under the town to the quayside. The town is most curiously divided into three sharply defined sections : at the top the Roman medieval city the walls of which (incorrectly called Cyclopean) date back to Iberian times six centuries before Christ ; further down is the modern flourishing town ; then at sea level comes the port area. It is in the last part that the wine trade is situated, a vast proportion con-sisting of copying the styles of other wines of the world, supplying wines to bolster up meagre vintages of other viticultural areas, and finally the manufacture under licence of world famous French aperitives and liqueurs for the South American market. Like Jerez, Montilla y Moriles, Rioja etc., Tarragona wines are marketed by an official board controlling the name of origin set up in 1935. The area delineated covers about two thirds of the province and some vinously important places in it are Corbera, Grandesa, Mora de Ebro, Garcia, Falset, Pobleda, Valls, Alcover.
Tart, Clos de

One of the out-standing (tete de cuvee) vineyards of Morey-Saint-Denis, Cote de Nuits, Burgundy.
Tartar
A chemical (the word is tartaro in Spanish and tartre in French but the origin is probably Arabic) present in grape juice and deposited in crude form in the process of fermentation on the sides of wine casks in the form of a hard crust. Called also argol (origin unknown), it varies in colour from grey pink to purple and when purified it forms white crystals which are cream of tartar. Sometimes the ends of corks of old bottled ports will glisten with these crystals and often in cold weather sherry will throw brilliant small flakes of tartaric acid crystals.
Tass
A drinking vessel, especially one of silver, of small content, used for liqueur ; mainly confined to Scotland.
Tastevin
In English (certainly before the sixteenth century) a taster, i.e. a small shallow cup of silver (with a tiny handle for the thumb) often with a raised centre and/or corrugated or embossed bottom which reflects the light through the wine. It is to be noted that many such extremely similar looking silver cups are not wine tasters but barber-surgeons’ bleeding vessels.
Tasting
It is generally conceded that the art of tasting wine is one which can be acquired and taught. It is further agreed that while people can have what they call natural palates these can never be as useful or perceptive as the palate which has been trained by the professional taster. The senses which enable a person to savour wine are two-fold. There are first the taste buds or as the French call them “burgeons gustatifs”. These are situated in the mouth and primarily on two different parts of the tongue : those at the tip and controlled by the seventh cranial (as distinct from spinal) nerve and those on and around a bump in the back of the tongue (invisible except with the aid of a special mirror) and con-trolled by the ninth nerve. The four tastes recognised by these buds are generally con-sidered to be acidity, sweetness, bitterness and saltiness. None the less, the Swedish savant, Linnacus, noted 8 different savours : sweetness, sourness, fatness, harsh, bitter, viscous, salty and dry. The second guide to wine tasting is (and many consider it more important) that of smell -the olfactory senses. Here again Charles de Linnaeus (1707-1778) the great Swedish botanist was the first to classify smells into the following seven categories. a. aromatic (carnation), b. balsamatic (lilac), c. ambrosial (musk), d. garlic, e. caprylic (valerian), f. repellant (bugs), g. nauseous (putrefying flesh). In 1920 Professor Zwaardemaker classified smells into ten categories, while in 1924 Henning divided them into six-spicy, flowers, fruits, resin, burnt and putrid. So much for the organs which enable one to taste ; it is now necessary to consider the practical side. The ideal tasting room is one with a northern light and one where there is a large white marble slab on which to place the wines and glasses, a small sink with running water, and a rack for glasses is also useful. Tasting glasses should be large, sufficiently so for the taster to be able to shake the glass to allow for the release of esters, sulphur, acidity or any element that may be partially locked in the wine. And again, to allow for a concentration of the bouquet up to the olfactory senses, a glass which is narrow towards the top is desirable. The wine having been poured out, looked at up to the light, shaken and tested on the nose, a tiny sip is then taken, and at this point many experts advise that the wine should be allowed to rest in the mouth while at the same time the mouth is opened and one breathes inwards, thus accentuating the flavour of the wine. This difficult task accomplished, the wine is, so to speak, masticated and finally spat out. Finally comes the question of what shall be taken to clear the palate during a big tasting. There is little doubt that the best thing of all is to take no food at all but to gargle the mouth with water. If it is necessary to take something it is generally considered that bread is the best of all, being the most neutral of foods, but it must be remembered that after any food has been taken the wine will taste better than it had before. As for almonds, nuts, cheese and olives, there is no possible doubt (and this is confirmed by the foremost French writer on the subject) that these cloud the judgment and should be avoided.
Taunus
High forest covered hills along the Rhine in the Rheingau area.
Tauber
The name of a tributary of the Main (Franconia) where wines of local importance are made.
Tavel
The name of a backward little village and wine commune just north of Avignon in the Cotes du Rhone district, France. Here are made rose wines which are esteemed by the proletariat in France, but whose reputation in England and among French wine experts has recently declined. It is, however, an Appellation Controlee district of France and some of the grape species used in its making are Grenache, Cinsault, Piepoul, Bourboulenc and Carignan of which the last must not exceed ten per cent. of the total planting.

Taverns.
An old time name for places where alcoholic beverages were sold practically synonymous with public houses. In the early days of the wine trade in England the actual supplying merchants were called Vinetarii and the retail distributors Tabernarii or Taverners.

Tawny Wines

This description was originally applied to wines of a brownish-yellow colour, but has since become extended. Tawny is a favourite description for lightish coloured ports.

Tenarèze
A flat plain like wine making region in the centre of the Armagnac (q.v.) district.
Tendre
Said by the French of a light, agreeable, slightly moelleux (q.v.) wine, but with little body,

Tenedos
A district a short distance from the Dardanelles which had the reputation of producing red wines of character.

Teneriffe
An important island of the Canaries group from whence came the bulk of the Canary wine supplied of old. At one time these wines enjoyed a great popularity in England but now very little indeed is imported.
Tent.-Also tynt, tente, teynt.

From Spanish tinto, dark coloured. A Spanish wine of a deep red colour but of low alcoholic content. As early as the mid-fifteenth century it was used in Britain as a popular beverage wine and there are many references to it in Elizabethan literature and silver wine decanter labels with this name are extant. Later it became almost entirely confined to use as a communion wine in the Church of England.
Tequila
A popular among Mexican middle classes, this spirit is made from a species of Agave. The industry is centred around the town of Tequila in the Jalasco state of Mexico and the spirit (sometimes pepped up with chillies) has the reputation of being most intoxicating.

Terlano
A most important wine making town north of BoIzano in the Italian (formerly Austrian) Tyrol.

Terne
French for dull, listless, said of a wine which lacks character.

Terroir
Literally “soil” in French, a term widely used by wine hobbyists (sometimes as gout de terroir) in reference to the flavors and aromas that soil and geography impart to a wine.
Tertre, Chateau du.

A fifth classifled growth of the Medoc in the commune of Arsac and producing 400 hogsheads of wine annually.
Tessin.-Also Ticino.

A wine making canton in the south of Switzerland with 4,500 acres under vines. In spite of the sun, its unrivalled position for wine making and the Mediterranean climate which prevails, the land is so partitioned and there is so much migration of farm hands at vintage time, that great wines are not (according to a Swiss official publication) made. The Ticinos divide their wine into two categories : those made with the Nostrano (i.e. European) vines and the Americanos so Called when the wine is derived from the Isabella grape or some other hybrid. Recently, however, wine growers in this canton have been planting in increasing numbers the Bordeaux Merlot grapeand, as well, several Piedmont species such as the Nebbiolo, Bondara and Fresia. The foremost white wine making communes are Besazio, Arzo, Tremona, Breganzona and Castagnola.

Testucci
A Tuscany, Italian method of growing vines on pergolas and trellisses, but not one adopted where high grade wines are required.

Thackeray, William Makepeace

The great novelist of the middle Victorian era. His works disclose an intimate knowledge and appreciation of the wine drinking manners of his time.

Tete de Cuvee

French, literally head of the vatting, meaning the first pressing of the grapes. But generally the words (which are mainly used in the Cote d’Or) mean outstanding growth.
Thann
An Alsatian wine making village on the river Thur between Mulhouse and Colmar. In former times it was famous for a local wine called Rangen, and its cathedral of St. Thiebault is one of the glories of Alsace.
Thasian Wines

Ancient wines made at Thasos Greek, Archipelago, of generous sweet character, for long held in high esteem.
Theocritus
A noted ancient Greek bucolic poet of Syracuse.
Thera
The ancient name of the island of Santorin which, before its practical destruction by earth-quake, used to produce much worthy wine.
Thrall
A frame or stand for barrels.
Thrace
An ancient province of Northern Greece whose wines once had a good reputation.
Three Cranes

Part of the old Vintry establishment of the City of London where wines from abroad, arriving in the Thames, were stored.
Thungersheim
A Franconian (Germany) wine commune. Some vineyards : Ravensburg, Scharlach, Goldbuehl, Rotlauf.
Thurgovia
A minor wine making canton of Switzerland with 320 acres under vines. Some communes are Ottenberg, Boltshausen, Weinfelden, Warth, Amlikon.
Ticino

-See Tessin.
Tierce
An old measure of capacity equivalent to one third of a pipe, also a cask or vessel holding this amount.
Tierra de Espana

See Lebrija.
Tierra Vino

See Lebrija.
Tiers
The layers in which bottled wines are binned away. There are two main systems, the ordinary and the Scotch tiers, which latter is that of putting bottles back to front.
Tilts
Instruments used in cellars for adjusting casks to the required positions.
Tinctures
Solutions generally in alcohol of various flavourings usually of medicinal character.
Tinos
An island of the Greek Archipelago once noted for its Malmsey wine produce.
Tinto
Spanish for red. But it is also an old English word (derived from the Spanish) for Tent (q.v.) Cyrus Redding mentions a French wine of this name.
Tintometer
An instrument which enables one to test and compare the colours of wines, spirits and beers. It is also utilised to measure the colours of a variety of manufactures and other substances.

Tirage
The French term for the drawing-off of wine from cuvees, . vats, etc.
Tirano
A town in the province of Sondrio, Lombardy, Italy, noted for its wine interests.
Tischwein.
German for a table wine of ordinary character like vin ordinaire in French and vino de pasto in Spain.
Toddy
Its first meaning is of a fermented liquor produced from the sap of various species of palms and especially the wild date and the coconut. Its second meaning is a hot beverage made of whisky or brandy or other spirituous liquors, plus hot water, and flavoured with lemons.

Tokay Wines

These wines, made mainly with the Furmint grape and vintaged exceptionally late (after the second week in Novem-ber) derive their name from the eponymous town which is situated in the north-eastern (the Hegyalja district) part of Hungary, at the foot of the Carpathian mountains.

There are three main grades of Tokay : the essence or eszencia which is made from a gentle and slow pressing of over-ripe grapes and is really the equivalent of a vin de paille or straw wine of France, so called because the grapes have been laid out on straw mats so that the water should evaporate. The next is called Aszu, is almost as syrupy (in no derogatory sense) sweet and also will keep as long as the Essence and both have been called by Professor Saintsbury no more a wine but a Prince of liqueurs.” Both these wines had a great vogue in England in the Victorian era as restoratives and, as such, they were widely recommended by the medical profession. They were,and are,sold usually in pint bottles with a long thin neck and the wine was often called Imperial because of the large amount which found its way into the vast cellars of the Austrian monarchy. See also Puttonyos. The third Tokay is Szamorodni which is much less expensive in that it is made in the way ordinary table wine is made and without the addition of Puttonyos. The word Tokay is also applied in the U.S., according to the Oxford English Dictionary, to a Californian wine made in imitation, and one American book of repute on Californian wines describes Californian Tokay as being a medium sweet dessert wine, amber pink in colour and with a slight nutty flavour-often a blend of Angelica, dry sherry to reduce the sweetness, and port to achieve the desired pink tinge. There is also a Californian table grape called the flame Tokay.

Tokay d’Alsace.

A grape species [also called the Grey Pinot] which makes a fine slightly scented wine in Alsace. Originally of Hungarian origin.
Tom Collins.

An American thirst quencher consisting of gin, lime juice, cracked ice, powdered sugar and topped up with soda water.
Tom and Jerry

Among other meanings (derived from two characters in Egan’s Life in London 1821) this is the name of an American compounded highly spiced alcoholic punch.
Tom, Old

The name given to a sweetened type of gin.
Tongs, Bottle

These are specially made iron tongs, formerly much used (now seldom seen), for removing the cork plus a piece of the neck of the glass of the bottle intact. Used almost entirely for vintage ports, the tongs were placed in the fire till hot and then clamped around the neck of the bottle for a moment. When removed and a damp cloth wiped round the neck, a light tap would break off`the neck evenly and cleanly.

Tonel-(Spanish.)
A cask containing 170 to 180 gallons generally used to preserve fine old sherries and brandies.

Tonnay-Charente
A port on the river Charente near Rochefort, from which large quantities of cognac have been shipped for many years.
Tonneau
The French word for large cask and, in Bordeaux in particular, a cask (though rarely seen as such) containing four Bordeaux hogsheads of 225 litres, i.e. one of 900 litres.
Tonnerre
A town in the Chablis district of the departement of the Yonne, France.
Torres Vedras

A major red wine producing region north of Lisbon, Portugal.
Touraine
According to the latest French author on the Wines of the Loire (of which the Touraine forms a part), the Touraine extends from Bourgueil in the west, to Blois in the east and these wines, apart from being grown along the Loire, are also grown on the tributaries La Cisse, La Brenne, on the right bank and rivers Cher, Indre, and Vienne on the left. In this region fifteen thousand acres of Appellation Controlee vines are cultivated which annually give some six million gallons of wine of which at present the reds and roses are slightly leading in quantity. The roses are made any and everywhere in the district, while the home of the reds is concentrated at Saint-Nicolas- de-Bourgueil, Bourgueil and Chinon, producing annually three hundred thousand gallons, six hundred thousand gallons and three hundred thousand gallons respectively. The white wines are generally divided up as follows : Touraine (a million gallons), Vouvray (a little less), Montlouis (400,000 gallons), and the great whites of this region are made with that grape species called the Pineau de la Loire.
Tourne
This sickness of wine is usually bracketed with that of Pousse (q.v.) but the main difference is that while the latter develops intense carbonic acid, tourne does not. The sickness develops most easily when the vines have been mildewed and, in fact, in France both Tourne and Pousse are called vins mildiouses..
Tournon

See Tain.
Tours
The capital of the departement of the Indre-et-Loire and the centre of the Touraine wine region.

Tralles, J. G

A German physicist, the inventor of the alcoholometer that bears his name.

Traminer.
The name of a species of grape used greatly in Alsace and also, though less often, in Germany. In Alsace the wine made (highly perfumed on the nose and fairly sweet) from the grape (which does not do well in sunless years) is called Traminer-See also Gewurztraminer.

Trebbiano
The name of a grape species used in Italian vineyards. See also Ugni Blanc.
Tournus
A town of six thousand inhabitants, twenty miles due north of Macon, and a centre of an important wine (mainly red) making district of the département of the Saône-et-Loire.

Traben-Trarbach
Two most attractive twin towns which face each other on opposite sides of the river Moselle. They are on the middle Moselle and the vineyards cover some 750 acres. Some vineyards are : Traben : Geirslay, Konigsberg, Krauterhaus, Worzgarten, Ric-kelsberg, Lausa, Backhaus, Zoll-turm ; Trarbach : Burgberg, Kreutzberg, Halsberg, Huhnerberg, Schlossberg, Unsberg, Wolfersgrube.
Treading, Grape

Various methods of grape pressing have been in evidence during the recorded history of wine making, but the system of treading by the human foot is possibly the most ancient ; even today there are certain authorities who claim that the method is the most advantageous. Pressing grapes by mechanical pressers of several types is now, however, the custom in most wine-making countries, due solely to the increasing cost of human labour.
Trellis

See Testucci.

Trenching
The trenching of wines, to encourage good growth by retaining as much natural moisture as possible, is practised in several winemaking districts.
Treves.

See Trier.
Treviso
A town north of Venice, Italy, with considerable wine trade activities.
Trier
Called by the French Treves, this magnificent town of 80,000 inhabitants is the most important wine city of the Moselle, Ruwer and Saar, being roughly where all these three rivers meet. It was founded around 15 B.C. by the Roman Emperor Augustus who named it Augusta Treverorum and less than three hundred years later it became the imperial capital of the Western region of the Roman Empire. There are more Roman architectural monuments here than in any other city north of the Alps, though the most striking is the superb Porta Nigra, the fourth century Roman town gate. Vinously speaking Trier is rather unusually placed inasmuch as, geographically, it is in the Upper Moselle / Saar district but none the less the vineyards are classified with those of the Middle Moselle. The Trier winemaking commune is subdivided as follows and some vineyards of each place are in brackets: Trier-Feyen (Klosterberg, Kapellenberg, Altenberg, Schleit, Romerberg). Trier-Heligkreuz (Rotenberg, Rotbach, Grumbach).

Trier-Kurenz (Thielslei, Hammerstein, Vogelsang, Kupp, Wolfsgraben). Trier-Olewig (Retsgrube, Jesuwitter, Tiergartner). Trier-Ost (Pichter).
Trier
Pallien (Augenscheiner- i.e. delight of the eyes, so called because the monks of St. Maximin monastery opposite were so enchanted with the site of this superb vineyard).
Trinidad
An historical (2,000 square miles in size) British West Indian island. It has an important rum making industry and at one time was noted for its liqueurs.
Trinity
A colloquial term for an old style of cocktail made of three ingredients, Italian Vermouth, French Vermouth and gin.
Trittenhelm
A village of the Middle Moselle situated almost opposite Neumagen with a viticulture area of 300 acres. Some vine-yards : Olk, Laurentiusberg, Apotheke, Clemensberg, Falkenberg, Sonnteil, Altarchen, Weierbach.
Trockenbeeren Auslese-(German.)

Trocken-dry or dried. Beeren-berries. Auslese-selected. In other words, wines made from grapes on which the fungus Botrytis Cinerea has settled. See Pourriture Noble. Owing to the enormous amount of time and skilled labour taken in making such wines they are only made in exceptionally fine years and by the wealthier growers.

Trollinger
The name given in Germany to a grape species producing a light red Tischwein (q.v.) in the region of Heilbronn and Stuttgart.
Trompette, Chateau.

A cru bourgeois of Purempuyre, Medoc, making 60 hogsheads annually.
Troyes
A town of 60,000 in-habitants in the département of the Aube from whose environs comes a vin ordinaire called Rosé de l’Aube.
Trotanoy, Chateau.

A first growth of Pomerol, Bordeaux. Annual output 100 hogsheads.
Tulare- County.

A wine growing county (near that of Fresno) of California.

Tuile, Vieux Tuiles.

(French). Tiled or old tiles. Said of a wine which has taken on a reddish brown or old tiles colour on account of age.

Tun
In origin the same as Ton. It derives from a number of old continental languages and is the same as Tonneau.
Tunisia
In North Africa on the Mediterranean between AIgeria and Libya. A great deal of wine is made here. Mostly red, mainly around Bizerta.
Turin
The capital of Piedmont, Northern Italy, and a great wine centre ; especially noted for its vast vermouth production.
Turckheim
A town of three thousand inhabitants and commune of 700 acres near Colmar in Alsace.

Tuscany
A province in Central Italy noted for its wine and wine making. with those of the Chianti district especially prominent. See also under Italy.
Turque, La.

A vineyard of Cote Rotie, France.
Twann
A wine making village on Lake Bienne, Switzerland.
Tyrol.
Formerly the Austrian now the Italian Tyrol – this district of which Bolzano is the centre is becoming quite important for its wines.

Saale
A district and river of the Franconian wine area, Germany.
Saar
This is the name of an important wine district and of the largest tributary of the Moselle, which it joins just west of Trier. The most important communes are : Ffizen, Wawern, Kanzem, Wiltingen, Oberemmel, Niedermennig, Ayl, Ockfien, Saarburg. Serrig.
Saarburg
This picturesque town of 5,000 inhabitants, with a waterfall in its very middle. is the centre of the Saar wine trade.
Sables St. Emilion

The wines of Saint-Emilion (q.v.) (Bordeaux) are subdivided into three appellations, and the third is Sables St. Emilion ; mainly wines from the Libourne (q.v.) area.
Sablons
A red wine making village between Guitres and Coutras in the Gironde.
Saccharometer
An instrument employed to estimate the amount of saccharine matter present in wine.
Saccharomyces
Designation of a type of yeast belonging to the genus endomiciticae. The wine yeast S. Cerevisae Var. ellipsoideus (for brevity called S. ellipsoidars) differs from beer yeast S. Cerevisiae in cell-shape and some biological properties. In natural fermentation, S. Apiculatus (more correctly Kloeckera Apiculata) is responsible for the first stage of the process-until the must has about 4 per cent. by volume of alcohol. At this stage K. Apiculata ceases to ferment and the wine yeast S. ellipsoideus takes over for the second stage. See also flor.
Sack. Also Sacke, Sackis

Known and much drunk in England from the sixteenth century, this was the general name for a white wine imported from Spain and also from Canaries. The other places from which sack (other spellings are seake, sekk, sakkes, seck) principally came at that lime were Malaga, Galicia and Portugal, but from the latter two places it was con-sidered weaker. How the wine came to be called sack has been the subject for much etymological discussion and still authorities disagree. It is possible that it is a corruption of the French word see. It has been suggested that it could-less plausibly-come from Xeque, a wine town in Morocco; and-even more far-fetched-that it could from saki, a Japanese liquor. Again, it has been linked with the English word sack in the sense of plundering a town, since wine might have been part of the booty ; and again it has been suggested that it could come from sack in the sense of a leather wine bottle. It has, again, been suggested that the word could come from the Old High German sacwin, which in very early times meant a beverage made by steeping the lees of wine in water and then straining it through a bag. Although no reference is made to it in the Oxford English Dictionary, a very plausible suggestion is that it comes from the Spanish verb sacar,to take away or take out.
Sacramental Wines

Wines of various types used by the several branches of the Christian Church during certain solemn ceremonies.

Saint
In the wine.producing district of the Gironde there are 120 villages and communes beginning with the word Saint. In the same district there are of Domaines, Châteaux, Clos and Crus some 80 in all.
St. Amour

A commune just South of Mâcon and adjoining that of Julienas in the Beaujolais.
St. Andre de Cubzac

A town of 3,500 inhabitants and commune or 5,000 acres, fifteen miles north-west of Bordeaux, making red and white wine. It is not a great district, but a lot of wine is made here.

St. Aubin.

A commune of the Medoc, some 10 miles north of Bordeaux.
St. Christoly

A village (1,600 inhabitants) and commune (7,000 acres) in the Blayais (q.v.) district of Bordeaux, making red and white wine.
Ste. Croix du Mont.

A village (1,000 inhabitants) and commune (2,000 acres) on the right bank of the River Garonne, opposite Sauternes. The wines from here which are almost entirely sweei white, have a considerable reputation and resembJe Sauternes. Some vineyards, with the annual output in hogsheads in brackets, are : Chfiteau Lamarque (200). ChAteau de Tastes (200), ChAteau du Pavillon (180), ChAteau Lou-bens (200), ChAteau Laurette (200), Dornaine du Tich (40), Clos le Vertheuil (100).
St. Elie

Famous for its night wine (q.v.) made on the Island of Santorin (q.v.).
St. Emilion

An attractively picturesque, romantic and historical town of three thousand inhabitants in the centre of the second most important (after the Medoc) red wine producing area of the Gironde. St. Emilion town is very hilly and from the terrace of the Hostellerie de Plaisance one gets a beautiful view of the tessellated roofs of the lower part of the town, with the vineyards beyond. It is quite a tourists’ mecca for there is a lucky wishing well here, an underground monolithic church (St. Emilion was a halting place for pilgrims on the way to St. James of Compostella in Spain), and the gastronomic speciality is a little macaroon which is popular. The wine growing commune is over 6,500 acres in extent and lies some five miles to the east of Libourne (q.v.). For some reason unknown, the wines of this truly great region were never “officially classified when those of the Medoc were done in 1855, but over the years they have fallen into a classification of their own.

Before listing some of the vineyards, it is necessary to explain that St. Emilion is subdivided into three appellations :

· (1) St. Emilion (Cotes),

· (2) St. Emilion (Graves),

· (3) Sables St. Emilion.

Now, to take each district in turn.

(1). St. EMILION (Cotes). As with Chateau Yquem in the Sauternes classification, so Chateau Ausone (q.v.) is listed on its own as a Grand First Growth. Some other leading chateaux of the Cotes, with annual production in hogsheads, in brackets, are : Magdelaine (80), Belair (160), Canon (300), Fourtet (200), Beausejour (100), Gaffeliere-Naudes (320), Cure Le-Bon-La-Madeleine (50), Pavie (600), Trouvielle(120),Cadet-Bon(120) Cadet-Piola(60), Troplong-Mondot (480), Coutet (160), Balestard-la-Tonnelle (120), Belle-vue (120), Canon-la-Gaffoli6rc (160), VArros6e (100), Pavillon-Cadet (80), Fonp16garde (140), Couvent (12 only but, uniquely, right in the centre of the town. and from here came the recipe for the famous macaroons), Grandes Murailles (40), La Clotte (70), La Carte (60), Cap-de-Mourlin (200)-for five centuries in the hands of the family Cap do Mourlin), Grand-Fauric (80), Grand-Pontet (100), Grand-Mayne (120), Cassevent (80), Trimoulet (100), Larmande (100), Maynan-la-Gaffelibro (120), Faurie-de-Soutard (200), Petit-Faurie-de-Souchard (160), L4 Chatlet (50), Fonroque (320), Franc-Mayne (120), Tour du Guetteur (15), Clos les Jacobins 160), Clos I’Ang61us (400), Laroze (400), Franc-Pourret(l40), Matras (140), Simard (100), Cantenac (80), Gueyrot (120), La Flour (160), Bragard (120), Clos St. Emilion (180), Maynan (80), Chante-Alouette (80), Pontot (100), Peyreau (240), Clos Badon (60), La Tour St. Pierre (100).

The above are listed as either Premiers Crils St. Emilion or Deuxiemes Premiers Cros St. Emilion. There are also about 150 Deuxiemes CrOs St. Emilion Cotes. There is also a Cave Cooperative started in July 1933 (the first cooperative in the Gironde) with 150 members and able to cope with three million bottles of wine.

(2). St. EMILION (Graves). Here the soil is of a sandy-gravel quality and the wines are reputed to resemble those of the Medoc. First of the Grands Cras is Château Cheval Blanc (400). Here follow some First Growths: Figeac (400), La Dominique (160), Ripeau (160), Jean-Faure (120), Croque-Michotte (160), La Tour-du-Pin-Figeac (180), Corbin (50), Gran d- Barrail- Lamar z~lle-Figeac (400), La Marzelle (100), Grand Corbin (200), Yon-Figeac (300), Chauvin (140), Reine-Blanche (60), Cormey-Figeac (180), Monlabert (140), Clos Cormey (100). There are also some 30 Second Growths. (3). SABLES St. EMILION. Some vineyards : Martinet(480), Quinault (200), Gueyrosse Cruzeau (140), Cru Austerlitz (40), Ct-fl Mond6sir (50), Garde-rose (60). Some other St. Emilion communes :- The following communes in this region produce wines which have the legal right to be called and labelled St. Emilion”: St. Laurent – des – Combes, SL-Hippolyte, St. – Christophe – des-Bardes, St.-Etienne-de-Lisse, St.-Pey -d’Armens, St. -Sulpice -de -Faleyrens, Vignonet, St.-Georges, Montagne, Lussac, Puisseguin, Parsac.

St. Estephe.

A village (200 inhabitants) and commune (9,000 acres) of the Medoc. beginning five miles to the north ef Pauillac and the northernmost district of the Haut Medoc. It contains two second class growths (Montrose and Cos d’Estournel), one-third (Calon Segur), one fourth (Rochet), and one fifth (Cos Labory) Some other vineyards, with annual number of hogsheads in brackets, are : Tronquay-Lalande (240), Meyney (600), Le Crock (500), de Marbuzet (200), Beausite (400), Phelan Segur (480), Canteloup (320), Capbern (360), Houissant (130),Beausejour (240), Picard (240), Le Boscq (200), de Pez (360), Pomys (100), Les Ormes de Pez (320), Blanquet (80), La Tour do Marbuzet (200).
St. Florent

See St. Hilaire.
St. Gall

A canton of Switzerland, possessing 500 acres ofvines,95 per cent. of which is the Pinot Noir.
St. Georges

A commune of the St. Emilion (q.v.) area.
St. Georges. Les

Perhaps the most noted vineyard of the commune of Nuits. Burgundy.
St. Goar

A village (population 2,000) and commune of the Middle Rhine where much ordinary white wine is made.
St. Goarhausen

On the opposite bank of the Rhein to St. Goar (this is where the famous Lorelei rocks are) where more- but still ordinary-wine is made. Some vineyards : Gartenack, Hessern, Lochern. Rabenack.

St. Hilaire

A village usually linked with St. Florent as St. Hilaire-St.-Florent, just outside and south of Saumur, France. where a great deal of sparkling wine is made.
St. Hippolyte

A commune of St. Emilion (q.v.), Bordeaux.
St. Jean d’Angely.

A town north of Cognac,in the departernent of the Charente-Maritime, with extensive brandy making interests.
St. Julien

A village (population 1 200) and commune (2,700 acres) of the Medoc, 25 miles north of Bordeaux and bounded on the north by Pauillac. It contains five second growths (L6oville-Las – Cases, L6oville – Poyferr6, L6oville-Barton, Gruaud-Larose, Ducru-Beaucaillou), two third growths (Lagrange, Langoa), and four fourth growths (Saint-Pierre, Talbot, Branaire, Beychevelle). Some other vineyards-annual production of hogsheads in brackets-are : B o n t c m p s -Dubarry (80), Moulin Riche (200), du Glana (200), Gloria St. Julien (100), St.-Louis-du-Bosq (40).
St. – Lambert – du – Lattay

A village where several growers have their cellars and a commune of the Coteau du Layon, between Angers and Saumur.
St. Laurent

A small village (population 2,000) but large commune (34,000 acres) to the west of St. Julien and Pauillac in the Medoc. It contains three fifths classified growths (Belgrave, Camensac and La Tour-Carnet). Some other vineyards-annual production in hogsheads in brackets-are : Caronne-Sainte Gemme (320), du Galan (100) Corconae (60), Barateau (100) La Tour Marcillanet (160). Here, too, are a hundred small producers making four to 20 hogs-heads of red wine annually, and some fifty making this quantity of white.
St. Macaire

A village (population 1,500) and commune, making not great red and white wine, on the River Garonne, right in the south and on the opposite side of the river to Langon. Although the acreage of the commune is tiny (400), it has given its name to the appellation – Cotes de Bordeaux St. Macaire.
St. Martial

A village and commune next to St. Macaire (see above).
St. Martin

A wine commune of the Upper Palatinate, Germany. Some vineyards ‘ Spielfeld, Gold-morgen, Kastanienbusch, Weisse Kreuz.
St. Martin

The patron saint of publicans, victuallers and wine. Son of a Roman military tribune, he was born in Sabaria in Hungary about A.D. 316 and from his infancy was remarkable for the mildness of his disposition ; yet he was obliged to become a soldier. After several years of service he retired into solitude, from whence he was withdrawn by being elected Bishop of Tours in 374. Here his zeal and piety were exemplary and he converted the whole diocese to Christianity. The principle legend connected with St.Martin is concerned with his dividing his cloak with a poor naked beggar whom he found perishing with cold outside the gates of Amiens. The reason for his being connected with wine is that his feast day is on Ilth November, the time when the cattle were killed for winter food and the new wines for the year were dcxvrawn off the lees and tasted. There is indeed more than a superficial resemblance between the Vinalia of the Romans and the Martinalia of the medieval period which became so popular in the fifteenth century that :- “To belly cheer yet once again Doth Martin more incline, Whom all the people worship-peth With roasted geese and wine.”
St. Medard-en-Jalles.

A town (5,500 population) and commune (20,000 acres) eight miles north of Bordeaux in the Medoc.

St.-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil.
A red wine making commune next to Bourgueil (q.v.) near Tourst France. Both wines have the reputation of having a sligh, aroma or raspberry.
St. Peray

A town (3,000 popula-tion) and dry white wine district of the Côtes du Rhône, next door to.Cornas (q.v.) and close to the town of Valence. At one time a sparkling wine was in demand in England, but now this and the table wine are rarely seen.
St. Pierre – Bontemps and St. -Pierre – Sevaistre

This is the name of two fourth classified growths of the St. Julien commune of the Medoc which (owned by a Belgian firm of wine merchants) are usually quoted joined together. Indeed, the latest official list names Chateau St. Pierre alone. Annual production is 400 hogsheads.
St.-Pierre-du-Mons. Also called St. Pey-de-Langon.

A village and commune (2,400 acres) next door to Langon on the Garonne, and right in the south of the Bordeaux district. Though a little ordinary red wine is made, it is noted for its white wines, of which some vineyards (annual production in hogsheads in brackets) are : Chateau de Respide (120), des Jaubertes (100), Clos d’Uza (240), des Querats (100), Mayence 120).
St. Pourgain. Also St.-Pourgain-sur-Sioule.

A wine which two or three centuries ago was on the tables of the Kings of France. The vineyards are on a series of hills along the rivers Sioule and Allier in the Massif Central of Fiance. The red wines are only mediocre and consumed locally, but the whites have the V.D.Q.S. appellation (q.v.).
St. Saphorin

A well known wine commune and village between Vevey and Lausanne in the Lavaux wine district of Switzerland.
St.-Seurin-de-Cadourne.
A Village and commune (3,700 acres) of the Medoc, north of Pauillac. Some chateaux, with annual production in hogsheads in brackets, are : Verdigan (400), Coufran (400), Grandis (200), Soccano (100), Senilhac (200), Lestage (80), St. Paul (120), Bel-Orme -Tronquoy-de – Lalande (400).
St. Vincent

The patron saint of wine growers because it is on his day, 22nd January, that the pruning of the vines begins. Vincent is a Spanish saint, martyred in 304 at Valencia by the proconsul Dacian who, after cruely boiling him put him into a dungeon and left him without food. There is an old French jingle which prophesies that if the sun shines on St. Vincent’s day, vignerons will have a dry year favourable to wine-making.

St. Vivant

The largest (25 acres) and one of the most noted vineyards of Vosne-Romanee, Cote de Nuits.
Saintsbury, Professor George

The author of the highly successful wine reminiscing “Notes on a Cellar Book”, published in the early twenties. The distinguished Saintsbury Club was founded in his honour.

Sake.
A Japanese fermented liquor made from rice, sometimes called rice wine or rice beer.
Salage. (French-salting).

lt used to be a common practice to add salt to wine to improve the colour.
Salento.
A potent muscatel wine made in the south of Italy.
Salina.
An Italian island of the Lipari group, known for its Malvasia di Lipari.
Salmanazar.
The name of an outsize bottle (apparently only used for show purposes) containing one dozen ordinary bottles.
Samos
Much wine is made on the island of this name in the Greek Archipelago. That which is seen is generally golden and very sweet. They are at times called Samian wines and figure in Byron’s Don Juan.
Sampling.
lt is normal for a sample to be drawn from a cask by the warehouse keeper at Port of Entry at the time of the first gauging, and H.M. Customs and Excise permit 1/10th of a gallon free of duty. This sample is normally tasted by the importer in his own sample room and compared with a reference sample which has previously been despatched prior to purchase. Sampling can further be under-taken in warehouse, subject to permission from H.M. Customs and Excise Officer, present at the warehouse concerned.

Samschid.
Another spelling of Jamsbeed or Jamshid (q.v.).
Sain-Su
-A Chinese rice wine, drunk hot.

Sancerre
An attractive village (population 2,600), perched on a hill from whence is a superb view of the countryside, which gives its name to one of the best of the River Loire’s dry white wines, Made in the département of the Cher, there are thirteen communes which have the appellation rights to call their wines Sancerre, of which the most important are : Bue, Verdigny, Crezancy, Saint-Satur, Sury-en-Vaux and Menetreol. The district adjoins that of Pouilly-sur-Loire (q.v.).
Sancocho
Another word for arrope (q.v.).
Sandusky
The most important wine-making region of Ohio, U.S.A.
San Francisco Bay

The counties bordering this bay comprise California’s finest wine growing region.

Sangaree
From the Spanish sangria bleeding. This drink seems to have stemmed from tropical countries and though now it appears to be any long drink, it was originally one composed of lemon water and red wine.
Sangiovese
A rich, deep red wine, the best of Emilia Romagna (q.v.), Italy. Also the name of a grape.

Sanlucar de Barrameda

An attractive seaside resort town and port, from whence Columbus sailed on one of his journeys to America, but more famous as being the headquarters (there are many bodegas in the town) of that super-dry sherry, Manzanilla (q.v.).
San Severo

A white wine of Apulia, Italy.
Santa Clara

A wine growing county of California, situated to the south of San Francisco Bay.
Santa Maddalena

A red table wine made near BoIzano in the Italian Tyrol.
Santenay
A village (1,200 inhabitants) and commune, making fair red wine at the very southern end of the Cote de Beaune, France. Some vineyards : Les Gravières, Clos des Tavannes, La Comme.
Santenots
A vineyard both of VoInay and Meursault in the Cote de Beaune area, France.
Santorin
An island of the Greek Archipelago, where a considerable quantity of wine of various types is grown, including St. Elie (q. v.)
Saone-et-Loire
That departement of France which contains Mâcon (q.v.).
Sardinia
This Italian island (probably the Phoenicians first brought the vine here), in the Mediterranean, makes a very great deal of wine. Indeed, James Denman writing at the end of the last century says that the vine is so productive that the fruit is left on the bunches for lack of vessels to hold the fruit. Now the most popular wines are Vernaccia (produced in the lower valley of the Tirso and greatly praised by d’Annunzio), Oliena, Nasco, Monica and Giro.
Sartena
A sweet red wine making district of Corsica.
Sassella
A full bodied red wine of the Valtellina (Lombardy) region of Italy.
Sauces, Wine in

Although in classical French cooking wine is used in marinading meats, sole au vin blanc, coq au vin rouge, etc., by no means all the great sauces have wine in them. For a white fish stock Escoffier recommends white wine, but not for a brown veal or white veal or poultry stock. Nor does he for Béchamel. For a Chasseur sauce he recommends white wine and brandy ; for a Bourguignonne and Bordelaise, red wine with various aromatics. A Matelote sauce contains white wine with fish stock. Francatelli has the following sauces in which wine appears : Financi~re-sherry or Madeira ; P6rigueux-truffies and white wine ; Genoise -red wine and vegetable stock ; Bordelaise ; Regency ; Neapo-litan-horseradish, redcurrant jelly and red wine; Cherry sauce à la Victoria-cloves, red-currant jelly, cinnamon sticks, orange zests and burgundy.

Sauleet
A commune of the St. Pourgain district (q.v.).
Saumur. (Town).

This is an attractive place (population 18,000) situated right along a flat wide promenade along the banks of the Loire and boasting a superb chateau and one of the only museums entirely devoted to horses in the world. The town is situated to the north-west of the wine region of the same name.
Saumur. (Region)

This is a district about which it is hard to write without being accused of inaccuracy, for although it is usually lumped in books together with the chapter on Anjou wines, one French writer of renown says that it is really a continuation of the Touraine. Some points which can be stated fairly definitely are : (a) Saumur wines are made within the old province of Anjou ; (b) the district lies to the south-west of the Anjou district ; (c) the soil of the Saumur communes is more simi-lar to those of Touraine than to those of Anjou ; (d) Saumur growers have not made the same efforts to market their table wines as have other Loire dis-tricts, with the result that the public here and in France gener-ally, only have heard or Saumur sparkling wines ; (e) a little red wine is made ; (f) some Saumur communes are : (i) along the banks of the Loire-Dampierre, Sauzay, Parnay, Turquant, Mont-soreau ; (ii) South of the Loire and by the river Thouet-St. ; Cyr-en-Bourg, Breze, Poungay, Chace, Montreuil-Bellay.
Saute-Bouchon.

(French- jump cork ). Slang for champagne

Sauternes
The details of this entry fall into three parts (1) the village and the commune (2) the Classification of 1855 ; (3) the word in English.

(1). THE VILLAGE-flanked by those of Bommes and Fargues has 550 inhabitants and the commune has 2,500 acres and adjoins those of Preignac ‘ Fargues, Bommes and Barsac ‘ and the district is some 25 miles South of Bordeaux. The commune contains one Premier Grand Cru-d’Yquern ; two classified Grand Crus-Guiraud and Rieussec ; and five second classified growths-Filhot, d’Arche, d’Arche-Lafaurie, Lamothe Espagnet, Lamothe-Tissot. There are also in the commune of Sauternes, eight crils bourgeois superieurs, 12 crfis bourgeois and bons artisans, and a further fifteen smaller vineyards, of which only four produce as much as 40 hogsheads a year. (2). THE CLASSIFICATION OF 1855. In the first place, it is to be understood that wines made in the surrounding districts of 1 Preignac, Fargues, Bommes and Barsac have all the right to call their wines Sauternes. In the second place, more changes relative to the smaller number of chateaux listed-have occurred here than in the Classification of the Medoc. For example, Chateau Peixotto (Bommes) exists no longer,Chateau Rieussec, formerly listed in the commune of Fargues, is now put in under Sauternes. Then again the first Crus in 1855 numbered nine, whereas they now number eleven, and the second Crus in 1855 numbered twelve including Peixotto, where as now, without this chateaux, they are 15. The list which follows then is not one hundred per cent. as it was when compiled-at the request of Napoleon III-by the Committee of the Chamber of Commerce of Bordeaux in 1854, but it is the latest list as authorised by the Interprofessional Council for the Wines of Bordeaux (C.I.V.B.). The names of the present owners are in brackets.

1er Grand CrÛ

Château d’Yquem (Marquis de Lur-Saluces): Sauternes.

1er CrÛ

Château La Tour Blanche (Propriété de l’Etat) :Bommes. Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey (Société des propriétés de famille D. Cordier) : Bommes. Clos Haut-Peyraguey (Garbay et Pauly Frères) : Bommes. Château Rayne-Vigneau (Héritiers du Vicomte de Pontac) : Bommes. Château Suduiraut (Léopold Fonquernîe) : Preignac. Château Coutet (Rolland-Guy) : Barsac. Château Climens (Héritiers Henri Gounouilhou) : Barsac. Château Guiraud (PaulRival): Sauternes. Château Rieussec (Pierre-Francis Berry) : Sauternes. Château Rabaud-Promis (So-ciété Civile du Ch. Rabaud-Promis) : Bommes. Château Sigalas-Rabaud (Com-tesse de Lambert des Granges, née Sigalas) : Bommes.

2 ème Crû

Château de Myrat (Comte Max de Pontac) : Barsac. Château Doisy-Daene (G. Dubourdieu) : Barsac. Chiteau Doisy-Dubroca (Heritiers Marcel Dubroca) : Barsac. Chateau Doisy-Wdrines (H6ritiersTeyssonneau) : Barsac. Château d’Arche (A. Bastit-Saint-Martin) : Sauternes. Château d’Arche-Lafaurie (Max Pellequer) Sauternes. Château Filhot (Comtesse Durieu de Lacarelle) : Sauternes. Château Broustet (Pierre Fournier) : Barsac. Château Nairac (Charles Perpezat) : Barsac. Château Caillou (Ballan-Bravo) : Barsac. Château Suau (Emile Garros) Barsac. Château de Malle (Héritiers du Comte P. de Lur-Saluces, P. et J. de Bournazel) : Preignac. Château Romer (E. Farges) Preignac. Chateau Lamothe-Espagnet (A. Bastit -Saint- Martin) : Sauternes. Chateau Lamothe-Tissot (Gaston Tissot) : Sauternes. 3) THE NAME Sauternes or Sauterne? The current trend in this country when compiling wine lists and writing the word, strongly favours using the final s” –in other words, calling the wine by the name of the village and as it is called in France. But the Oxford English Dictionary (and others), Redding, Denman, Tovey and Dickens all use the word without the final s. The inference is that the English word, in the last century at any rate, for this wine was, by custom, Sauterne.

Sauvignon Blanc

One of the great or noble species of grapes of France. Together with the Semillon, it makes all the great Sauternes, as well as the wines of Pouilly-sur-Loire, where it is called the Blanc fume. Synonyms in the Gironde are Douce-blanche and Blanc-doux.
Savennieres
A commune of the Coteaux de la Loire district, which lies to the west of the Coteaux de I’Aubance.

Saviguy-les-Beaune
.-A commune of the Cote de Beaune, France.
Savoie and Haute-Savoie.

ln the former departernent of France, south of Chambery (a town with extensive vermouth interests). are made the wines of MontmeIian. Here there is a Cave Co-op where they market a Chignin, Arbin, Bergeron and MontemeIian. In the Haute-Savoie département, bordering on the Lake of Geneva by the town of Thonon, is made the white, dry, pleasant, sometimes somewhat acid wine of Crépy. Further down, around the village of Seyssel, are made the semi-sweet white wines of this same name. Near here too is made another dry white wine, Rousette de Frangy, Rousette being the name of the grape.
Savoureux. (French)

Much used in French wine parlance, of a wine with an agreeable nose and somewhat corse (q.v.).
Savuto
A red wine, called after the river of that name, made in Calabria, Italy.
Scantling
The permanent support and resting place for wines and spirits in cask when laid up. Stout pieces of ship’s oak or teak are usually employed, but some-times old railway sleepers are used.

Schafrhausen
A canton of Switzerland with 1,000 acres under vines. The best known communes are Hallau, Silbingen, Ldhningen, Wilchingen and Osterfingen.
Scharlachherg
A fine vineyard of Bingen, Rhine, but with the difference that the wine is usually sold without any other descriptive words.
Scharzherg
A famous vineyard of Wiltingen, Saar, Germany, which is usually quoted on its own.
ScharzItofberg
A famous vineyard of Oberemmel and Wil\tingen, which is usually sold solely under the vineyard name.
Schaumwein.
German term for sparkling wines. See also Sekt.
Schiedam
A Dutch town with important spirit making interests -Hollands Gin, Schnapps, Schiedam, etc.

Schillerwein. (German).

Nothing to do with the poet, but from the word schillern, to shimmer. A mediocre vin rose made in and around Wurttemberg.
Schlossabzug
The German equivalent of chateau bottled.
Schloss Bockelheim.

One of the finest wine communes of the Nahe, Germany. Here is the famous Kupfiergrube vineyard, made by convict labour and owned by the German State. Some other vineyards : Felsenberg, Miffilberg, Konigsberg, Heimberg.
Schloss Johannisberg

Probably the most reputed of all Rheingau vineyards. High up on the hills overlooking the Rhine, this magnificent castle (almost bombed to the ground during the last war except the cellars-it has now been splendidly rebuilt) has for a terrace the 66 acres which make its splendid (certainly the best known and perhaps the best of the Rheingau) wines. There was a Benedictine monastery on this steep hill which had been there since the twelfth century, and in 1716 it passed to the Prince Bishop of Fulda. Finally,: it became the property of Prince Metternich, in whose family it still remains. The cellars are open to view and are one of the most impressive of Europe.

Schloss Marienlay

A vineyard of Waldrach on the Ruwer, Germany.
Schloss Reinhartshausen

A very famous vineyard (70 acres), part in Erbach and part in Hattenheim.
SchlossSaaleck
A wine-producing townlet of Franconia, Germany
Schloss Staufenberg

A vincyari of Durbach in the Ortenau (near Baden Baden), Germany.
Schloss Vollrads

The most famous vineyard of Winkel. It is the largest privately owned vineyard (80 acres) of the Rheingau. The castle is one of the loveliest of the Rhine, the central tower dating from the earliest part of the fourteenth century.
Schnapps
A form of gin originally made at Schiedam and now freely produced in Germany and Scandinavia as well as Holland.
Schweich
A wine townlet of the Middle Moselle, Germany.
Scotch
A wedge shaped block of wood (teak or oak is best) used for securing casks on scantling.
Scotch Tiers

A special method of binning whereby the tops of bottles are placed opposite each other and nearly touching, and another row of bottles is placed in the cradle thus formed by the front and back rows.
Scotch Whisky

Note spelling, see also Irish Whiskey-Whether it be the water of the burns or the air coming off the Atlantic, there is little doubt that Scotch whisky is one of the hardest to imitate spirits in the world (though it has been tried in all continents) Scotch, as it is drunk today, is usually a blend of two different types of whiskies, both produced in Scotland. The first is the Highland Malt and very little of it is to be had these days. It is heavy-bodied and very smoky in flavour (it is said that the finest comes .1 off granite through peat ) and is distilled from a pure barley malt mash in the old-fashioned pot still. The lighter Lowland Scotch is distilled in a patent or continuous still and is made from a mixed mash. See also Whisky.
Scuppernong
Originally a wild North American grape, it is the chief representative of the Vitis rotundiflora species and is grown, under a score of different names, all over the south of the United States, where it runs riot in fields and vineyards from Maryland to the Gulf and Arkan-sas to Texas
Scaling Wax

It was formerly the custom to seal most bottled wines with wax, and this practice still applies to vintage ports. See Capsules.
Seasoning
A term used for the various methods of preparing casks for containing wines and spirits.

Sec
That this is French for dry is known, but a wine which has the goilt du sec is one which is somewhat harsh and has about it a taste as though too much stalk was left in with the grapes at the pressing. As for the word’s meaning when describing cham-pagne, it has come to mean semi-sweet rather than dry. See Brut.
Sediment
Matter or deposit that sometimes settles in wines, both in cask or bottle.
Seeweine. (German-lake wines)

The name given to light, most palatable wines made in a score of villages along the shores of Lake Constance, which the Germans call the Bodensee.
Segonzac
A town in the centre of the Cognac district.
SeibeI
A French hybridiser, creator of many vines of American French parentage. It is considered by many that these hybrids will before long produce fine wine. Some of the better known Seibels are : for reds, 1000, 5455, 7053, 10878 ; for whites, 4986, 5409, 10868.

Sekt
The German name for their sparkling wines.
Selestat
A town (population 11,000) on the River Ill in the Bas-Rhin, some twenty miles south of Strasbourg, and almost at the southern end of the region. This Alsace town has a Wine Fair in August.
Self Whiskies

Those of one particular make, and unblended.
Semillon
A species of white grape which is used (in conjunction with-though in a much smaller proportion-the Sauvignon) in making all the great white wines of Bordeaux.
Senheim
A wine producing commune and townlet north of Zell on the Lower Moselle, Germany. Some vineyards : Bienengarten, Lay, Rosenberg, Jünger Waldhager, Schwarzberg.
Sercial
A dry, good quality Madeira made from grapes of the same name.
Serpette
The name of small, four inch hooked knife used for trimming the vines in Burgundy
Serrig
A wine commune (250 acres) of the Saar River, Germany. Some vineyards : Wilmberg, Hindenburgslay, Schloss, Saarfels, Kupp, Thinnesberg, Wingertscheck, Langfuhr.
Servan
A very prolific grape of the Languedoc area; both table grape and good element in the local vins rosés.
Serving Wine

See Decanting and Glasses.
Sete.
Town in the Herault area, considered as the birthplace of French vermouth, principally made from the dry white wines of the Middle Herault valley.
Setubal
A sweet white wine making town and commune on the Tagus near Lisbon, Portugal.
Seuddy
Of wines, turbid, full of sediment.
Skye. (French-sap, vigour).

Used to indicate a wine’s robustness as well as a bouquet which, according to one French writer, invades the nose, the mouth and even the stomach.
Seyssel
A dry white wine of the Savoy (q.v.).
Seyve-Villard
A French hybridiser after whom several famous hybrids have been named. Some reds are : Seyve-Villard 5276 and 18315 ; for white : 12375.
Shebeen. (lrish).

A place where illicitly made spirits are sold.
Sherry
A blended high strength wine, ranging in colour from pale lemon through amber, golden, russet, to almost dark brown, made from wine coming mainly from the Jerez region and matured in bodegas in the town of Jerez-de-la-Frontera (q.v.). The main vineyards lie to the north-west of the town and around the towns of Rota, Chipiona, Sanlucar de Barrameda, Puerto de Santa Maria and Trebujena, as well as to the south of Cadiz around the town of Chiclana de la Frontera. In the first named zone certain vineyards are on albariza soil (i.e. chalky) and it is in these vineyards (Machamudo, Carrascal, Anina and Balbaina) that are made the finos on which the flor or flower starts to grow on the top of the musts.

By far the most important grapes used here are the Palomino and Pedro Ximenez (qq.v.), though other varieties cultivated are the Mantuo de Sanlucar, Garrida Pina, Mantuo de Pilas, Bega, Albillo Castellano, Perruno, and the now little seen Canocazo. Though no precise date can be fixed, the vintage takes place around the end of the first week in September and lasts for some three weeks. Since 1948 in Jerez, the first picking has begun with the colourful Fiesta de la Vendimia, or Vintage Fete, in which the grapes are blessed by the church in the central square. In this region the harvesters cut the bunches with small knives and not with small secateurs as elsewhere. The workers (usually men) then carry what they have picked in straw baskets on their heads to waiting donkeys, who then take the grapes to the almijar (yard), outside the main building. Here the bunches are laid out on esparto grass mats to dry for half a day. Rain at this point is a disaster, for it is essential that the grapes reach the lagares (the square wooden or stone troughs in which they are pressed) absolutely dry. Before the pressing, a certain amount of gypsum (q.v.) is added to the grapes, as is the custom in most other southern wine growing countries. But there is a Spanish proverb, “el vino no se hace en la viña, sino en la bota-wine is not made in the vineyard, but in the barrel”-and we must consider the bodegas of Jerez if we are to understand the pre-eminence of this wine over all others in Spain. Some years ago a count was made of the number of casks full of sherry in the bodegas of Jerez. The total was 450,000 and the value of the casks alone was put at one thousand million pesetas, and the 206 million litres of wine they contained was conservatively valued at 4,000 million pesetas. To this must be added 35 million litres of grape brandy, contained in 65,000 butts. No mean total-it is given to show that the greatness of sherry is in the fact that as the whole art of making the wine is one of blending, equalising and maturing, this can be achieved with the gigantic stocks mentioned above. See Solera, South Africa, Australia.
Ships’ Stores

Under this designation, supplies of wine, etc., are available free of duty for passengers and crews of various branches of the maritime services of England.
Shiraz
An ancient and noted winemaking district of Persia -claimed by some authorities to be the home of wine-making itself. Both red and white wines are made there.
Shive
A thin bung for a cask, made of wood.
Shrub
A compounded drink made with orange or lemon iuice, sugar, and any spirit, but usually rum.
Sicily
This Italian island, the home of the cult of Dionysus (q.v.), produces wine in prolific abundance. From here, in the province of Messina, comes the golden Mamertino ; and then further south, on terraced vineyards that lend a touch of colour to the lava-blackened slopes, are white and red Etnas, named after one of the greatest active volcanos of the world. Still further south behind Syracuse and the plain of Noto come Moscato di Siracusa and Moscato di Noto. Also there is Moscato di Panatellaria and Moscato di Lipari. Then Frappato di Vittoria. Finally, the great Marsala (q.v.).
Sierre
A wine commune in the Valais, Switzerland.
Sigolsheim
A hamlet and wine commune near Colmar in Alsace, France.
Sikes (Sykes)

The inventor of a particular system of Hydrometer still employed in this country both officially and otherwise. It is on his tables and calculations that our system of proof” strengths is based. Pure alcohol is 175.2º or 175.2º Proof.
Sillery
A famous and ancient vineyard district of the Montagne de Reims, Champagne. Before the beginning of the nineteenth century, after which all wines from this district went to market as champagne, Sillery was so reputed a district that much champagne (still and sparkling) was sold under its own name.
Single Quinta

Port is nearly always a blend of wines of many years and many different estates (quintas). To designate a port which has come from only one farm, it is called a Single Quinta wine.
Sitges
A small seaside town south of Barcelona which used to have a reputation for a sweet Muscatel. Mentioned by Cyrus Redding.
Skid
A plank or roller along which a heavy cask may be pushed.
Sling.
A long American drink composed of brandy, rum or any other spirit, sweetened and flavoured.
Slip Labels

See Labels.
Slivovitz.
A form of plum brandy made in Central Europe.
Sloe Gin.

A compounded drink made by steeping sloes in gin.
Smash
An American drink made of spirit, crushed ice and flavoured with mint.
Smith Haut Laffitte, Chateau.

An important vineyard of the Graves district (commune of Martillac), producing 200 hogsheads of red wine annually.
Soave
One of Italy’s most reputed wines. It is dry, full and comes from the picturesque and ancient village of that name, a few miles east of Verona.

Solera System

One of the meanings of this Spanish word is a plinth and this might (for no one quite knows how the word came to stand for this complicated Jerez system of equalising wines) give some clue to the provenance of the word, for it has been argued that when the bodegas were formerly used as drinking rendezvous for the friends of the proprietor, guests used to ask for their next glass off the floor, i.e. from the lower butts on the scantling which were the best.

The above serves as an introduction to the solera system. In the bodega a group of butts will usually be arranged in tiers of four or (less commonly now) five and this group is operated as a single unit to produce one only matured wine. The young wine enters the solera by way of the topmost row of casks, which in turn has given a proportion of its wine to the second row, and so on until the row on the ground floor is again replenished. This explains why sherry with a vintage added to the label must be a misnomer. But a sherry labelled Solera (say) 1890 purports to show that it comes from a group of butts laid down that year, for theoretically there always remains an infinitesimal fraction of the original wine.
Solide
Said in France of a wine which is robust and well-made, but which lacks charm.
Solutrk
A white wine making commune adjoining those of Pouilly and Fuisse, Macon, France. It has the appellation right to market its wines as Pouilly-Fuisse.
Soma
An extremely ancient intoxicating Hindu drink, drunk at religious ceremonies and identified with their most popular warrior god, Indra.
Somlauer.
A Hungarian table wine of repute.
Sommelier
French for wine butler.
Sondrio
A wine making region and town of Lombardy, Italy, from whence come Valtellina (q. v.) wines.

Sonnenuhr. (German-sundial).

The most famous vineyard of Wehlen, Moselle, and that which often fetches the highest price of all great growths along this river.
Sonoma
An important wine-growing region of California. It lies north of San Francisco Bay between Napa County on the east and the Pacific Ocean on the west.
Sophistication
The imitating or copying of sherry and port, mainly by infusing the essence of almonds, wormwood, and such like, appears to have been a regular practice during the last half of the nineteenth century and there was more than one book published on the sophistication of wines.
Sorbet
A water ice usually made with Maraschino, served in the middle of extremely copious banquets.

Sorghum
Sorghurn saccharatum is the botanical name for the Chinese sugarcane, from which a potent beverage is made.
Soulignac
A village and mainly white wine making commune near Cadillac, 25 miles south-east of Bordeaux.

Souple.(French-supple).
Said of an agreeable moelleux (q.v.) wine, rather full of glycerine, which gives no shocks to the palate.
Soussac
A tiny village and commune where none the less some eight vineyards make seven thousand hogsheads of white wine annually. It is in the Entre-deux-Mers district, some 30 miles south-east of Bordeaux.
Soussans
A village (700 population) and commune (3,700 acres) of the Medoc, adjoining the communes of Margaux and Cantenac to the south, some 25 miles from Bordeaux. Some Chateaux include: Bel – Air-Marquis-d’Aligre (120 hogsheads annually), La-Tour-de-Mons (500), Paveil (80).
South Africa

When the Dutch East India Company decided to establish a settlement at the Cape, the object was to have a refreshment station between Europe and the East where ships could revictual. To this end they sent out as first commander, Jan van Riebeck, who landed first in 1648 and then at Table Bay in April 1652. His interest in viticulture must have been considerable for he made experiments with Muscadel a other white grapes and impor, root stocks from Brazil, Batay Persia, Italy, Germany, France, and even Japan and St. Helena. In 1658 he pressed some of his grapes, from which he produced, a small cask of wine which he pronounced “good”. That same year the Company gave Riebec a piece of land near Wynberg on which he planted a vineyard, a well as one at Protea (Bishor Court) where he planted out 1,200 vines, this becoming the first vineyard of the Cape. A few years later this energetic pioneer was able to produce( 600 bottles of wine which, as some travellers are supposed to have taken them for hocks, must have been white. At this period the farmers were not keen to plant vines on a commercial scale as they had to wait too long for their liking for their crop-a situation which has gradually changed over the intervening years and now the trouble is to persuade farmers not to over plant with vines.

The next landmark in Cape (a word preferred by many to South Africa) wine history was when Governor Simon van der Stel between 1679 and 1699 (the French Huguenots arriving in 1688 gave a great impetus to the trade, many of them having been wine growers in the south of France) encouraged the planting of yet more vines and indeed developed the farms of Groot and Keiln Constantia as vineyards for his own account. Willem Adriaan van der Stel, who succeeded his father and was also a Governor of the Cape, was also a great believer in the wine industry and on his own farm “Vercelegen” near the present Somerset West planted something in the order of 100,000 to 250,000 vines, an enterprise of such magnitude that it was one of the causes that led to his downfall and recall to Holland by the Dutch East India Company. But the quality at this time was by no means perfect, for in February 1743, we find Governor General Baron von Imhof writing to Mr. Hendrick Swellengrebel, another Governor, Export of wine is not permissible except when the company has no other wine for its ships … Further the making and treatment of wine has, in my opinion, by a long way not reached that stage of perfection which is possible, and I shall therefore request the Directors to send out a few viticulturists from the Rhine and also a few from France if they are procurable in order to instruct the settlers in the proper way of making wine.

But in spite of Governor Imhof’s suggestion that all the wine was not as good as it might be, an exception must be made for Constantia which as early as 1711 was sufficiently good for a diarist to say, They reached the world famed Wynberg which is distant about three hours from the Cape and which under the name of Constantia supplies the popular and really good delicate Cape wine.

The next period of interest in the South African wine industry was from about 1811 to 1860. During this half century he shipments of wine from the Cape to Britain (more than four-fifths of it was, from 1811 to 1824 at any rate, called Madeira) multiplied four times, until in 1859 it reached nearly eight hundred thousand gallons. The main problem at this time was to prevent wine farmers from exporting bad wines and so a brave experiment was tried out by Sir John Craddock, the then Governor of the Cape, for in December 1811, he appointed an official Wine Taster, whose main task was to pass all casks to be used for exportation, Those which did not come up to standard were to be marked condemned and anyone effacing such a mark was to be fined 100 Riksdaalders (about £17). Anyone who used such a cask for export was to be fined five times this sum, with an alternative of six months’ imprisonment. At the same time, it was enacted that all wines destined for export should be at least 18 months old. In 1818 the standard size of the leaguer cask was fixed at 152 gallons ; it came down to 127 gallons in 1826 when the British Imperial Gallon was increased by nearly 20 per cent. In 1826 the Wine Taster’s office was abolished. Then in 1859-60 came a grievous blow. Possibly to prevent a war with France, Cobden and Gladstone negotiated a commercial treaty with France which brought the duty on the wines from that country tumbling down from 5s. 6d. a gallon to 3s. a gallon in 1860, while those from the Cape paid 2s. 9d. The result was that whereas in 1860 South Africa had sent 670,000 gallons of wine to Britain, the figure fell the very next year to 126,000 gallons and by 1865 it was down to 93,000 gallons. In this same year France sent over just on 3 million gallons, whereas in 1858 the amount was only a little above half a million gallons. All the above set the South African wine industry back considerably (so far as trade with Britain was concerned) until sales were again stimulated by the favourable Customs and Excise rates granted to South Africa and other dominions and colonies at the Empire Conference in 1927. As to the modern quality of the wines, it is probably accurate to say that, again so far as Britain is concerned, their sherry has the most important sale of South African wines, and of all the countries of the world making this style of wine, South Africa has managed to make the nearest approach to the original and authentic Jerez- de-la- Frontera wine. Other wines made are a port type and the usual table wines. All the South African vineyards are within 200 miles of the Cape Town, the most important regions being Paarl, Stellenbosch, Tulbagh, Worcester, Robertson, Constantia, Caledon, Swellendam, Drakenstein, Malmmesbury, Wellington, Riversdale, Calitz Dorp, Somerset West, and Ladismith.
Soyeux (French-silky).

Wines whose contact with the palate produces an agreeably caressing sensation.
Spain
The third largest wine producing country of the world, making just on five hundred million gallons yearly (half the output of Italy). She boasts only one truly great wine, sherry (q.v.) and in this region the area under vines is small compared to the vast amount produced in the La Mancha (q.v.) are around the towns of Valdepelias (q.v.) and Manzanares (q.v.). Further districts are the coast area of Catalonia (see Tarragona, Vila Franca de Pa-nades, and Reus), further south around Valencia, Utiel, and Alicante (q.v.), and then again in the south-west between Seville and Huelva (q.v.). But the best table wine district is certainly that of the Rioja (q.v.). A little wine is also made in Galicia.
Spanish Earth

A substance obtained from the soil originally found in Spain. The main source of supply today is the United States of America and certain parts of South America. It is a complex silicate with the unique property of absorbing colloidal matter, both positive and negative and is extensively used as a fining. See also Lebrja.
Sparkling Wines

Depending on whether one is speaking to someone in the wine trade or outside it and on the context it is possible for this word to have exactly opposite meanings, To the public it means all wines, whether red or white, made by the ‘méthode champenoise’ or carbonated, and from any country, but would exclude those which are petillant or spritzig (qq.v.). In the trade it stands for all wines which sparkle, except champagne. It is to be noted that about a hundred years ago this was far from the case and if a champagne was wanted that was not still it had to be asked for as sparkling. The words in French, German and Italian are vin mousseux, Schaumwein or Sekt, vino spumante.

Spitburgunder.
The German name for the Pinot Noir (q.v.).
SpatIese.
German. Late gathered. Said of wines which have been harvested late. Wines with this word on the label are ones which, by German law, should not be artificially sugared.
Spey
The most important river and valley of the north of Scotland along whose banks is made the finest Highland whisky.
Spigot
A cone shaped wooden peg used for plugging an examining hole in the head of a cask.
Spile
The same as spigot, see above.
Spionian.
A popular wine of ancient times made in the Greek Archipelago.
Spirit
The alcoholic liquid resulting after the distillation of such substances as fermented grape juice, grain, potatoes, sugar cane, etc.
Spirit Expansion.

Spirit, especially when of a high strength, is capable of expansion with increasing temperatures.

Spirit, Fortifying.

When it is necessary to raise the strength of a wine, a quantity of spirit is added according to a definite scale. This operation is technically known as fortifying. See also vintage.

Splash, Port

After a vintage port has been bottled, a splash of whitewash is run the upper side of the bottles when they have been binned so that future purchasers can always tell which way up to bin away the wine.
Spritzig
German for petillant
Spumante. (Italian-sparkling).

All Italian wines which are manufactured to sparkle are so called.
Star Bright.

Applied to wines which are bottled with absolutely no trace of cloudiness.
Starch.
A soft white substance found in most plant forms which renders them capable of fermentation.

Staves.
The curved pieces of wood that form the sides of casks. Oak is the timber mainly preferred, but chestnut (and other woods more rarely) is sometimes employed.

Steaming Casks.

In several wine-making countries, casks are treated by steam for cleansing and sterilising the interiors.
Steinberger
Wine from the State owned Steinberg vineyard at Hattenheirn in the Rheingau. Now ranks with Schloss Johannisberg as one of the most noted hocks. With Schloss Vollrads and Schloss Johannisberg, the only estates in the Rheingau not divided among several owners.
Steinwein
This is wine from a precipitously steep vineyard over-looking and within the municipal limits of Würzburg (q.v.), which is the centre of the Franconian (q.v.) wine district. But the name of this vineyard has become so popular that not infrequently now all Franconian wines are called Stein wines. Stein also in German means an earthenware drinking vessel.
Stellenbosch.
An attractive university town and one of the most noted vineyard districts of the Cape.
Sterile Bottling

This is a method which has been developed with great success, especially in Germany and Alsace, where the low strength white wines made there are liable to infection. Generally, wines with an alcoholic content of less than 10.5 %. by volume are those which will be attacked by yeasts, bacteria and fungi, and as the law prohibits more than a certain amount of S02 being added, the answer is to remove these micro-organisms by killing them in filters, empty bottles, corks, etc. Sterilisation of filters and sheets. The filter should first be broken down, all plates removed and the entire machine cleaned with hot water, after which steam is passed through the filters ; it is essential to start using the machine as soon as it has cooled. Bottle sterilisation. These should be treated with a 1.5 per cent. to 2 per cent. water solution of S02 and the bottles (and this is important since otherwise there will be a con-siderable addition of free SO2, in the wine) must either be very well drained (and the more free SO2, there is in the wine to be bottled the longer must be the draining period) before the bottling takes place or they must even be again rinsed in distilled water.
Still Wines

A term used to describe non-sparkling wines, in contrast to those of a sparkling character.

Stillage
A stand for casks.
Stills
Apparatus used for distillation. There are two main kinds of stills used for this purpose : the old-fashioned still, which is for brandies and certain types of whisky, is still in use ; and the patent still of various kinds employed in the manufacture of gin, grain whiskies, etc.

Stirrup Cup

A cup of wine or some other drink offered to a parting guest.
Storage
The best temperature for practically all wines is 16ºC and it is to be noted that it is the subjection of wines to sudden changes of temperature (the hot cupboard in the winter which is allowed to become freezing cold at night) which can do them the greatest harm. It is also bad to leave wine in the light as the reds have their colour extracted from them and the whites turn cloudy; therefore, if a shop front display of bottles is wanted, the well made-up dummy is better than the bottle full of wine, particularly as a burst of sunshine will cause the wine to expand, weep out through the side of the cork and trickle down on to the label, spoiling the effect. The private customer should be advised that table wines, sherries. and especially vintage port and champagne should be stored away lying down, so that continuous contact of the liquid with the cork will ensure that the latter does not shrink . Spirits are best left standing up. Little is known about the effect of light on various types of wine, and as sunlight and normal filament light are composed of various wavelengths, the problem is rendered complex. The only established fact is that infra-red radiation helps towards the formation of copper casse in wines where such a tendency is already apparent.
Strabo
A Greek traveller and writer of the beginning of the Christian era who recorded much interesting information about wine and wine-making.
Strasbourg
Although actually near to only a few acres of vines immediately to the south, this town of 200,000 inhabitants is the centre of the Bas-Rhin subdivision of Alsace and a good jumping-off place for touring its vineyards.
Straw Wines

A translation from the French vin de paille which are wines, usually very sweet, made from grapes which have according to the French Code du Vin, been laid out on straw mats or hung up for a minimum of two months.
Stringing, Cork

Before the advent of the all-wire fastener, sparkling wines were secured by string fastenings in addition to the wire ones.
Stromboli
One of the Liparl islands where a golden Malvasia is of repute.
Stück
The standard measure for casks used in the Rheingau and Hessia of 1200 litres, though wines are more often quoted by Halbstuk or half piece of 600 litres.
Stum
Unfermented or partly fermented grape juice or must used to revitalise flabby wine. In German, stummer Wein is one which tastes flat.
Style
Used to describe wines which in their taste and flavour follow the accepted style of the region they come from. Or again, a firm may ship a range of hocks, burgundies, ports, sherries, etc., which have a recognised style of their own and yet to a larger or smaller degree are alien to the general style of their district.
Suave-
One French writer describes such a wine as one which “creates a peacock’s tail in the mouth” -moelleux, harmonious, near perfection.
Suau, Chateaux

A second classified growth of Sauternes in the commune of Barsac, making 60 hogsheads of wine annually. There is another Chateaux Suari in the commune of Capian (Premieres Cotes du Bordeaux) which makes 800 hogsheads of white wine annually.

Suduiraut, Chateaux de

A first classified growth of Sauternes in the commune of Preignac, formerly belonging to the ancient family of Suduiraut and at present a splendid property (it used to be called Cru du Roy) and 500 acre estate producing (on 250 acres of vines) 400 hogsheads of wine annually.
Sugar Cane

A cane grown extensively in the tropics, the juice of which has a high content of Saccharose (cane sugar) used in the fermentation for the production of rum.
Sugar, Grape

Grape sugar is mainly composed of Dextrose (Glucose) and Levulose (Fructose) and traces of other reducing and non-reducing sugars. During fermentation these sugars are decomposed into alcohol and carbonic acid gas (CO2). The higher the sugar content, the greater will be the residual sugar after fermentation, hence, a sweet wine. When the sugar has fully fermented out, the result is a dry wine.
Sulphur
Called in popular language brimstone and coming from the thirteenth century Provencial word solfre (and old Spanish ‘cufre’ and Portuguese ‘xofre’), sulphur is a yellowish-greenish non-metallic substance found in large quantities in volcanic regions. It is so much the most important chemical (atomic weight 32) in use in the wine trade that a few notes of explanation may be useful. When the ordinary yellow sulphur is burned it forms a gas, sulphur dioxide-SO2. A solution of S02 in water becomes sulphurous acid, and some experts do not approve of its use. Formerly wine cellars relied solely on burning sulphur as their source of SO2, but now this has largely been replaced by solutions of SO2 liquefied under pressure. Wide use is also now being made of potassium metabisulphate which, of course, must be dissolved in water before being added to the wine. Some experts, however, aver that this treatment has the disadvantage of increasing the potassium concentration of the wine and leads to the form-ation of potassium bitartrate deposits. The SO2 which is in any wine (the amount incidentally in bulk wine arriving in this country is very varied) can be divided into two parts : (a) the bound, which married up with certain substances in the wine ; and (b) the free SO2, which has not gone into chemical combination but remains there in its free state. It is this S02 which generally speaking does the bacteria killing and the preserving. Both in England (Regulations in the Merchandising and Public Health Acts of 1887, 1891, 1953) and France (Code du Vin) the maximum amount allowed is 450 milligrams per litre. The burning of suphur sticks (Fr. meche) in casks (which must positively have no water in them) is done by affixing the stick to an iron hook, which is, in turn, stuck into the bottom of the wooden bung. The sulphur is then lit and the bung and burning stick is securely fixed into the bung hole. But this method has now been discontinued in favour of gaseous SO2 injection. See also Oidium.

Surrentine Wines

A wine of the ancients much appreciated by Athenaeus.
Sussling
One of the many synonymous names for the Chasselas grape.
Sweets
A technical and official name (used in various liquor Acts before the eighteenth century) to describe certain types of British made wines.
Swiss Wines

Making annually thirteen million gallons (the same as Tunisia and Austria) of wine (nearly all white), Switzerland is the twentieth largest wine producing country in the world. She makes no truly great wines, but equally very little is bad. The foremost viticultural canton is undoubtedly the Vaud (q.v.). The others are the Valais, Schaffhausen, Neuchâtel, Tessin, Zürich, Berne (qq.v.). Of the cantons which have not separate entries there is Geneva with 25 acres under vines ; Fribourg, with 320 acres, where a red Vully is made ; Argovin with 850 acres-some names are Ennetbaden, Wettingen, Klingau and Dottingen ; Grisons, with 450 acres of vines-the principal vineyards are around Chur ; Thurgovia, 320 acres-some names are Warth, Weinfelden, Ottenberg and Boltshausen ; Basel-Land, 200 acres-some names are Buus, Maisprach and Wintersingen.
Swizzle Stick

Originally a slang word for various compounded drinks and for intoxicating drink in general, a swizzle stick was first one for getting a froth into drinks. Now, in England especially, it is a small five or six-pronged metal contraption used for taking the effervescence out of any sparkling wine.
Sydney-

See Australia (New South Wales).
Syllabubs-Also Sillibubs.

This very old word is of obscure origin. A drink (in common use from the 16th to the middle of the 19th centuries) made by curdling milk or cream by the addition of wine or cider. Within the last century it was customary to see people taking their syllabub bowls into Hyde Park.

Randersacker
Rabaud, Chateau.-Also known as Rabaud-Promis, this ancient property has been in existence certainly since the beginning of the 17th century. it is a first classified growth of Sauternes, in the commune of Bommes, and produces 240 hogs-heads of white wine annually.
Rabelais, Francois.

(c. 1490- 1553) The famous French satirist and humourist who loved and left several appreciations of the wines of Anjou, Saumur and especially Chinon. His memory as a wine connoisseur has been commemorated by he Confrérie des Sacavins d’Anjou.
Rablay
A white wine wine making commune of the Coteau du Layon, Loire. Some growths : L’Argonette, Les Sablonettes, Les Gonnordes, La Roche.
Race.

(French) Applied to a wine of race and breeding.
Racking
The drawing-off of wines from their lees. It is a most important operation and some types of wines are racked many times. An old saying as it that The racking can\make a wine. The term is aIso used to describe the drawing off of liquors from large casks to smaller ones.
Raide

(French-stiff, unbending) Used to describe a wine which, though robust and powerful, lacks suppleness. The opposite of coulant (flowing) which is applied to a moelleux wine which leaves an agreeable sensation in the mouth.
Raisin Wine

Wine is still made om raisins in quite a number of countries and by a number methods. Most of the old types of English wines had a raisin wine basis.
Raisins
As Malaga and Hungarian Tokay (to mention only two wines) are produced from partially dried raisins, the word deserves inclusion in this work. Raisins are “Rosinenweinbeeren” in German, “uve passe” in Italian, “pasas” in Spanish, and “raisins secs” in French, and are any variety of dried grapes, seedless or otherwise, in contradistinction to currants, which are a dwarf species of grape known as Vitis vinifera var. Corinthiaca the word comes, as it implies, from Corinth which was once famous for this particular fruit, and indeed currants are still in some places called Corinth Grapes.

Raki, Raka, Rakia

From the Turkish “raqi”, this is an aromatic liquor made from grapes, grain spirit, palm toddy or rice, and much consumed in the Levant and Greece.
Rancio
The Spanish word for rank or rancid, but so far as the wine trade is concerned nearly every definition in current literature differs. To say that a wine has acquired a taste of rancio is nearly always a compliment and implies that it has taken on a pungent, concen-trated flavour and taste through remaining a long while, generally in cask, but occasionally in bottle. It is to sweet natural dessert wines from Malaga, Valencia, Tarragona and Banyuls that the term is generally given.
Randersacker
A village and commune (of 400 acres) in the Franconian wine district of Germany. Some vineyards : Tetifelskeller, Pfiilben, Riedern, Beerer, Spielberg, Marsberg.
Rangen

A famous vineyard of Thann, Alsace.
Rape

A French word to denote a wine which has a light taste of wood about it.
Rassig.

(German). -Racy. Pleasant. Strong taste and aroma.
Rasteau
An extremely small (almost unknown in England) wine-making (Vins doux naturels) district just north of Chdteauneuf-du-pape, France.
Ratafla
A cordial or liqueur dating back to the 16th century, flavoured with various kinds of fruits or their kernels, especially almond, cherry and peach. The word comes from the French but its origin is unknown.
Rauenthal
A small village and commune some two miles from Eltville in the Rheingau. Some vineyards : Baiken, Willfen, Gchrn, Wieshell, Maasborn, Pfafrenberg, Rothenberg, Burg-graben, Hilpitz, Siebenmorgen, Kesselring.
Rauschling.
Another German name for the species of white grape called the Elbling or white Kleinberger.
Rausan-Segla, Chateau.

A second classified growth of the Medoc, in the commune of Margaux, producing 240 hogsheads of wine annually.
Rauzan-Gassies, Chateau

A second classified growth of the Medoc. This property used at one time to be united with Rausan-Segla. Annual output is 200 hogsheads.
Ravello

A winemaking district near Naples, Italy.
Raya
This word is Spanish for a line, stripe or stroke, and is the term used in Jerez bodegas for an identifying and classifying chalk mark made on butts when they are being classified. A raya wine has been called in many books on sherry a poor relation of an oloroso and an embryo oloroso. These rayas are classified as una raya, dos rayas, down to four in decreasing order of value. A raya wine is coarser than a fino or an oloroso.

Rayne Vigneau, Chateau.

A first classified growth of Sauternes in the commune of Bommes, producing 300 hogsheads annually.
Reaumur, Rene Antoine

This French scientist (1683-1757) invented a thermometer scale which is still in use in France and other continental countries.
Rebeche
This is the French word used (mainly in connection with champagne making) to signify the third pressing of the grapes, which goes to make a vin ordinaire. See also tailles.
Recioto
Also Recioto Veronese. An unusual wine and a speciality of the province of Venetia, Italy. The name Recioto comes from an Italian dialect word for orecchio-ear. This is because in harvesting the grapes for this wine the lower middle part of each bunch of grapes is cut off before full ripening and the two clusters (the ears) are left on to develop full ripeness. Two wines (both now fairly rare) are made, called Recioto ; one is a sweet, potent dessert wine, and the other a red sparkling wine.
Recorking Wines

Sometimes a vintage port or a particularly long lived claret will have enough life left in it and be available in a cellar in sufficiently large quantities, yet with the cork deteriorating, for it to be worth while scrapping the old cork and puting in a new one. This operation is very infrequently needed now, and as few members of the public have heard about it, there is a real necessity to explain what has been done so that no lack of confidence occurs.
Rectifying
In a trade sense this means a second or further distillation of already distilled spirits practised in several forms of spirit making. Those performing such operations are termed rectifiers.
Red Biddy or Red Lizzie

Slang names applied in Britain to mixtures of cheap wines, sometimes mixed by the consumer with de-flavoured methylated and other spirits.
Red Wines

The description generally applies to wines with a dark red, ruby, violet, purple, etc. colour, as distinct from white, amber, golden wines. The pigments responsible for this colour are contained in little pockets or cells within the skins of the grapes. After pressing, the skins are allowed to remain in con-tact with the juice. At this stage very little pigment is absorbed into the liquid. However, during fermentation, the bubbles of carbon dioxide impinge on the cells and release pigments into the liquid. The production of alcohol and the increase in acidity during fermentation enhance the solubility of the pigments. Another important factor governing the amount of pigments absorbed is the pressure within the fermentation tank ; the amount absorbed being directly proportional to the pressure.
Redding, Cyrus

The author of A history and description of modern wines, a work of 145,000 words (and in later edi-tions 165,000 words) and of great erudition and accuracy. Several editions came out between 1830 and 1851 and it is the most important work on wine in English of the nineteenth century.
Redi
A celebrated Italian poet and court physician to the Grand Dukes of Tuscany in the seventeenth century. He wrote a long, jovial, rollicking poem called Bacchus in Tuscany, which depicts with graphic effect the fervent love of his countrymen for the product of the vine.
Reducing
The name given to the operation of reducing spirits from a higher strength to a lower one.

Refosco
A semi-sparkling red wine, possibly older than champagne, which used to be made around Trieste, Italy.
Refreshing.
Adding a fuller younger wine to an older one in order to give the latter something to feed on and to prolong its life.
Reggio
Chief town of the province of Calabria, with important wine trade interests and where the Greeks first landed (finding vines clinging to poplars and wild fig trees) when they wanted to found a new colony.
Regoa
The effective centre of the port wine district, about 50 miles East of Oporto.
Rehoboam
The name of a mighty king of Israel, but in the wine world an outsize bottle taking six ordinary bottles.
Reif.

(German-ripe) -Wine from sound, fully ripened grapes.
Reil
A village and commune near Zell on the Middle Moselle, Germany. Some vineyards . Falklay, Sorrentberg, Steinbach, Goldlay, Wolfskaul.
Reims

(Generally spelt in English-Rheims) -This handsome town, with its 120,000 inhabitants, its wide, well kept boulevards, its superb cathedral, and its relative lack of top flight hotels, is spiritually the chief town of the champagne trade, though in many ways Epernay (q.v.) is, in proportion to its size and its position in the vineyards, commercially more important. Many of the leading shippers have their offices and cellars in Reims, which latter are so vast that they are of interest for a visit, apart from any question of their containing wine. To get some idea of their size, it is to be noted that in the First World War a fair number of the population of the city of Reims spent a greater part of the war at work in these champagne cellars and, according to official accounts, several women did not see the light of day for two years. There was an underground tailor, watch repairer and shoesmith, and the Protestant chapel was installed underground with one big firm, while the Cardinal’s altar, surrounded by 100,000 bottles of 1911, was in another. In March 1916, the military circulated an official but highly secret memorandum on the potentialities of the champagne cellars, in which it was stated that 34 battalions, nearly 50,000 men, could be housed therein.
Rein.

(German-clean) Used of a wine free from all unpleasant ingredients.

Reiterpfad.

(German-riders’ path). -The name of a vineyard in Ruppertsberg, RheiripfaIz.
Remagen
A village and commune on the Middle Rhine making a small amount of not very distinguished red and white wine. Some vineyards : Schaffenberg, Hippenberg.
Remuage.

(French-moving, stirring) -An operation in the making of champagne and other sparkling wines, for shifting of deposit or sediment on to the cork of the bottle. During this operation each bottle is placed neck downwards in a pupitre (q.v.) and after being shaken by hand is tilted gradually until it is quite perpendicular in the pupitre and the deposit has settled on the inside face of the cork, preparatory to disgorging.
Rennes
A French town north of Nantes with certain distilling and liqueur making interests.
Resin
The residue left after the distillation of oil of turpentine from the olio turpentini or crude turpentine that comes from wounds or cuts in trees, and especially the pine. It was (and still is in Greece) put into wines to preserve them and give them added piquancy. See also Pitch.
Resine.

(French-resinated). -Used by the French in a different sense, namely, a wine which has taken the taste of resin from coming (by mistake) into contact with resinous wood of casks.
Retorts
Vessels used for the distillation of substances by heat. They are associated with the alembics of spirit distillation.
Retsina
The Greek name for a wine which has been flavoured with sandarac, a resin obtained from the tree Calitris quadrivalvis which grows in the Aegean Islands and N.W. Africa.
Reus
Although one speaks of Tarragona, referring to the wines of this region, it is more in and around Reus, the industrial centre of the province with a population of 33,000 inhabitants, that they are made. It is 13 kilometres from Tarragona and is also at the foot of the winemaking Priorato area.
Reutlingen

A viticultural wine centre of the Wurttemberg area, Germany.
Rheingau
Not by any means the largest (4,500 acres, as against 28,000 Rheinpfalz and 26,000 Rheinhesse), but generally con-sidered the finest wine district of Germany, making almost solely white wine. It starts on the Rhine at Wiesbaden and Mainz (though it takes in the commune of Hochheirn on the River Main) and continues along past Rildesheim up to and including Lorch and Bacharach. Within this span, where the vines are between the Taunus Mountains and the Rhine, the less great wines are to be found between Rfidesheim and Lorch and the greater ones between Rildesheim and Wiesbaden-Mainz. The greatest communes and names, going from Rildesheim towards Mainz are: Riidesheim, Geisenheim, Johannisberg, Vollrads, Winkel, Oestrich, Hallgarten, Steinberg, Hatten-heim, Kiedrich, Erbach, Eltville, Rauenthal and Hochheim.

Rheinhesse
-Also called Hessia, this is a rectangle of bare rolling country, of which the most important part is a strip running along the left, or western, bank of the Rhine from Mainz down to Worms. The most important communes and names are :Laubenheim, Bodenheim,Gaubischofsheim, Nackenheim, Nierstein, Oppenheim, Gunters-blum, Alsheim, Mettenheim and Worms, which town has within its borders the famous vineyard of Liebfrauenstift (q.v.)
Rheinpfalz.

See Palatinate.
Rhine, The

That mighty and celebrated river of Europe which rises in Switzerland and forming the borders of France and Germany for part of its course finally flows into the North Sea. On its banks and its tributaries are situated many vineyards. On the eastern bank is the Rheingau and on the opposite side the Rheinhesse and Rheinpfalz (Palatinate). Less well known is the fact that from Strasbourg down to Basle are also grown on the Rhine a great deal of Baden wines, and that Alsatian wines are often now called French Rhine wines.
Rhodes
Wines are made on an extensive scale in this island of the Greek Archipelago, but in ancient times this island had a very considerable wine vogue, being praised especially by Virgil.
Rhodt
Also called Rhodt unter Rietburg ; a not great wine commune of the Ober Haardt (Upper Palatinate), Germany. Some vineyards : Blenk, Haseneck, Nussbaum, Guth, Bremen, and over 35 more.

Rhone Wines

Along the banks of this truly majestic river from Lyon down to Avignon are made some of the most interesting, excellent, and ever increasingly popular wines of all France. Starting just south of Lyon, at Vienne, come Cote Rotie, Condrieu and Chateau Grillet. Then there is a short break and further south come Crozes-Hermitage, Hermitage, Cornas, St. Peray, and Privas. Then a bigger gap and, just north of Avignon, come Tavel, Rasteau, Beaume de Venise, and, the most famous of all, Chateau neuf-du-pape. (all q. v.).
Rhubarb Wine

A very old English wine made with the stalks of rhubarb, heavily crushed and with sugar added.
Rhum
The French spelling of rum.
Ribeauville
A most picturesque 5,000 inhabitant town of the Haut-Rhin Upartement of France, in the Alsace district. The German name is Rappoltsweiler.
Rice Wine

In many parts of the Far East, China and Japan, etc., a wine is made from rice and is generally known as sake ; a spirit is also distilled from this.
Richebourg
An outstanding t8te de cuv6e vineyard, of some 15 acres, of the commune of Vosne-Romanee in the Cote de Nuits.
Richter

The inventor of a particular kind of hydrometer.
Riesling
This grape, which is a very close relation of the French Pinot blanc, is almost exclusively used on the Moselle and its tributaries, the Saar and the Ruwer, and as well along the Rhine in the Rheingau. It is also grown, but less predominantly so, in the Rheinhesse and Palatinate. Though mainly a German grape (and one esteemed writer says it loses its character when transplanted to other soils), it also makes by far the best wine of Alsace, where it is called the King of Alsace. In both places, the Riesling grape (which succeeds best on dry, gravelly or rocky soils) is late-blossoming and late-ripening, and produces far less (but far better) wine than the Sylvaner grape (q.v.) with which it is usual to compare it. As for the Riesling’s history in Germany, it is almost certain that it was first cultivated on the Moselle and that its arrival in the vineyards of the Rheingau and Palatinate is comparatively recent. This occurred in the very hard winter of 1889-1890, when many of the vineyards in this area were destroyed by the heavy frosts, and also in the early nineties, when the Phyl-loxera was taking its deadly toll. Here the vineyards were re-planted with the Riesling grape. It is also much used in South Africa, Yugoslavia, the U.S.A. and Australia.
Rieussec, Chateau.

A first classified growth of Sauternes, in the Fargues commune, and contiguous to Ch.Yquem. Produces 280 hogsheads annually.
Rigailhou, Chateau.

A vineyard producing 100 hogsheads of red wine annually in the Graves district of Bordeaux.

Rilly.

Also Rilly-la-Montagne. A village and district in the Montagne de Reims champagne area, half-way between Reims and Epernay.
Riocaud
A small village in the St.-Foy-de-Bordeaux area, almost on the border where the departement of the Dordogne joins that of the Gironde. Makes both red and white wine.
Rioja
Spain’s best table wine district. It occupies most of the north of the province of Logrofto (in the district of Aragon), which is bounded to the north by the provinces of Navarra and Alava and to the south by that of Soria. The word comes from the fact that the small River (Rio) Oja runs through the western part of the district. Both red and white wines are made, in the style of a Burgundy, Claret, Chablis and Sauternes, and, indeed, in Spain (as in England) these names are used when describing and marketing them. The Rioja is subdivided into two districts : (a) the Rioja Bajo to the west, in which are the towns of Calahorra, Alfaro and Arnedo ; (b) the far more im-portant Rioja Alto, in which is Logrofio, the capital city, with two bodegas dealing with exports and Haro with no less than twelve.
Rions
A commune (2,500 acres) and village (1,000 inhabitants) south of Bordeaux, on the banks of the River Garonne, in the Premières Côtes de Bordeaux. Makes both red and white wines. Some vineyards, with annual production in hogsheads (in brackets) : Ch. Mony (120 white), Ch. Carsin (40 red, 160 white), Ch. Calla (40 red, 200 white), Ch. des Ramparts (100 red, 200 white).
Riquewihr
An Alsatian town (1,000 inhabitants) as picturesque and as closely connected with wine as is Ribeauville (q. v.), which is only three miles away.
Rivesaltes
A town (6,000 in-habitants) five miles from Perpignan on the Mediterranean seaboard and almost touching Spain, which has given its name to a sweet dessert wine made in the locality.
Roaillan.
A village and commune, between Langon and Bazas, of the Graves district, Bordeaux, making more white wine than red.
Robe.

(French). In this sense means colour. By examining a wine’s robe, one gets a fair indication of its age. A purple or red colour denotes a young red wine which turns to pelure d’oignon (q.v.) when older. A greenish or olive green colour denotes a young white wine.
Roborant
A medical term for a strengthening or tonic medicine, hence its use for certain suitable types of tonic wines.
Rochecorboo
A commune between Vouvray and Tours, with the legal right to call its wines Vouvray.
Rochefort- sur- Loire.

A village and commune twenty kilometres from Angers in the heart of the Coteau du Layon district. Here is situated the famous Quart de Chaume vineyard.
Rochelle, La

A port and town (60,000 inhabitants) in the Charente- Maritime departement of France, from which a great deal of brandy was shipped in earlier times.
Rocher, Chateau du.

A St. Emilion growth from the commune of St.Etienne-de-Lisse, producing 100 hogsheads of red wine annually. There is also a Domaine and a Crû du Rocher in the Gironde.
Rochet, Château.

A fourth classifled growth of the Medoc, in the commune of St. Estephe, pro-ducing 240 hogsheads of wine annually.
Rod, Dipping

A specially graded rod used for dipping into a cask to ascertain the quantity held.
Rohfaule. (German).

Acid rot caused by late frosts.
Rolland, Chateau.

A cru bourgeois vineyard of the Medoc, in the commune of Pauillac, producing 80 hogsheads yearly.

Rollin, Nicholas

A Burgundian tax collector under Louis XI who in 1443 founded the famous Hospices de Beaune (q.v.) which draws its revenues for charitable purposes from certain good vine-yards in the district.
Romagna
Now generally called Emilia Romagna. A province of Italy making red and white wines. Red : Lambrusco, Sangiovese ; white : Albana di Romagna.
Roman Wines

Rome has for centuries been noted as a great wine centre and it remains so even to the present day. The older types of Roman wine received much appreciation from several great writers, and today Castelli Romani, which comes from the hills south-east of Rome beyond the Ciampino airport is a wine of distinction. It was this wine, in fact, which caused someone to remark that the Eternal City is watered by three rivers, the Tiber, the Aniene and the river of wine from the Castelli Romani.
Romaneche-Thorins.
A town (1800 inhabitants) and commune 10 miles from Macon in the Beaujolais district, giving its name to a wine.
Romanee, La

A smaller vineyard (2 acres) than Romanee-Conti (q.v.), in the same commune. These wines, too, are greatly esteemed.
Romanee-Conti
Generally considered the greatest of all red Burgundies, this vineyard is only 41 acres in extent, in the commune of Vosne-Romanee, Cote de Nuits.
Romanée La Tâche.

See Tâche, La.
Romanee-St.-Vivant.

The largest of the Romanee vineyards (24 acres).
Romer, Chateau.

A second classified growth of Sauternes, in the commune of Fargues. Output is 60 hogsheads a year.
Rond.

(French-round). Used to describe wines which are harmonious, full and supple. According to one French wine writer, the rondeur of a great wine only appears after eight to ten years, whereas the time for ordinary wines is after their second year.
Roquemaure
A winemaking village and district near Avignon, France.
Rose, Vin

If this has to be translated, it must be pink wine. The true vins roses of the world are made by crushing red grapes but allowing the juice to remain with the colour-giving skins and stalks only long enough for it to take on a greyish, pinkish, light red, or even red (according to the country it is made) tinge. Vin rose (which is seldom a great wine with vintages attached to it) can be made in any wine district where red grapes are grown and can be made to suit the law of supply and de-mand. In France, Tavel (near Avignon) rose is reputed, and so is Anjou rose. Beaujolais and Bor-deaux roses are also seen on English wine merchants’ lists. Spain and Portugal both produce roses.
Rosolis or Ros Solis

The latter appears to be the older form and comes from ros (dew) and sol (sun), in other words, the plant sundew and it was from this that the drink was formerly made. Later, rosolis was a com-pound beverage made of spirits, raisins and sugar, its home being chiefly Southern Europe.
Rota Tent

A luscious reddish-brown wine which used to be made around Rota, near Cadiz, Andalucia. Now this town is the centre of the largest American air-sea base in Europe. Rota wine used to be used by the Church of England for Com-munion purposes.
Roterd
A vineyard name in Dhron, Moselle.
Rothenburg
There are vineyards of this name in various Rhine districts, the best known growths being : Geisenheimer Rothenburg, Rauenthaler Rothenburg, and Hattenheimer Rothenburg (Rheingau), and Nackenheimer Rothenburg (Hesse).
Roti.

(French-roasted) Said of a red wine made with over-matured grapes or of grapes which have become overripe on the vine itself. But the French also talk of a vin de roti, meaning one which harmonises with roast meats.
Rotie, Cote

See Cote Rotie.
Rotlay
A vineyard name in Zeltingen, Moselle.
Rougeot.

(French-red rot). -A disease of vines which manifests itself by the leaves, at the very beginning of the summer, turning red, like those of certain ordi-narily healthy vines at vintage time. Often due to insufficient chalk or magnesia in the soil.
Roumania
The ninth largest wine producing country in the world, with an output of some 90 million gallow annually.
Rousette
The name of a light wine made around Seyssel Savoie, France.
Rousing Stick

A long stout stick used for rousing or stirring wine in cask after the fining has been put in.
Roussane
A very late ripening white grape used in the Cotes du Rhone and especially for the fine white Hermitage.
Roussillon
lt is important not to get confused here. First, there is a tiny village in the Isere, just by Ampuis, which is in a vinous district of France but otherwise has no special connection with wine. Second, there is another village, of 800 inhabitants, in the département of the Vaucluse, not far from Avignon, and around here are made Gigondas and Apt wines. Third, and by far the most important, there is the Roussillon which was a former province of France (acquired in 1659) and which is now in the département of the Pyrénées Orientales. Here, made with the Muscat, Grenache, Maccabéo and Malvoisie grapes, are those super sweet dessert wines which go by the title of Vins Doux Naturels (q.v.) and are called either Roussillon or Banytils (q.v.). There are two sub divisions-Côtes de Haut Roussillon and Grand Roussillon.
Roux.

(French-russet, reddish brown) Applied to a white wine where the colour has deepened and taken on the colour of a dead leaf.
Roxheim.
A village and commune near Bad Kreuznach on the Nahe Germany. Some vineyards : Hollenpfad, Birkenberg, Wiesberg, Huttenberg, Helfert, Lett, Bangert.
Ruby Wines

Port with the colour of this jewel is often called Ruby to distinguish it from its browner cousin, Tawny.
Ruch
A village and commune in the Entre-deux-Mers district of Bordeaux, making mostly white wine, of which ChAteau Cour-teillac produces 1,200 hogsheads annually.
Ruchottes
The name of a white wine vineyard in Chassagne-Montrachet, Cote de Beaune.
Rude.

(French-uncouth. harsh) Such a wine has the faults of harshness and astringence. Often said of a common wine which sticks in the mouth.
Rudesheim.
Town-Formerly the home of many belligerent noble families, their fortresses and towers still set the architectural tone of the town, which now (right on the very borders of the Rhine) has a population of 6,500. It is not only beautiful but picturesque and a great centre for tourists, especially as it abounds in many attractive wine bars as well as cellars which are open to the public. Commune : Behind the town, overlooked by the imposing NiederwaIddenkmal (a somewhat graceless monument) are the vineyards of the commune, which are among the finest of the Rheingau. Some growths are : Linngrub, Ramstein, Stoll, Wilgert, Platz, Rottland, Roseneck, Lay, Millilstein, Bischofsberg, Paares, Burgweg, Hduserweg, Hasenlatifer, Engerweg, Dickerstein, Katerloch, Hinterhaus, Stumpfenort, Zollhaus, Bronnen, Hellpfad, Wust, Floss, Spess, Frenz and some 25 more.
Rugiens
There is a Rugiens-Bas (15 acres) and a Rugiens-Haut (14 acres) and both are premire cuvee vineyards of Pommard, Cote de Beaune.
Rulander
Also called the Pinot Gris, this is a minor white wine making grape much used in southern Germany and Alsace.
Rally
One of the best known communes of the Cote Chalonnaise which, with Mercurey, Givry and Montagny, have the appellation controlee names for this district. It lies on the Rhone, between Burgundy and Beaujolais.
Rum
The British definition of rum is as follows : A spirit distilled direct from sugarcane products in sugarcane producing countries. One of the earliest references to the spirit occurs in 1651 in a book on Barbados, where it was called rumbullion (Devonshire dialect word for a tumult) and also rumbustion, and both of these words were shortened to rumbo and then rum. This spirit (of which the West Indies provide the most import-ant supply of the finer quality rum) is either distilled direct (which is rare now) from fermen-ted cane juice, or from molasses. which can be described as the residue of sugar syrup remaining after the cane juice has been boiled and the sugar crystals extracted. In greater detail, the process is as follows: at the factory, the cane (a tall, stout, perennial grass, Saccharum officinarum) is cut up and crushed between rollers, and the juice therefrom runs off into tanks. The water in the juice is evaporated and the remainder becemes a syrup which is boiled in a vacuum con-tainer. From this operation comes sugar and an uncrystallisable mass of a deep brown colour and treacly appearance, which is molasses. This is fermented and when distilled, rum is the result. See Jamaica.
Rummer
A kind of large drinking glass, usually made from very thick glass. From the German Roerner, which in turn is probably from Roman glass.
Ruppertsberg
A very celebrated commune of 400 acres, only half a mile from Deidesheim in the Palatinate, Germany. Some vineyards : Nussbien, Spiess, Kreuz, Reiterpfad, Hofstfick, Mandelacker, Goldschmied, Achtmorgen, Linsenbusch, Hoheburg.
Ruskin, John

This famous Victorian art critic had a training in his father’s firm of wine mer-chants. He wrote much in favour of wine.
Russian Wines

These are made in many parts of the country, but perhaps the best three districts are : (1) around the mouth of the Volga ; (2) an area between the Black Sea and the Caspian ; (3) southern Crimea, and it is here, behind Yalta, that the best wines (they are rich and full-bodied) are made. She also produces much sparkling wine.
Rust
A sweetish white wine made in Austria.
Ruwer Wines

A small tributary of the Moselle, which it joins near Trier (q.v.). In England, Ruwer wines are generally classed as Moselles, whereas in Germany they go under their own separate headings. The most important wine communes on this river are : Casel (or Kasel), Grunhaus, Waldrach and Eitelsbach. In flavour it is usual to consider them very close to Moselles, but a little lighter and drier.
Rye Whisky

This spirit is made in the U.S.A. and Canada. The fermented mash contains a higher proportion (not of necessity 100 per cent.) of this grain.

Quai des Chartrons

A shabby but distinguished waterfront quay side which houses the cellars and offices of some of the largest and most distinguished of Bordeaux shippers.
Quart
A common English liquid measure of two pints or a fourth part of a gallon. Most wines and spirits, however, are sold in Britain in bottles known as reputed quarts, which actually only hold one and one- third pints.
Quart de Chaume

The greatest white Loire wine, made near Rochefort- sur- Loire where the River Layon joins the Loire.
Quarter Bottles

Small bottles generally equal, as their name indicates, to a quarter of a Quarter of a standard bottle. They are in fairly common use for champagne and spirits.

Quarter Casks

The gauge of these varies according to the type of wine for which they are used, but it is generally about 26 to 28 gallons.
Quartern
The popular phrase for a quarter of a pint, or gill, used for the retailing of wines or spirits at on licensed premises.
Quartier de Marci Haut

The name of a section of Clos de Vougeot, Cote de Nuits.
Quass or Kvass

A Russian beverage or beer made of malted barley and rye. It would appear to have no connection with the old English verb quass, to drink or quaff immoderately or to excess.
Quassia
The bark of a South American tree from which a bitter decoction (chiefly used for medicinal purposes) is made.
Quatorze Journaux

The name of a section of Clos de Vougeot, Cote de Nuits, journal being an old land measure.
Quatre Vents, Aux

The name of a vineyard in the Chenas district of Beaujolais.
Quelltaler
A well- known vineyard centre of South Australia.
Quetard
A small district near Auxerre in the Yonne, which had a fair reputation for wine a hundred and fifty years ago but now would appear to have almost disappeared.
Quetsch
A sort of plum brandy made chiefly in Alsace and Germany. It is colourless and made usually from the juice of ripe plums.
Queyrac
A village of one thousand inhabitants and commune of 7,500 acres of the Medoc, some 35 kilometres north of Bordeaux. There is a cave cooperative here.
Queue
See Demi Queue.
Queue, Vin de

Wine made from the last pressing.
Quince Wine

A home- made wine made in some countries from the quince fruit.
Quincy
A fine, bone dry white wine of the Loire, made some 20 kilometres west of Bourges in the departement of the Cher. Some vineyards: Rimonet, Crevecoeur, La Victoire. Grape species used is the Sauvignon.
Quinine Wine

Quinine, a bitter alkaloid drug made from cinchona bark. is used for medicinal purposes in several wine combinations and especially with sherry.
Quinquina-
The French name for a type of aperitif. Certain tonic wines have also embodied the word in their descriptions.
Quinsac-
A commune and hamlet 15 kilometres south of Bordeaux in the Premieres Cotes de Bordeaux region.
Quintal-
A Spanish and Portuguese weight of about two pounds and a French one of 100.
Quinta-
A Spanish and Portuguese word originally denoting a house and farm let at a fifth part (quinta parte) of the produce of the latter. Now, so far as the wine trade is concerned, it signifies those Douro (Portugal) vineyards and farmhouses from which come some of the most distinguished ports. A single quinta wine is a phrase to denote a wine from one only vineyard and unblended.
Quintigny
A commune making fine white wine in the Jura district, near Chateau Chalon. Some of it is sparkling.

Paarl
The Pearl as it was christened by J. van Riebeek. A town, valley and river in the Cape Province, South Africa, and one of the best wine- growing districts of the country.
Pago
A Spanish word meaning (a) a reward, and (b) a group or an estate of several vineyards.

Paljarete

See Paxarette.
Palatinate, The

Originally a state of the old German Empire under the rule of the Pfalzgraf or Count Palatinate of the Rhine, one of the seven original Electors of the Empire. It is a plateau above the left bank of the Rhino running approximately. so far as vineyards are concerned, from Worm& down to Landau on the GermanFrench border. The wines made here are all white, in good years among the sweetest of all the Rhine wines, and the area is divided into the Lower Palatinate (also called the Unterhaardt, q.v.), the Middle Palatinate (Mittel., haardt, q.v.) and the Upper Palatinate (Oberhaardt). It is from the Middle Palatinate that the fine wines come. A few communes in the Lower Palatinate are: Dirmstein, Zell, Grosskarlbach, Kleinbockenheim, Kindenheim, Niesernheim, Muhlheim. A few of the hundred or more communes of the Upper Palatinate are. Diedesfeld, Essingen, Flemlingen, Maikammer, Morsheim, Gocklingen, Knoringen, Klingen, Impflingen, Edenkobin, Godramstein, Bornheim, Birkweiler, Dammheim, Arzheim

The most important villages and communes of the Middle Palatinate, going from north to south, are: Herxheim, Leistadt, Frensheim, Kallstadt, Ungstein, Bad Durkheim, Wachenheim, Friedelsheim, Forst, Deidesheim, Niederkirchen, Ruppertsberg, Konigsbach, Gimmeldingen, Mussbach, Neustadt
Palestine Wines

These wines can boast of great antiquity and at intermittent periods of history they have had a great reputation. See also Israel.
Palette, La- A wine

growing district, recognised by the appellation controlee laws, in the Cotes de Provence district, lying between Aix and St. Raphael. Red, white, rose and dessert wines are made here, using a combination of the following grapes: Clairette, Ugni Blanc, Grenache Blanc, Muscat Blanc, and Piquepoul.
Palladus
A fourth century A.D. farmer who wrote an instructive book on viticulture, especially grafting.

Pallice, La

A port adjoining La Rochelle, France, from which large shipments of brandy are made.
Palm Wine

There are several varieties of palm wine made in the Far East; some from the sap, others from the flower crowns of the date palm (Phoenix dactylifera). Sometimes the wine is called toddy, and when this is distilled forms a kind of arrack.
Palma
When fino sherries are being graded, those that come up to certain standards of paleness, cleanness and dryness have chalked on the butt a sign which looks something like a Y and is meant to represent a palm (palma). The classification goes, in increasing order of quality: Una Palma, Dos Palmas, Tres Palmas, up to a Quatro Palmas.

Palma
A wine-making centre of Majorca, one of the Balearic Islands.
Palma
The wine of this town, the chief city of Teneriffe, one of the Canary Islands.
Palmas, Las

The capital of the island of Grand Canary, from which in earlier days considerable supplies of wine were received, including the renowned Canary Sack.
Palmer, Chateaux

A third classified growth of the Medoc, in the commune of Cantenac. This property was formerly called Chateau do Gasq, but, during the Restoration period, General Palmer gave it his own name. Makes 400 hogsheads annually.
Palo Cortado

lt has been said by some writers that these sherries can be considered as an intermediate class between finos and olorosos. nevertheless, they should properly be considered as the latter. They have the dry nose which suggests that they might have been amontillados, but on the palate they have the body of olorosos. They are classified according to quality by a chalk sign on the butts: Un Palo Cortado, p Dos Palos Cortados, Tres Palos Cortados, and 0 Quatro Palos Cortados.
Palomino
The best known and the best grape species of the Jerez district, Spain. It has many synonyms, viz. Listan, Horgazuela, Tempranilla, Temprana, Ojo de Liebre (Hare’s Eye). Generally only used on albariza (q. v.) soil.
Pains Wines

Sound, but not great, red wines made in the lowlying (alluvial land) vineyards between and along the banks of the rivers, Garonne, Dordogne and Gironde.
Pape Clement, Chateaux

A very distinguished red wine vineyard of Pessac in the Graves district. It once belonged to the Archbishop of Bordeaux. This was Bertrand de Goth who, when he became Pope, took the name of Clement V, hence the name. Annual production is 200 hogsheads.

Paphos
An ancient wine centre of the island of Cyprus.
Paraguay
Makes some 200,000 gallons of wine yearly in vineyards about 150 miles from Asuncion, the capital. The vines were brought there in the seventeenth century by Jesuit missionaries.
Parempuyre
A village of 1,000 inhabitants and commune of 3,000 acres in the Medoc, 10 miles due north of Bordeaux. Some chateaux: Parempuyre (140 hogsheads annually), Segur (120 hogsheads).
Parfait Amour

A violet or sometimes brilliant red liqueur made in France and Holland using amongst other things, violets and vanilla, extremely sweet.
Parfum
So far as wines go, synonymous with aroma and bouquet (q.v.).
Pascal Wines

Those used in connection with Easter and Jewish Passover ceremonies.
Passe- (French)

Finished, in the sense of the wine having its aroma and become fine.
Passe- Tout- Grain

Name, given Burgundies (red) made by blending two- thirds Gamay with a third Pinot.
Passito
A dessert wine, den body, muscat flavoured, in many parts of Italy.
Passum or Passum Optimum concentrate

Wines made from over- rip or half- dried grapes. Some they were called concentrate raisin wines.
Pasteur, Louis

This great savant was born in Dole in 1822 died in 1895. Although in doctor himself, he revolution medicine by his discoveries cerning antiseptics. It was he who ascertained approxiamtely the cause of fermentation wine, and his researches proved of great assisstance to viticulturalists.
Pasteurisation
Named after above, this consists of raising the temperature of wine or milk, for that matter) to a degree sufficient to kill certain bacteria in the liquid.
Pastis
The colloquial name mainly in the south of France for the absinthe- base apertife which goes a cloudy, colour when water is added.
Patent Still

The Coffey- named after Aeneas Coffey the Dock Distillery, Dublin which was patented. in 1794.

Its action is continuous, as distinct from the intermittent operation of the pot still. Grain whiskies are produced from the patent still.
Patera
An ancient drinking cup a broad, flat saucer or dish used especially in pouring out wine at sacrifices.
Paterno
A Sicilian wine consumed locally.
Pateux
(French- pasty, sticky). Wine of thick substance which fills the mouth and seems to stick to the palate.
Patraz
A Greek wine, from a district of the same name, of repute.
Pau
A district of the Basses Pyrenees departement of France, producing a fair amount of wine, including Jurancon (q.v.).
Pauillac
Generally considered to be the greatest wine- producing commune of the Medoc. The town has 6,000 inhabitants and is 30 miles north of Bordeaux; the commune covers some 6,500 acres and lies between St. Julien to the south and St. Estephe to the north. In Pauillac are no less than two first classified growths, three second growths, one fourth, and eleven fifth growths. (See Medoc for classified list.) Some other chateaux (with annual output of wine in hogsheads in brackets) are: Colombier- Monpelou (classified as a fourth growth by courtiers around 1820 and probably forgotten in the official classification- 400 hogsheads), Malecot (300), Couronne (60), Fonbadet (320), Bellevue St- Lambert (160), Anseillan (200) Balogues- Haut- Bages (400), Bellegrave (80), Rolland (20), La Tour I’Aspic (12), La Tour Milon (200), La Tour Pibran (100).
Pays, Via domul, Saint

The Apostle (died A.D. 67) who wrote to his friend Timothy the finest lines of praise in favour of wine in all the Bible: “Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake and thine oft infirmities.”
Pauille
lt was once a general custom in wine- making countries to celebrate the end of the vintage operations by a festivity called the Pauille, when rank and position were forgotten for the time being. Nowadays, the only one left with this name is the Pauille given in Meursault a big banquet given in that village the day after the sale of the Hospices de Beaune. The word is not to be found in French dictionaries, and no Burgundian knows the derivation, but one wine writer has suggested that it perhaps is derived from the Greek word paulu, meaning rest.
Pavia
In Lombardy, Italy. A large wine centre with some sparkling wine interests.
Payle, Chateau

A large and great vineyard of St. Emilion, making 600 hogsheads annually.
Paxarette
Also PaJarete. The name of a sweet condensed vino de color wine made (generally) with Pedro Ximenez grapes and finished by mixing the wine with essences, called arrope or sancocho, which are produced by boiling must down to a fifth and a third respectively. Pajarete was popular as a straight dessert wine in England in the eighteenth century and gets its name from a monastery and vineyards situated near Arcos- de- la- Frontera.
Pays, Via du

The name given to the ordinary, natural wines so Pays,

Paul, Saint

The Apostle (died A.D. 67) who wrote to his friend Timothy the finest lines of praise in favour of wine in all the Bible: Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake and thine oft infirmities.
Paulee
- It was once a general custom in wine- making countries to celebrate the end of the vintage operations by a festivity called the Paulee, when rank and position were forgotten for the time being. Nowadays, the only one left with this name is the Paulee given in Meursault big banquet given in that village the day after the sale of the Hospices de Beaune. The word is not to be found in French dictionaries, and no Burgundian knows the derivation, but one wine writer has suggested that it perhaps is derived from the Greek word paulu, meaning rest.
Pavia
In Lombardy, Italy. A large wine centre with some sparkling wine interests.
Pavie, Chateau

A large and great vineyard of St. Emilion, making 600 hogsheads annually,
Peach Brandy

An agreeable and luscious liqueur made from brandy and peaches. Made and popular in several countries.
Pecharmant
A very small vineyard near Bergerac, Dordogne, making red wine with appellation controlee rights.

Pedesclaux, Chateau

A fifth classified growth of the Medoc in the commune of Pauillac, making 120 hogsheads annually.
Pedro Ximenez

A luscious Spanish wine made in the Jerez district, obtained from grapes of the same name which have virtually no acidity in them. To obtain a veritable PX, as it is usually called, the grapes should be exposed to the sun on straw mats for twelve to twenty days, until they become like raisins, before pressing. It is a most expensive liquor since the quantity of liquid is greatly reduced by the drying. Brandy is usually added, and occasionally the wine is taken as a sort of liqueur, but it exists mainly for use in sherry blending.

Peg Tankards

A Middle Age custom of marking drinking vessels with a set of pins fixed at intervals as marks to measure the quantity which each drinker was to drink. The original idea may have been to check excessive drinking.
Peixotto, Chateau

A second growth of Bommes which was officially classified in 1855 and which now no longer exists.
Pelure d’Oignon

(French- onion skin)- A phrase which, so far as wine goes, has become debased. It used to signify a wine which through age had lost its purple youthful colour and had acquired the same reddish- brown tinge that the outside of an onion skin has when old. In Bordeaux, the synonymous phrase is old tiles. Later, however, other districts (it is chiefly connected with Arbois) produced a brownish- red wine which was given the name Pelure d’Oignon, and carafes of a very ordinary wine are sold under this name all over France.
Peninsula Wines

A term once used for the wines made in Portugal and part of Spain.
Peppermint
A sub- species of mint (Mentha piperita)- – q.v.
Pepys, Saumel

The famous diarist of the Stuart era whose writings afford much information as to the wine habits of the period.

Peralta
- A reddish- brown fortified wine from Navarre, Spain. It used to be fairly popular in England.

Percentage, Alcoholic

A term used to denote the actual percentage of alcohol in wines, spirits, etc. On the Continent this is generally estimated by volume, but in Britain by its degree according to the Sykes- – - proof system.
Perelada
Red and white table wines from Catalonia, Spain.
Perignon, Dom

The seventeenth century monk, cellar- keeper to the Abbey of Hautvillers (q.v.), who discovered how to control fermentation. Very little is known of this monk (it is probable that he was partially blind) but experts generally deny that he actually devised the process of making champagne but it is likely that he did think of putting cork into bottles as a stopper, instead of a wad of cloth, and he probably did a great deal to improve the general control of fermentation.

Perl
A commune in the Upper Moselle/Saar region of Germany. Some vineyards: Grund, Hasenacker, Roderberg, Klopp.
Permits, Spirit

By the Spirits Act 1880, no spirits may be removed from a distillers’ or Excise warehouse unless accompanied by a permit. Nor may spirits exceeding the quantity of one gallon of the same denomination at a time for the same person be sent out, delivered or removed from one place to another unless accompanied by a permit.
Pernand- Vergelesses

A commune and village of the Cote do Beaune, between Aloxe- Corton and Savigny, making in its 350 acres both red and white wines. Some vineyards: Les Fichots, Les Basses- Vergelesses, Creux- de- la Net.
Peronospera
- A fungus (Peronospera viticola) which was brought to Europe on American vines just before 1880. A sort of bluebrown mildew (it is called Downy Mildew in America) spreads over the vines, causing the leaves to drop and the grape to be deprived of its sugar and not to mature properly, for it becomes flabby and sour with a high acid content. This fungus (as with many others) is well kept in check by spraying with copper salts in a solution called Bordeaux Mixture, so called because it was first tried out in Bordeaux (the man who made the discovery was Millardet) in 1878.
Perpignan
A town of 70,000 inhabitants, in the departement of the Pyrenees- Orientales, which is the centre and focal point of the Vins Doux Naturels trade of the entire region, which includes Banyuls, Maury, Rivesaltes, and Roussillon (q.v.),

Perrieres
An important white wine vineyard (subdivided into Aux Perritres, Perribres- dessus, Perrieres- dessous) of Meursault, Cote de Beaune, entitled to use the words premier cru after the name.
Perruno
The name of a grape species used on albariza (q.v.) soil around Jerez, Spain.
Perry
From the Latin pirum, a pear. A very old English word ranging in spelling from pirize, pirze (13th century), to pereye, peirric (17th century). It is a beverage resembling cider made from crushed and fermented pears.
Persian Wines

Persia is one of the most ancient homes of winemaking and its wines were once famous, being lauded by several Persian writers of note- Omar Khayyam, Hafiz, Sa’di, etc. With the development of Mohammedanism, the art became less practised, but several good types (Shiraz, Georgia, Yezd, Karamania, Khurasan, Mazanderan, Tabriz) still exist. The old Persian name for wine is zeher- ekoosh- the delightful poison.
Peruvian Wines

The wine was introduced into Peru by Captain Barthelemy Terrucea, and winemaking began near Cuzco in 1560. The vineyards are chiefly confined to the coastal regions and, though the vine is widely known in the neighbourhood of Lima, the principal grape district is in the department of Ica, some 180 miles to the south. Other names are Pativiloa, Atacama, Locumba and Moquegua. Annual output is around three million gallons.
Pessac-
A town of 20,000 inhabitants and the most important commune (7,000 acres) of the Graves district, situated almost in the (south- west) suburbs of the ever- growing town of Bordeaux itself. Here is Chateau Haut Brion. Some other vineyards are: La- Mission- Haut- Brion, Pape Clement, des- Carmes- Haut Brion, Fanning la Fontaine.
Peste, Dr-

The name of a cuvee or vineyard in Corton belonging to the Hospices de Beaune.
Pesth-
A formerly well- known wine of Hungary.
Petillant-
A French word of which the dictionary translation into English is crackling, sparkling, but which so far as wine goes is untranslatable. It signifies a wine which possesses a slight amount of carbonic gas which is discernable on the palate, and where you can see tiny bubbles rising which, however, are not sufficient to form a mousse (foam) on the top of the glass.
Petit Chablis

This designation is occasionally seen on English lists. By French law, Petit Chablis needs to be 9.5 per cent. alcohol after fermentation, while Chablis must be 10 per cent., and Chablis Grand Cru 11 per cent. When Petit Chablis is sold in France, the two words on the label must be of the same size, colour and type face.
Petite Champagne

The name of a vineyard area of Cognac (q.v.).
Petits- Epenots

The name of a vineyard in Pommard, Cote de Beaune.
Petures, Les

The name of a vineyard in Pommard and in Meursault, Cote de Beaune.
Petronius
From the works of this remarkable man, who was appointed by Nero to be his Master of Festivities, we can learn more about wine and food than any other work of Roman times, save Athenaeus (q.v.). Petronius Arbiter, as he was called, lived in the first century A.D.; his work is generally known as the Satyricon, and is a fragment of a picaresque novel which may have run into twenty books. It is in the part called Trimalchio’s Feast that we learn about wine.
Petrus, Chateau

A renowned first growth of Pomerol. St. Emilion, making 140 hogsheads of wine annually.
Peyraguey, Chateau Lafaurie

St Lafaurie.
Pezerolles, Les

A vineyard of Pommard, Cote de Beaune. Pfalz- See Palatinate.
Pfaffen- Schwabenheim

A commune and village in the Rheinhesse, near Bingen. Some vineyards: Bosenberg, Mandelbaum, Sonnberg.
Pfaffenheim
A village and commune near Colmar in Alsace.
Phylloxera
(i) Biological. The greatest scourge vines have had to contend with. Phylloxera (Greek: phyllon, leaf; xeros, dry) vastatrix is also called the plant louse or vine louse and is an insect of the aphidae family. It is a native of North America, east of the Rocky Mountains. Its life cycle is so remarkable and complex that it is not easy to find a point to describe its beginning. The presence of the pest is made known by leafgalls which can be seen on the underside of leaves. Here the aphids hatch out. Some decide to migrate to other plants, but others go and live in and upon the roots of the plant, and several generations are passed here. It is to be noted that the egg- laying capacity is high even among aphids. These eggs hatch out into two different forms of phylloxera which remains on the leaves and sucks the juices, and the other and more deadly variety which stays in the soil and takes up its lodging on the roots of the vine. These latter reproduce themselves for several generations and then come to the surface as winged insects which lay eggs upon the stems of the vine, some eggs being male, others female. These mate and then the gravid females lay further eggs, and the cycle recommences. This is a somewhat oversimplified outline of the process, since there are four distinct forms of the adult, besides several immature stages.

(ii) History of its damage in Europe. Although the phylloxera originates in the Rocky Mountains it is by no means prolific there because the vine species in the region have such tough roots that they resist the pest. However, in 1863, or thereabouts, brought over perhaps on some table grapes, the aphid made its appearance in the Languedoc, and by 1866 it had extended northwards into the departements of the Vaucluse and the Drome, and by 1868 it had got as far as Bordeaux. In the next five years the depredations were terrible. In 1873, a group of entomologists, headed by Planchon, raised hopes of dealing with the scourge by trying to import a mite, which was an enemy of the louse, called Tyroglyphus phylloxera. But, although Phylloxera vastatrix had comfortably settled down in Europe, Tyroglyphus refused to do so. 151 About this time, the louse crossed over the Rockies and started on California. In France, meanwhile, vignerons were losing, it was calculated, £50 million a year. In despair, some richer vineyard owners went to fantastic lengths to rid themselves of the pest; the least bizarre treatment being that of flooding whole areas of vines. But it was found that even a submersion of six weeks, killed off only three out of four insects, and afterwards the ground was found to be so impoverished that heavy manuring was necessary to restore it. One cure in France, however, was tried which was a mild success, and that was to treat the ground with carbon disulphide. Here again, the disadvantages were great. It is highly inflammable, slightly toxic to human beings, and is (or was) most difficult to work with since it had a foul odour. It had to be inserted into the ground in holes between the vines to the tune of two ounces per shot. It was, thus, staggeringly expensive, but by 1890 some 200,000 acres in France had been so treated.

(iii) The cure. Oddly enough, this came from where it had started- America. Vines from the Rockies are (mainly) resistant and these are chiefly Vitis riparia (also called vulpina) and Vitis rupestris, and the only solution in those grim last twenty- five years of the nineteenth century was (and still is) to graft Vitis vinifera scions on to the roots stocks of the resistant vines.

(iv) Today. Replanting with American porte- greffies is not a complete answer, for these American species are not 100 per cent resistant, and the struggle continues.
Pian- Medoc, Le

A village of 1,000 inhabitants and commune of 7,500 acres, 10 miles north of Bordeaux and south of Ludon. Some vineyards: Chateau Senejac (200 hogsheads annually), Domaine de Lamourons (100 hogsheads), Chateau Malleret (40 hogsheads).
Picard, Sir Henry

A vintner of the 14th century who was Lord Mayor of London in 1356. In 1363 he gave a banquet at the Vintners’ Company to five (some historians say only four) reigning kings.
Picardan
A sweet, cheap wine, made in the French Pyrenees, which in the 19th century used to come to England to be doctored into sherry.
Pichet (French)

A small, narrownecked, earthenware jug used for. carafe wines at table in French restaurants.
Pichon- Longueville- Baron

de Pichon, Chateau second classified growth of the Medoc (commune of Pauillac) making 300 hogsheads of wine annually. Formerly it was called Chateau La Batisse, and before that, Badere.

Pichon- Longueville – Comtesse Ide- Lalande, Chateau

About 100 years ago this Chateau and the one above used to be one property. It was divided into two- fifths Pichon- Longueville (now called Baron) and three- fifths Comtesse, which latter produces 400 hogsheads of wine annually.
Picpoul
Also Picpoul de Pinet- A white wine made with a grape of this name in the departement of the Herault. It used formerly to go mainly for vermouth making, but is now being increasingly drunk on its own as an aperitif. It has V.D.Q.S, appellation rights

Piece (French)

The translation into English of both barrique (q.v.) and piece would be cask. The difference in France is that the word barrique is used in some districts and piece in others, and that the contents vary in these different places. Thus, according to a French standard reference book (Dictionnaire- Manuel du Maitre du Chai, 1896), the piece in the Pyrenees- Orientales, Burgundy and the Loiret held 228 litres, in the Aisne 182 to 205, in the Haute- Marne 182 to 205, while in the Indre- et- Loire 243 to 258.
Piedmont
As far as wine is concerned this is the most important and interesting province of Italy. Here is produced some six million hectolitres of wine yearly, as against four- and- a- half from Tuscany and seven million from Apulia (but from this last southernmost province come mainly the cheapest wines for blending). Piedmont can indeed be likened to the Gironde and Apulia to the Herault.

Roughly, the vineyards of Piedmont are divided north and south by the River Po. To the north, the main districts are Lake Maggiore, Biella, Grattinara. The southern group is between Turin and the Ligurian and Maritime Alps, in the province of Cuneo, and around the town of Asti. See also under Italy.
Pierre A Fusil

(French, gun flint).This scent (like that given off by a piece of flint just after being struck by iron) usually shows itself in wines grown on siliceous soils in northerly vine areas. The phrase is not new; speaking of a Graves, Louis XIII is supposed to have said to Richelieu: It smells of gun flint as does an old carbine.
Pierry
A noted grape wine district of the Cote de Blancs, just outside and due south of Epernay, in the Marne.
Piesport
A small village and commune (around 120 acres of vines), on the Middle Moselle, with a great reputation. Some vineyards: Goldtropfchen, Grafenberg, Bildchen, Pichtern, Treppchen, Wehr, Schubertslay, Lay, Gunterslay, Falkenberg, Hohlweid, Weg, Taubengarten, Michelsberg, Olk, Krank, and some 30 more.
Piment
Also pigment, pyment- A drink popular in medieval times and derived from the Latin word pigmentum, pigment or an unguent. It consisted of wine sweetened with honey and flavoured with spices.
Pinard
French slang for wine.
Pincers, Cork

A special type of pincers designed for drawing champagne corks which get stuck.
Pineapple Rum

Rum to which has been added a certain quantity of fresh pineapple. This was popular a century ago.
Pineau
See Pinot.
Pineau des Charentes

Also Pineau Charentais- lt is possible that the growing popularity of this drink is the reason why many people think that pineau and pinot are different species of grape. Although the drink Pineau des Charentes has full appellation rights, it is not a wine at all, but a vin de liqueur; in other words, it is the juice of fresh grapes, the fermentation of which has been checked by spirit. There can be both a white and a rose; the former must have its juice coming from a grape species called the Pineau des Charentes blanc, or the St. Emilion, or Folle Blanche, or Columbar, or any of six other species; and the rose must come from the Pineau rose Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, or Merlot rouge. Both must have cognac added, with a minimum strength of 60 degrees, and must have been matured in oak casks.
Pinot
Perhaps the most important (i.e. the one with the greatest future) grape in France today. An older and alternative spelling was Pineau. There is the red and the white. With the former there are several varieties, but the one which makes the great Burgundies is the Pinot noir, also called the Noirien, followed in importance by the Pinot Beurot or Liebault. The great white Burgundies are made with the white Pinot, which is more often called the Pinot Chardonnay. Most of the champagne area is planted, in accordance to the Code du Vin, with various species of Pinot. Here are some other Pinots used in other parts of France, with synonyms in brackets, but it is to be noted that some authors give the synonyms as the main name: Pinot gris (Auxois), Pinot noir (Plant dore, Petit Verot, Noirien), Pinot de Bourgogne (Rouget, Auvernat noir), Pinot Meunier (Auvernat gris, Goujan), Pinot Chardonnay (Muscadet, Chasselas, Auvernat blanc).
Pinot Chardonnay

This is the name given to a light fresh white wine made in the Maconnais.
Pinot de la Loire

Also, a little more commonly, Pineau. This is another name for the Chenin or Chenin blanc.
Pinhao
A town of the Douro valley, where the river of the same name meets the Douro river, around which are situated most of the more palatial quintas, or farms.
Pint
An English standard measure, the eighth part of a gallon, containing 34.5 cubic inches, and equal to.568 of a litre. In the wine trade, half- bottles of wine are often referred to as pints; actually, it should be called a reputed pint, which is 12 to the gallon.
Pipe
A word in the English language since the 14th century, derived from the old French word of the same spelling, meaning a large cask of more or less definite capacity used for wine, and formerly for other liquids and provisions. Now, the standard cask for port for Britain and containing 115 gallons. For Madeira it is 92 and for Marsala 93 gallons respectively.

Pipette
These are used to draw wine through the bung (when it is dessus- at the top) for tasting purposes. These pipettes are made of glass (sometimes of tin) and in some countries are as much as two feet in length and an inch wide. Often they are curved at the end.
Piquant
(French). Said of a wine which has a slight tendency towards turning to vinegar, and/ or a wine which is showing a secondary fermentation. Strictly speaking, it is a purely tactile sensation which is noticed when the wine touches the mouth.
Piqui

See the word above.
Pique
Caillou, Chateau red Graves from the Merignac district, making 25 hogsheads annually.

Piquette
It is to be stressed that this word has nothing to do with pinard, which is slang for wine and comes from the word pineau. Piquette is, so to speak, an official French word and means a drink made by adding water to the marc of grapes and fermenting it. It is covered by the Code du Vin: (1) All piquette made must be declared; (2) It can only be used for family consumption and for servants whose names and surnames must be furnished; (3) It must not be transported from one place to another with a view to sale; (4) Only those viticulteurs who make less than 100 hectolitres of wine a year are permitted to make piquette (here there are certain saving clauses) and in any case the permitted amount is to be less than 5 hectolitres per person per year.
Pisadores
(Spanish). The treaders who crush the grapes. See Lagar.
Pisco
A port south of Lima in Peru, the centre of the local wine and spirit trade, especially Pisco brandy. The derivation is interesting; Don Geronimo de Cabrera, who founded the town of Ica, employed members of the Pisco tribe to make jars to store the aguardiente which he had made. These jars (like Greek amphorae) came known as Piscos, but soon the fame of the spirit spread and the port from which it was shipped, also became called Pisco. It of acres) some 20 miles south of Bordeaux and almost on the banks of the Garonne. It adjoins the white wine commune of Cerons and has this commune’s appellation name rights. Some vineyards: Cru Maderot (100) Cru le Bruillerau (80), Chateau de Madere (80), Chateau de Mauves (120). The figures in brackets refer to the number of hogsheads of white wine made yearly.
Polcevera
A white wine made in the hills around Genoa in the province of Liguria, Italy.
Poligny
A distributing town (4,000 inhabitants and a restaurant starred for good food by the Guide Michelin) for the wines K the Jura and Chateau Chalon in particular.
Poltersdorf
Also known as Ellenz Poltersdorf. A village and commune on the Lower Moselle, near Cochem, in the Krampen (q.v.) section. Some vineyards: Born, Lay, Mark, Kehs, Kombrech, Oberdrill, Ellenzerberg, and some 40 more.
Pombal, Marquis of

A brilliant Portuguese minister who, having greatly assisted King Jose I to alleviate the sufferings of the people after the terrible Lisbon earthquake of 1755, restarted the famous, ruthless, successful (while Pombal was in control) Oporto Wine Company in 1756. Actually, it had been created by a Spanish merchant, Don Bartolme Pancorvo, in 1755, but failed on this man’s death. Pombal relit the ashes of his scheme by making a geographical demarcation of the Douro district, levied taxes to employ an official taster, twelve deputies, and generally control the shipping of port, and see that viti Pomegranate culture was properly conducted. In 1757, for example, the use of manure in the vineyards was forbidden with the object of producing quality rather than quantity. At the same time, the use of the elderberry (q.v.) (baga) was prohibited, and it also became illegal to blend white grape produce with that of red. For twenty years the power of the Company was absolute; heavy fines and imprisonment were meted out to wine farmers who adulterated their wines, but trade did improve with the added quality (the Company had the exclusive right to make brandy) and so did prices. In 1777, however, King Jose I died, the Marquis withdrew from public life, and the rigidity of the laws slackened.
Pomegranate
A wine is, or was, made from this fruit in Persia. A French cordial of some note is also made from it.

Pomerol
A most important Bordeaux red wine commune of 1,500 acres and village of 1,000 inhabitants, 2 miles north of Libourne, next door to St. Emilion. Some chateaux, with the annual production of wine in hogsheads: Petrus (140), Vieux Chateau Certan (160), L’Evangile (180), La Conseillante (160), Lafleur (50), PetitVillage (160), Trotanoy (100), Gazin (320), Clos L’Eglise (100), Rouget (200), Beauregard (140), La Pointe (280), Nenin (400), Bourgneuf (160), Plince (120), La Croix St. Georges (80), Moulinet (160), de Sales (400), and approximately one hundred more.
Pommard
A comely village and commune, the first south after the town of Beaune, in the Cote de Beaune. Some Pommard (relatively well- known because of its ease of pronounciation) vineyards are: Les Epenots, Les Rugiens- Bas, Le Clos- Blanc, Les Rugiens- Hauts, Clos- de- la Commaraine, Les Sausilles, Les Pezerolles, Les Charmots, La Platitre, Les Pontoures, Les Fremiers, and some 15 more.
Pommern
A commune on the Lower Moselle. Some vineyards: Greismund, Goldberg, Kapellenberg, Rosenberg, Sonnenuhr, Ziesel, Marmwerk.
Pontac
There is confusion about this word. In the first place, Cyrus Redding in 1836 talks of a Pontac as a good white Bordeaux and compares it with Bommes, Barsac and Preignac. Then a distinguished living writer says that Pontac was considered in the 17th century as one of the finest of clarets and follows this up with references from John Locke and John Evelyn to prove his case. The last edition of “Winecraft says it was an ancient type of sweet wine, and the Oxford English Dictionary says that it was a sweet wine made in the Basses- Pyrenees. Now, Cocks et Feret in Bordeaux et ses Vins give no mention of Pontac, and in the Index- Gazetteer of The Times 20th Century Atlas there is no mention of a Pontac in Bordeaux, but there is a Pontacq between Pau and Tarbes in the Basses- Pyrenees. One is led to assume that Pontac may have been a strong, rough wine transported up to Bordeaux for blending with claret, it is also a sweet South African wine.
Pontac- Monplaisir, Chateau

A red Graves from the Villenave d’Or- non district, making 80 hogsheads annually.
Pontet- Canet, Chateau

Generally placed first in order of the fifth classified growths of the Medoc (commune of Pauillac), this is one of the largest vineyard properties of the Medoc- the vines covering nearly 180 acres and the cellars (one of the few in the region underground) holding no less than 1,200 hogsheads of wine. Annual output is 800 hogsheads. it was purchased in 1885 by one of the Cruse family and has been in their hands ever since. One peculiarity of the administration of this Chateau is that no chateau- bottling takes place; the wine either being sold in bulk to shippers or removed to Bordeaux to be bottled by the owners there.
Porquerolles
A tiny island in the Mediterranean, off Toulon, whence comes a vin rose of repute.
Port-
A wine made in a specially defined area in the upper reaches of the River Douro, in an area 40 to 50 miles long and only 5 to 20 miles wide, 50 miles inland from the sea (by the town of Oporto) and extending to the Portuguese- Spanish frontier. The name is an abbreviation of the Portuguese name Vinho do Porto or wine of Oporto (the letter 0 meaning, in Poruguese, the, and porto meaning harbour). Originally (say, roughly before 1820), port was a low strength wine similar to a burgundy, but gradually more and more Portuguese brandy was added until, it is assumed, public taste changed and began to like the port as we know it today. This wine is now made by adding at the time of the vintage sufficient brandy to bring the strength up to some 18 degrees; also sufficient to stop further natural fermentation, which means that the wine remains sweet. Later on (maybe several years later) more brandy is added when it is shipped to England or other countries.

Port styles are: Tawny, Ruby, White, Late- Bottled Vintage, and Vintage.

TAWNY PORT is a light reddishbrown coloured wine, either (in the· lower class wines) a blend of red and white port (this is from an official hand- out) or (with the finer tawnies) it is a single wine of one year and one vineyard which has become russet coloured through great age in wood.

· RUBY PORT is a full, deep coloured, blended wine.

WHITE PORT is made with white grapes. Sometimes the Muscatel grape predominates, in which case the wine takes on this flavour.·

LATE BOTTLED VINTAGE. The least known port, but according to many· experts it combines the best qualities of vintage and tawny ports. These wines are produced by keeping a vintage port for 8 to 15 years and then bottling it for a further period of 5 years.

VINTAGE PORT. When a year is extra good and produces a sufficient· quantity, shippers decide (either jointly or, much less often, separately) to declare a vintage.” This means that pipes of port unblended (as with tawny and ruby) both as to quintas and, of course, the year, are shipped to Britain to be bottled in that country in the October, November or December exactly two years after the vintage. Therefore, to take 1908 and 1955 as examples, these wines bottled in November 1909 or 1911 and in November 1956 and 1958, while legally they would be the vintage port of the shipper, traditionally they would not be so. Bottling vintage port is usually done in bond, with specially long, fine quality corks with the shipper’s name and the year branded on the side of the cork. They are then wax- dipped to exclude still further the air, and when binned away a whitewash splash is put on the upper part of the bottle so that with future transportation the bottle can at each move be re- binned with the splash uppermost, i.e. the sediment at the bottom. Ideally, bottles used for vintage port should have the inside of the glass roughened (it used to be done with shot) so that the sediment can the better take a good grip. (See Appendix for list of important quintas and port vintages).
Port St. Mary

See Puerto de Santa Maria.
Portugal
Counting Algeria as part of France, Portugal is, with an output of some 240 million gallons, the fourth largest wineproducing country of the world. Her table wines (port is dealt with above) have for many centuries been popular in England; indeed, so much so that Lisbon and Bucellas were already part of the English language, signifying wines, in the seventeenth century. Districts and types of Portuguese table wines are as follows: Geographically they can be said to fall into two natural divisions- the north centreing around Oporto, Minho and the Douro , and those in the south round Lisbon and the river Tagus. Minho. This is the most northerly province of Portugal. Wines from here, around the town of Moncao and the port of Viana do Castelo, come the verde wines. They are often slightly p6tillant or crackling and are made mainly from the Alvarinho and Azal grapes, which are allowed to climb trees which border the cultivated fields. This greater distance of the grape from the ground, according to one writer, causes the wines to have an agreeable acidity which other wines in these hot climates lack.
Beira. This is a province south of Oporto and from here, around Pinhel, Dao, Lafoes, Agueda, and Bairrada, come a host of red and white wines- mostly red made with the Amaral and Arinto grapes. Lisbon- These could be called the Ocean wines, in contradistinction to the above two which are those of the mountains. North of Lisbon comes: (a) Colares, a red wine made with the Ramisco grape; (b) Almeirim, white, medium sweet; (c) Torres or Torres Vedras, powerful, red; (d) Bucellas, mainly white (e) Alcobaca, light, white; (f) Cartaxo, mainly full red. South of Lisbon, around the town of Setubal, is another wine district, red and white. See also Pombal, Methuen, Oporto, Douro, Entre- Minho- e- Douro, Bucellas, Lisbon, etc.
Port-Vendres
A town of 4,000 inhabitants, in the Pyrenees Orientales and next door to Banyuls, where much of the V.D.N. (Vins Doux Naturels) trade takes place. It is also one of the most important ports bringing in Algerian wine.
Post- Phylloxera Wines

A term which used to be applied to wines made after the recovery of European vineyards from the devastation of this pest. It used to be quite a matter of controversy, whether any of these wines equalled their prephylloxera brethren.
Posset
A drink composed of hot milk curdled with ale or wine, sugar and spices, and taken as a remedy for colds.

Potato Spirit

A spirit is made from fermented potatoes in many countries and is used for a number of purposes in beveragemaking.
Potheen. Also Poteen

Short for “uisge poitin”, or little pot whiskey; and then whiskey distilled in Ireland in small quantities, privately and illicitly.
Pot Still Spirits

Brandy and malt whiskies are distilled in a pot still. In most malt whisky distilleries, the still- house generally contains two copper stills, the larger one being called the wash still and the smaller the spirit still. On account of the shape and also because they are directly heated by a coal fire, they are known as pot stills. Similar vessels, with many slight variations in the shape of the heads, are in use in all malt distilleries. These variations further emphasise the difference in the characteristics of the whiskies from the different distilleries. The wash (fermented liquor produced from the malted barley) is distilled in the wash still, and the distillate is re- distilled in the spirit still. (See Appendix for list of whisky distilleries).
Pottle-
A very old (pre- 1300) measure of capacity for liquid, equal to half a gallon. Now abolished.

Pouget Chateau

A fourth classified growth of the Medoc, in the commune of Cantenac, making 120 hogsheads annually.
Pouilly Also Pouilly

Fuissi.Both names are those of communes making a white wine with the Chardonnay grape next door to each other in the Maconnais. Wines from the adjoining communes of Vergisson, Solutre and Chaintre can also be called Pouilly.
Pouilly
Loche and Pouilly- Vinzelles. Two twin communes in the Maconnais, making a dry white Burgundy with full appellation controlee rights.
Pouilly- sur- Loire

Not to be, as it so often is, confused with that Pouilly (see above) which is outside Macon and also makes dry white wines. In the first half of the nineteenth century, forty thousand hectolitres of wine were produced annually in the Pouilly sur- Loire district, which cornprises the communes of Saint Andelin, Tracy, Garchy, Saint Laurent, Saint- Martin, and Pouilly- sur- Loire. Now less than ten thousand hectolitres are produced there annually, and indeed it is only Pouilly- sur Loire, Tracy and Saint- Andelin which are really wine- making communes. The main reason is that so many slopes on the west and south- west have been abandoned, owing to the irregularity of production due to April and May frosts. The two chief grapes are the Sauvignon (also called the Blanc- fume) and the Chasselas. Wines made in this region exclusively with the former grape may be called Pouilly Fume or Blanc- Fume- de- Pouilly. Wines made with the Chasselas (or with this $rape and an admixture of Sauvignon) may be called Pouilly sur- Loire It is to be noted that an appellation Pouilly alone does not exist in the Loire.
Pourriture Noble-

The French term (noble rottenness) for a grey mould known scientifically as Botrytis cinerea, which develops on grapes in damp weather and which none the less causes the sought- after qualities of both Sauternes and top- price hocks. What happens is that mycelial (white filament- like tubes) threads penetrate the grape skin and feed upon the juice. As this does not affect the flavour of the grapes yet causes rapid evaporation of the water from the juice, the result is a concentration of the sugar content, which is what (if a sweet natural wine is desired) the grower seeks. The Germans call it Edelfaule; it is to be noted that the fungus occurs on other fruits where, so far from doing good, it causes much spoliation. Botrytis cinerea comes (via the Greek) from the Latin and means, loosely, an ash- coloured cluster shape which describes this fungus with some accuracy. In this connection we are, indeed, given to speculate as to whether the Romans knew or made wines which we would now consider resembled the great wines of the Sauternes district or the fine Trockenbeerenauslese wines of the Rheingau or the Moselle.

The answer to this query may be found in the works of Pliny the Elder (he lived at the same time as Virgil and died of asphyxiation during the eruption of Vesuvius, trying to sail in too close to the volcano to learn what was happening- all recorded by his nephew, Pliny the Younger), who has a remarkable passage in his great work Natural History.
In Book Fourteen (the total number of books is thirty- six), Pliny the Elder talking of grape varieties says:

The Spiona, called by some the Thorn Vine, is able to bear heat and is ripened by rainy weather in autumn; what is more, indeed, it is the only vine that thrives from fog, on which account it is the only vine which is specially grown in the district of Raverma.

Now, apart from everything else, this town on the Adriatic coast (of 90,000 inhabitants) is one where, on account of its connections with the Augustan Age, wines could well have been grown and have flourished exceedingly. Ravenna is south of Venice and east of Bologna on the Adriatic coast and was an important naval station in the time of the Roman Empire.

We turn next to Pliny’s remarkably exact statement that the Spiona or Thorn Vine thrives on fog. Pliny’s text is often confused; sometimes, too, he borders on fantasy for we are still bewildered to learn that the Egyptians had a wine called the delivery wine, because it caused abortion, that they had also caused diarrhoea, and that they also considered that cabbage water was the sovereign remedy for hangovers- taken in the same way that the gay partygoer these days fortifies himself with a half tablespoonful of olive oil against the forthcoming sherry party. Here, though, we have no ambiguity and when we seek for an explanation we do find an answer. The clue is in the statement mentioned abovein damp weather. When there has been an exceptionally fine or, rather, non- rainy year, the skin of the grape toughens up sufficiently and does not permit the breaking open of the skin until this has been achieved by a short period of fog or misty weather.
Pousse- (French)

A disease of wines. Those which have got it become flat and even a little sour. To the eye, wines with pousse become slightly cloudy and their colour takes on a blackish tinge.

Pousse Cafe

French semi- slang for a small glass of alcohol taken after the coffee. In America, a fancy arrangement of coloured liqueurs poured into a small deep glass in such a way that the colours remain distinctively visible.
Powdery Mildew

A cousin of Downy Mildew (q.v.).
Pramnian Wine

A most famous Greek wine of ancient times and its praises were sung by Homer in the Iliad and the Odyssey. Almost certainly it was something of the sweet Tokay type and not of any special vineyard.
Precipitation
A scientific term to describe certain deposits found in liquids and deposited in wines, etc., at the bottom of casks and bottles.
Precoce
(French- precocious).Wines and, more particularly, vine species which quickly attain early maturity.
Preferential Duty

This usually refers to the Imperial preference granted by Mr. Baldwin’s Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. (now Sir) Winston Churchill, in 1927. The two countries which mostly benefited (for the preference was then very high- 50 per cent.) were Australia and South Africa, though all wines of Imperial or Colonial origin were granted the preference.

Preignac
A village (2,000 inhabitants) and a commune (3,000 acres) some 25 miles south of Bordeaux, situated on the banks of the River Garonne and in the region of Sauternes and with this appellation controlee right. In Preignac is the lst classified growth of Chateau du Suduiraut and the 2nd classified growth of Chateau de Malle, (q.v.) as well as some 30 crus bourgeois, and crus bourgeois superieurs, all making white wine. Some of these are: Chateau Saint Amand, which makes 80 hogsheads of white wine in the year. It is one of the oldest buildings of the district, having been in the fourth century A.D., the residence of Saint Amand, who then was the Bishop of Bordeaux. Chateau d’Armajan- des- Ormes (production 60 hogsheads of white wine annually) which, though in another style, has existed since the thirteenth century. But, subsequently, the sixteenth century saw greater things: on 4th May, 1565, Charles IX and Catherine de Medici and the whole of their magnificent train in the course of a journey from Bordeaux to Langon stopped at Armajan. So pleased were their majesties that the property was ennobled, the letters patent granting this mark of esteem being published in Tour in November of the same year. At that time Armajan belonged to a rich Bordeaux merchant, whose tomb is still to be seen in the church of Preignac. Some other Preignac chateaux (with the number of hogsheads of white wine made annually in brackets) are de Pick (200), Playtegeat (80), Gillette (100), Domaine des Justices (100), Domaine de la For& (80), La Ribotte (60), du Mont (40), Veyres (80), and Jonka (40). Premeaux- See Nuits St. Georges.
Presses, Wine

Though it is not an old wives’ tale that in many vineyard districts of the world a finer wine is made by pressing with the human foot (with or without boots), the wine press (first of wood) is almost as old as wine itself. The older wooden presses took two forms: first, the screw type with a huge lever jutting out horizontally which several men pushed round and round; and, second, the lever press where the handles were large beams or often (as in the case of the huge press still on view at Clos Vougeot) trunks of giant trees. Interesting examples of old wine presses can be seen in the wine museums of Speyer (Germany) and Vila Franca de Panades (Spain). More modern presses are electrically and hydraulically driven. They can be the vertical type, which can best be described as resembling a huge circular tub with straight sides made of wooden slats bound by iron bands. Into the tub go the grapes and then an hydraulic lid comes down and very slowly crushes the mass, the juice running out between the slats. The second and perhaps more modern type of mechanical crusher is where the tub (or, better, cylinder) is set horizontally and two crushers work inwards from both ends.
Preuses, Les

One of the foremost vineyards of Chablis.
Prieure, Chateau

A very old fourth classified growth of the Medoc, created by the ancient Priors of Cantenac, now called Chateau Prieure- Lichine. Annual production is 120 hogsheads.

Priorato
A very full- bodied dark red wine from a district outside Reus (near Tarragona) in Spain. A great deal of it goes (as does much wine from Tarragona) to other wine- growing countries for topping up vintages deficient in colour.
Prise Wines

Wines taken at prisage, i.e. the King’s Customs. This term was applied to those wines taken by past kings and powerful nobles of England for their own use from cargoes arriving here from abroad. The royal rights covered one cask of the wine carried before the mast and one of that.1 aft the mast. If the quantities were not considered satisfactory or suitable, further stocks were taken at the king’s own valuation.
Prissey
A village and commune just south of Nuits St. Georges in the Cote de Nuits. With approximately 25 acres, most of the wine goes to market as Vin Fin de la Cote de Nuits. Privas- A small wine- making commune, now rarely heard of, in the Rhone Valley, south of Valence. The wines are made around the town (3,000 inhabitants) of the same name.
Probus
A Roman Emperor of the third century A.D. (276- 282) who rescinded the vine grubbingup edicts of his predecessor, Domitian. Probus not only encouraged viticulture but employed his soldiers to lay out and plant vineyards in ancient Gaul. The Gate of Mars at Reims was erected during his reign as a token c gratitude for his actions.
Prohibition
During the world’ recorded history several attempts have been made to enforce total or partial prohibition of the use of alcoholic liquors It is hard to write entirely objectively on such a subject in a work like this, but the Airs thing to point out is that the word prohibition denotes to most people’s minds total prohibition and that, if asked to state another thought that the word evoked, the answer would be the United States of America. Here, it is true to relate that (it started with the Volstead Act of 1919) it was sneaked into the legislation by the women voters of the country while a number of the men were in Europe following World War 1, that it caused the rise of a wave of gangsterism, disrespect ot the law, and deaths through drinking wood alcohol, and was such a failure that it was repealed (at least partially so, for some states are still dry) in 1933. The only lasting example of total prohibition working (whether successfully is another matter) is that of Mohammed’s law. But partial prohibition is a different matter. It is more complicated, more worthy of study, and at times has been a brilliant success in the sense of leading a country away from the losses of production caused by excessive drinking, yet allowing the more rational members of the community to enjoy the alcoholic drinks of their choice. The British licensing acts are a form of mild partial prohibition and have been a success. They started in Queen Anne’s reign and went on steadily combatting insobriety until the end of World War II. Australia and Canada both have partial prohibition. But these three countries have held on to their licensing laws too long; after, in fact, the evils they were framed to stop have died away. Therefore, perhaps the most successful example of partial prohibition is that of a country which took it up, made it work, and dropped it before it got out of date- Sweden. It was most complicated and some of its provisions seem as stupid to us as do our public house hours to a Frenchman. You could, for example, drink as much lager as you liked in a public place at all hours of the day, and yet you could (in public) only get spirits if you ordered food with it, and women were rationed to less than men. But, by and large, it was a system of rationing you to a certain amount of spirits in your private home according to your means and status. It was called the Bratt system and was repealed in 1957.

Proof Spirit

This term relates to an arbitrary standard adopted for facilitating calculations. Here is the definition from the Customs and Excise Act of 1952: Spirits shall be deemed to be proof if the volume of the ethyl alcohol contained therein made up to the volume of the spirits with distilled water has a weight equal to that of twelve- thirteenths of a volume of distilled water equal to the volume of spirits, the volume of each liquid being computed as at 51 degs. F. That is to say, that at 51 degs. F. proof spirit contains by weight 48.2 per cent. alcohol and by volume 57.0 per cent. alcohol. In Britain, spirits are sold at 30 degs. under proof or 70 degs. proof, i.e. a bottle of spirits contains 101 ounces of alcohol.
Prosecco
A curious, very light, often semi- sparkling wine made around Conegliano in Venetia and having a very slightly bitter background. It does not favour being kept.
Provence
Vinously a difficult word to cope with. It is the name of a former province of France which is now split up into the departements of Alpes Maritimes, Bouches- du- Rhone, Var and Vaucluse, and therefore a Chateauneuf- du- pape and a Tavel could be called Provence wines. But so far as wine goes, Provence really includes a strip running along the Mediterranean, starting at Marseille and ending at Nice and taking in La Palette, Cassis, Bandol and Bellet. Wines entitled to be called Cote de Provence have V.D.Q.S. rights.

Provinage
(French)- A method employed chiefly in Burgundy and Champagne (and, for obvious reasons, much more before the phylloxera invasion) of restocking a vineyard by making a branch of a vine stock take root without detaching it from the mother plant.
Prunelle
A form of liqueur with a plum, prune or sloes flavour, popular in several continental countries.

Ptuj
A wine town of foremost importance in Yugoslavia and the centre of the regions of Radgona, Maribor and Lutomer. At Ptuj there is also a wine museum.
Puerto de Sta. Maria

Called by the Spanish El Puerto and by English sherry shippers in past generations Port Saint Mary, this most pleasant town is to Cadiz what Viana (q.v.) is to Oporto seaport which has lost its vinous importance to another bigger place. EI Puerto, with its near 30,000 inhabitants (greatly exceeded in the summer when tourists crowd into the surrounding beaches from Cadiz, Jerez and Seville), is a curiously attractive place. Sleepy though it is now it is not difficult to imagine the bustle that went on in its heyday when the wealth of the New World poured into the city. For this is one of the places which supplied Christopher Columbus on his famous voyages (there were four in all) to what he thought was the Indies. Indeed, a tablet let into the walls of the ornate Moorish Castle of San Marcos reminds the visitor that the Admiral was accompanied by Juan de la Cosa and Pedro de Villa of the town. Other things to see are the beautiful early fourteenth century Ayuntamiento (town hall) which lies in the Plaza de Isaac Peral, and the unfinished thirteenth century Mayor Prioral church where there is a fine statue of Nuestra Senora de Milagros, the patron saint of the town. To reach the town from Cadiz by far the quickest and most comfortable way is to take the speedy little passenger tugs across the huge bay and thus get a breathtaking view of Cadiz into the bargain.

Pujols
A village and commune in the Entre- deux- Mers district of Bordeaux making both red and white wines. There is also a Domaine de Pujols at Rions in the Premieres Cotes de Bordeaux producing 200 hogsheads of white wine annually.
Puligny
Montrachet- Montrachet is the name of a vineyard, in the Cote de Beaune, making Burgundy’s most distinguished white wine. Both the villages of Chassagne and Puligny (because they share the vineyard) have taken Montrachet as part of their name. Some other vineyards of Puligny are: Caillerets (partly), Pucelles, Blagny Blanc, Combettes, Chevalier- Montrachet.
Pulque
An alcoholic beverage, widely used in Mexico, made from the fermented sweet sap of a certain species of native agave, a form of aloe plant.
Punch
The word is commonly supposed to come from the Indian word “panch”, the Sanskrit word “panchan” and/or the Persian word “panj”- all meaning five, from the fact that this concoction usually is made with five ingredients. But a long note in the Oxford English Dictionary points out that in the 17th century punch was almost certainly pronounced poonch, as it still is in the north of England, and that this being so, its origin from an Indian source is improbable, especially as the number of ingredients does not seem to have been at any time so fixed as to give origin to a name. Moreover, several early references to the word show that punch was particularly a seaman’s drink and it is suggested that the name originated, not in India, but on the way thither and may have been a sailor’s shortening of puncheon. Punch now is a beverage composed of wine or spirits with hot water, milk or tea, and flavoured with sugar, lemon, some spice or cordial. Of all the spirits which can excellently be used to make a punch (using the word alone one expects it to be hot; if cold, the word is qualified by iced) rum is the one which comes to the mind of the public. And of all fruits, the lime is the most popular.
Puncheon
From the Old French poncon, ponson, a large cask for liquids, fish, etc., of a definite capacity, varying from 72 gallons for beer to 120 for whisky, rum and brandy.
Punderich
A village and commune on the Moselle near Zell. Some vineyards: GoIdlay, Marienberg, Rosenberg.
Punt
The term applied to the inturning or hollow (also called the kick) found in present- day claret, burgundy, Graves, brandy, etc., bottles. It is often supposed that this was originally intended to strengthen them for transport purposes, but this is by no means sure and the derivation of the word certainly does not support this theory. The word comes from punty, ponty, pontil, punt, punto, which is an iron rod used in glass- blowing. The punty- sticker was the man who sticks a quantity of melted glass on to the punty or punty rod. The second meaning is a round hollow made on a glass object to remove without blemish the mark made by the purity rod.
Pupillin
A tiny hamlet amidst beautiful scenery a few miles from Arbois. There is a Cave Cooperative here and the vineyards have a great reputation for making fine white wines called vin jaune which, according to the Appellation laws, may not be sold until it has matured in casks and without being topped up for at least six years. The inhabitants make much of the saying: “Arbois le nom. Pupillin le bon.”
Pupitres
French for desks. These are used in the making of champagne and all sparkling wines which are matured in their bottles, for holding the bottles (the cork placed downwards) for the operation of shaking and shifting deposits from the sides of bottles on to the corks. See Remuage.
Purl
Formerly a liquor made by infusing bitter herbs or wormwood in ale; later a mixture of hot beer and gin (also called a dog’s nose) and sometimes with ginger and sugar. Purl Royal was formerly an infusion of wormwood in wine.
Puttonyos
A word found on the labels of bottles of Tokay. It means a basket measure (of about 30 Ibs.) of selected, over- ripe, late picked berries added to the (approximate)

Oak Casks

By reason of its strength and because this wood imparts no unpleasant aromas and tastes to the liquids stored in it, oak has been found to make the most suitable casks for use in maturing wines and spirits. For cognac it used to be considered that a certain oak from the forest of Limousin, France, was especially suitable. Other sources used to be Memel and Lubeck.
Oberdiebach
A village and commune on the Middle Rhine. Some vineyards: Hub (also called Bischofshub), Furstenberg, Munchberg, SteIzenberg.
Oberemmel
A village and commune on the Saar, Germany. Some vineyards: Altenberg, Agritiusberg, Hutte, Raul, Rosenberg, Junkerberg, Scharzberg (part of this vineyard is also in Wiltingen).
Obernai
A town (close to Strasbourg), and wine-growing centre of the Bas Rhin district of Alsace.

Oberwesel
- A village and commune on the Middle Rhine. Some vineyards: Lauerbaum, Rheinhell, Oelsberg, Elfenlay.

Obscuration (in spirts)

On distillation, spirits are colourless, but for psychological and traditional reasons they are coloured with caramel. This increases the density, thus having the effect of obscuring the true strength. Thus a permit on which 2 degrees of obscuration was recorded would when being tested on a Sykes Hydrometer show (for instance) 70 degs. proof, when its true strength is 72 deg. proof.
Ochsenfurt
A lovely little town (actually Oxford) on the Franconian Weinstrasse.
Ockfen
A village/commune on the Saar, Germany, making wines of great repute. Some vineyards: Bockstein, Geisberg, Heppestein, Herrenberg, Oberherrenberg.
Odernheim
A village/commune on the Nahe, Germany. Some vineyards: Heisweg, Homberg, Disibodenberg, Langenberg.
Oechsle
A German standard scale for fixing a wine’s sugar content.
Oenology
The science of winemaking; from the Greek oinos, wine.
Oesterreicher
Synonymous with Sylvaner (q.v.). So called because it may have originated in Austria.
Oestrich
A village and large wine commune on the Rheingau near Hallgarten and Winkel. Some vineyards: Doosberg, Klostergarten, Pfaffenberg, Rauscherberg, Klosterberg, Rosengarten, Magdalenengarten, Kerbesberg, Lenchen, Eisemberg, Holle, Hitz, Deez.
Offenburg
A wine-growing district in the Ortenau district of Germany, very near to and within sight of Strasbourg.
Ofner
A good wine growth of Buda, Hungary.
Oger

A village and district south of Epernay in the C6te de Blancs area of Champagne.

Ohio
- After New York State’s Finger Lakes district, Ohio is the most important wine-making district of the Eastern United States. One hundred years ago, the Ohio area which was famous for wine-making was around Cincinnati, but now it has entirely disappeared. Today, the grapes flourish on islands of Lake Erie, with Sandusky as the centre.
Ohligsberg
German for oil hill. A vineyard place name of Wintrich.

Oidium
This is the most common of all the diseases of the vine. It takes the form of a fungus which only attacks the green parts of the plant-the leaves, and the grapes before they have turned red or yellow. The presence of oidium on the plant is first noticed by the sight of a grey dust on the invaded parts, which comes off easily by rubbing. These are the grains or seeds of the fungus. Also called mildew or, more accurately, powdery mildew (not to be confused with downy mildew), this fungus was devastating European vineyards by the middle of the last century. The Times of 20th September, 1859, said: The late rain has favoured the growth of the graves which escaped the oidium and the hail, which shows that dread of this fungus was of international importance. Some of the ravages caused by oidium were disastrous; in Bordeaux, production dropped by a half, but in Madeira in 1852 the fungus appeared in the spring, just as the blossoms were out, and in a few weeks completely wiped out the crop. The Canary Islands suffered as badly. Suddenly, a remedy was found, and ever since has been the prime treatment. This is to dust finely powdered sulphur on the leaves, to the tune of some 16 Ibs. per acre of vineyards, and the first spraying should take place in the spring. A total of at least three sulphurings yearly is necessary.
Oil Proof

A system used in the Charente for ascertaining the strength of brandies. A drop of olive oil is let fall into the spirit and will sink to the bottom if the strength is between 19 and 20 of Cartier’s instrument.
Old Fashioned

A popular whiskybase American cocktail.
Old Tom

The name given to a form of sweetened gin.
Oleron, Ile de

An island just off the mouth of the River Gironde, once noted for its wine.
Olewig
Incorporated in Trier.
Oliena
A heavy, dark red wine, with sometimes a taste of herbs, made in Sardinia. Made with the Cannonan and Monica grapes. One official Italian book describes the aftertaste as bitterish and tarry.
Olive Oil

In many countries the making of wine and olive oil are kindred industries. In Italy and other countries. before the advent of corks, bottles and flasks of wine were topped up with a little olive oil before being caulked with a flax stopper.
Olivier, Chateau

A famous, ancient, and imposing chiteau of the Graves district of Bordeaux, making 80 hogsheads of red wine annually.
Oloroso
Spanish for scented, fragrant. By and large, sherries are classified as finos (q.v.) and olorosos. It has been said, exaggeratedly, that all sherries would be finos if they could. Generally speaking, olorosos (in spite of their name) have less aroma than finos, though on the palate they have a greater vinosity, and although as dry as any other sherry they do give a feeling of fullness on the palate. See also Palo Cortado.
Omar Khayyam

The medieval Persian poetical writer and author of the immortal rubaiyat translated by Fitzgerald. This work is generally considered to be one of the finest appreciations of wine in existence.
Onctueux (French)

Said of a wine which is fat and moelleux; one which has an agreeable softness about it. Such a wine is said to leave tears in the bottom of the glass.
Onion Colour

see Pelure d’Oignon.
Opimian

An ancient Eastern European wine of great repute, much lauded by Pliny and others. It derives its name from Lucius Opimius, who was Consul of Rome the year of a fabulously fine vintage-121 B.C.
Oporto
A city of Portugal in the province of Entre-Douro-e-Minho, about two miles from the mouth of the Douro. This most hilly city is the headquarters of the port wine trade and still houses a large English colony. In this town is the famous Factory House, built in 1790, the construction being supervised by Consul John Whitehead. It got its name because there lived in Oporto at that time a large number of factors who used to receive orders from their principals in Great Britain On the opposite side of the Douro to Oporto is Vila Nova da Gaia (q.v.).
Oppenheim
A picturesque town near Nierstein in the Rheinhesse. Some vineyards: Kreuz, Steig, Daubhaus, Herrenweiher, Herrenberg, Sacktrager, Goldberg, Reisekahr, Zuckerberg, Schlossberg, Kehrweg, Brunnchen, Krotenbrunnen, Kugel.
Oran
A departement and town of Algeria (q.v.) from whence comes a truly enormous amount of red wine, most of which is shipped to France proper. Some of the wines have the right to the designation V.D.Q.S.
Orange
This fruit is used for the manufacture of orange bitters, orange brandy and orange gin It is also used in making curacao, a favourite liqueur of universal fame which originated in the island of Curacao, West Indies, but the best types are now made in Europe. A domestic or homemade wine is also made from an orange basis.
Ordinaire
- Of a wine, one which has no vices and no virtues Applied to vins du pays, usually natural wines without any fortification.
Ordonnae-et-Potensac
A commune of the Medoc, making rather ordinary wines.
Orgeat
A syrup or cooling drink first made from barley (orge, French, barley), and subsequently from almonds and orange-flower water.
Original-Abfullung
German for original bottling or mise du chateau, (q.v.).
Orleans
The wines of the Orleanais used to be most popular up to the end of the last century, but now they are hardly seen outside their district. They are made on the right bank of the Loire around Orleans, along a strip only 60 kilometres long and some 4 wide. Some names to note are: Braye, Semoy, Orleans, Saran, Meung, Tavers, Beaugency, Olivet, Mareau. Both red and white wines are made, some with the right to be labelled Vins delimites de qualite superieure, or V.D.Q.S.
Orris Root

The rhizome of three species of iris which has a fragrant odour like that of violets. Sometimes used to flavour gin and sundry liqueurs.
Ortenau
A wine-growing district, fairly important in Germany but not well-known in England. It lies between Offenburg and Baden Baden, in the Middle Baden viticultural area. Some communes: Durbach, Fessenbach, Waldulm, Ortenburg.
Orujo
Spanish name for the residue of grapes after they have been pressed or trodden; it is used as food for poultry and other domestic animals.
Orvieto
One of Italy’s most famous wines, made 60 miles north of Rome, in the province of Umbria, in the hills around the town of Orvieto. It is white, usually sold in broad bottomed flasks similar to the wicker flasks of Chianti, mainly made with Verdello, Prociano and Malvasia grapes, and is marketed from dry to fairly sweet.
Osann
A village and commune on the Middle Moselle, near Wintrich. Some vineyards: Hofberg, Rosenberg, Lehn.
Osey. Aussay. Ossey

A wine which was very popular in England around the 14th century. Other wine dictionaries have stated that its place of origin has never been definitely fixed, but the Oxford English Dictionary states that the word comes from Old French Aussay, which in turn comes from the Latin Al(i)satius-Alsace, i.e. a wine from this region.
Osiris
This deity represented the deceased Pharaoh. He was associated with fertility, and Herodotus identified him with the wine god, Dionysus.
Osthofen
A not very great winemaking commune and village in the Rheinhesse, near Worms. Some vineyards: Hasenbiss, Goldberg, Wolm, Kirchberg, Lumpensteig, Reitel, Schnapp.

Ottrott
A wine village and commune near Barr in the Bas Rhin, Alsace.

Ouillage, (French)

From the verb ouiller. To replace in a cask the wine which has evaporated and so keep the cask full to the bung.
Ouzo
A Greek spirit, generally water white, with an aniseed flavouring. Something like the French absinthe.
Over Proof

When spirits exceed the Sykes proof standard of strength, as officially accepted in England, they are called Over Proof.
Oxymel

An ancient British medicinal beverage, made from wine vinegar and honey.

Nachwein

German for piquette (q. v.).

Nackenheim
A most reputed village/commune between Bodenheim and Nierstein in the Rheinhesse, more famous in Germany than outside. Some vineyards: Stiel, Rotenberg, Fritzenholl, Spitzenberg, Kapelle, Sommerwinn, Engelsberg, Feuchelberg, Rheinhahl, Smittskapelle.

Nalie
A tributary of the Rhine which joins the latter river at the town of Bingen. So far as wine-making is concerned, the river runs from the village of Rockenhasen through Alsenz, Bad Munster, Bad Kreuznach, ending at Bingen, which, though more on the Nahe than it is on the Rhine, is classed as a Rheinhessen. The district has approximately 80 communes in all, making a white wine which has been said by many to be halfway in body and flavour between a hock and a Moselle. Some of the communes are: Bad Kreuznach, Bretzenheim, Feil, Bingert, Langenlonsheim, Munster-Sarmsheim, Ordernheim, Sobernheim, Wallhausen, Winzenheim.

Nantes
The town of the departement of the Loire-Inferieure, at the mouth of the Loire, around which-mainly to the east Muscadet is grown.

Nantz
A now obsolete word (generally Right Nantz was used) for brandy, after the above mentioned town; either because Nantes brandy was in vogue, or because it was from this port that cognac was shipped.

Napa Valley

A county and valley north of San Francisco Bay making among the best red and white wines of California.

Naples
Around the bay and town of this capital of the province of Campania are made Falerno, Capri, Lacrima Christi, and many others of Italy’s best wines.

Napoleon
In spite of the fact that he took an interest in grape cultivation on the island of Elba (q.v.) and much cognac is connected with his name, Napoleon (who almost certainly had cancer of the stomach) was quite indifferent to what he ate and drank.

Narbonne
An important town (32,000) in the Aude departement of France, surrounded by vast wine and spirit trade associations.

Nasco
A golden yellow, potent, dessert wine which is supposed to have a bouquet of orangeblossom, made in Sardinia, Italy.

Natur
Also Naturwein and Naturrein. Applied to German wines fermented without the addition of sugar. Indeed, if a wine label carries one of these words, it is illegal so to do.

Nature
A description applied to champagne to which no liqueur or dosage has been added. See also brut.

Neac
A village and commune just by St. Emilion in the Gironde, making red wine. Some chateaux: Moncets, Siaurac, Moulin-a-Vent, Tournefeuille, BelAir.

Neat Spirits

A term used for spirits consumed without the addition of water, etc.

Nebbiolo
The name of a black grape cultivated all over the north of Italy and in Piedmont in particular. The word means mist in Italian, and this species is everywhere the last to be gathered. It is light red as a wine, generally sold quite young, and, as the Italians say frizzantino, i.e. with a pronounced prickle on the tongue. The quality of Nebbiolo varies greatly from slope to slope.

Nebuchadnezzar
The name for a giant bottle (hardly ever used for serious bottling purposes) taking 20 ordinary bottles.

Neck Labels-

See Labels.

Neckar
The upper valley (Stutt-gart to Mannheim) of the River Neckar, in the Wurttemberg district of Germany, makes more wine than does the entire Rhein-gau. It is both red and white and of average quality.

Nectar
A word of obscure origin which in classical mythology means the drink (sometimes incorrectly applied to the food) of the gods. Thus, by transference, it is any delicious wine or other drink. Homer’s famous nectar was the wine of Scio in Greece.

Neef
A small village/commune near Zell on the Middle Moselle, Germany. Some vineyards: Frauenberg, Rosenberg, Petersberg.

Negre

The local Libourne name for the Malbec grape (q.v.).

Negro Rancia

A sweet, yellow wine produced at Rota near Jerez, Spain.

Negroni

See Americano.

Negus
A composition of sweet wine (usually port or sherry) and hot water, sweetened with sugar and flavoured. Named after its 18th century inventor, Colonel Francis Negus.

Nennin, Chateaux

A vineyard of Pomerol, St. Emilion.

Nepenthe
A drink or drug of Egyptian origin capable of banishing grief. Supposed to be made from an East Indian plant whose leaves have the form of pitchers.

Nerveux
(French)- Vigorous. Of a wine with zest and of sufficient strength, flavour and breeding to preserve these qualities for a long time.

Neszmely
A white Hungarian table wine. It used to be available in England in the latter part of the last century.

Neuchatel
The name of a canton (in the French part), a lovely town, a lake, and a white wine of Switzerland. Drunk sur place, these wines (made with the Chasselas grape) have great charm, especially as the better ones (the soil is chalky) are slightly petillant (q.v.). As they are poured into the local glasses the bubbles often do come to the top in the form of a five-pointed star-an occurrence of which the inhabitants are most proud. The vineyards (2,000 acres of them) stretch in an almost unbroken line from the village of Landeron down to that of Vaumarcus. Other village/communes are: Cornaux, St- Blaise, Peseux, Auvernier, Cressier, Colombier. Boudry, Bevaix, Cortaillod, Gorgier, St. Aubin and Champreveyres.

Neudorf
This village (200 acres of vines) was rechristened Martinsthal in the middle thirties of this century, the growers deciding that new village was so unglamorous a name as to hinder the sales of their wine. It is situated between Rauenthal and Eltville in the Rheingau. Some vineyards: Langenberg, Steinberg, Pfaffenberg, Geisberg, Rodchen, Sand and Muckenberg (Midges Mountain or Gnats’ Knoll).

Neumagen
This town on the Middle Moselle used to be called Noviomagnus and is mentioned by Ausonius (q.v.) in his poem The Moselle. It was also near here that Constantine built a summer villa which he used before returning to Trier. Neumagen (said to be the oldest wine-producing town in Germany) is also closely associated with the discovery of the stone wine galley (now in the Trier Museum) from the Roman tomb of probably, a wine merchant. Some vineyards: Rosengartchen, Tierbach, Leyenberg, Laudamusberg, Pichter, Pfaffenberg, Engelgrube, Hengelberg.

Neustadt
One of the most important towns on the Deutsche Weinstrasse and situated at the southern end of the Middle Haardt, Neustadt is a major centre of the wine trade, though the wine (some red is made here) is only of average quality. Some vineyards: Bobig, Bohl, Hag, Neuloth, Grain, Guckinsland, Kies, Vogelsang, Erkenbrecht, and some 20 more.

New South Wales

The first State in Australia to make wine. Captain Phillip, the first Governor, planted European vines outside Sydney when he landed in 1788 and three years later he was drinking wine. In New South Wales there are excellent vineyards at Paramatta and Minchinbury but this State, so far as output is concerned, has been outstripped by Victoria and South Australia. See also Australia.

New York State

The second largest wine making State in the U.S.A. See America and Finger Lakes.

Newfoundland
For centuries the island of Newfoundland his had an international trade with Portugal, bartering dried cod with wine.

Niagara
A species of Vitis labrusca, the fox grape, which in spite of the foxy taste and smell it imparts to the wine was at one time hailed in the district of Lake Ontario as the ideal grape for table and wine purposes. Rapidly dying out in the U.S.A. and Canada.

Niagara Peninsula

A part of the Canadian province of Ontario where nearly all Canadian wine is made.

Nice

See Bellet.

Nieder
German for lower, nether. There are some 30 villages or communes beginning with this word in wine-growing districts of Germany, let alone other parts.

Niederemmel
A village and commune on the Middle Moselle. Some vineyards: Gunterslay, Hohlweid, Pichter.

Niederhausen
A village and commune belonging to the Kreuznach district of the Nahe, where is situated the world-famous State wine domain of Shloss Bockelheim (q.v.). Some Niederhausen vineyards: Hermannshohle, Hermannsberg, Steyer, Rossel, Fels, Pfingstweide. There is also a Niederhausen in the Palatinate.

Niederkirchen
A village and commune in the Mittelhaardt, Germany, on the Wine Road next to Ruppertsberg. Some vineyards: Martinweg, Grundpfad, Gutenbrunnen, Imort.

Niederleuken
A village and commune on the Saar, now generally incorporated with Saarburg (q.v.). Some Niederleuken vineyards: Fuchs, Kupp.

Niedermennig
A town and commune on the River Saar, Germany. Some vineyards: Euchariusberg, Herrenberg, Zuckerberg, Sonnenberg.

Niederwalluf
An attractive little village and commune near Eltville in the Rheingau. Some vineyards: Walkenberg, Gottesacker, Steinritz, Oberberg, Unterberg, Serch.

Nierstein
The most important wine town in the Rheinhesse. There are some 500 individual growers who collectively and individually have been responsible for a very high standard of viticulture here. Here, two names have been allowed to be generic vineyard names and any grower can call his wine Domtal or Monzenberg. Some 1,400 acres of vines are under cultivation, producing half-a-million gallons of wine yearly. There are here so many vineyards that a further subdivision has been made and there are ten collective names used for simplification, but there are vineyards within these vineyards. As follows: Spiegelberg- Domtal, Findleng, Hessbaum, Diebsweg, Behzilge, Grasweg, Klaver, Loch, Warte, Rehbacher Steig and some 30 more. Rebbach-Floss, Pettental, Hinkelstein and some five more. Fockenherg- Schnappenberg, Stumpfenloch, Weissenberg Schmitt, Rosenberg and some ten more. Hipping-Tal, Kehr, Fuchsloch, Flachenhahl, Pfutze Eselpfad and some five more. St. Kiliansberg.- Gransberg, Kreuz, Bergkirche and some seven more. Auflangen- Pfuhlweg, Rohr, Lohgasse and some seven more. Helligenbaum- Orbel, Bruch and some eight more. Bildstock-Bruch, Rossberg, Neunmorgen, Ried, Daubhaus, Riedmuhle, Bruckchen and some ten more. Paterberg- Taubhaus, Burgweg, Galgenburg, Fahrt, Holle, Oppenheim, Strasse, Monzenberg, Kanal and some twentyfive others. Oelberg-Warte, Streng, Steig and some four others.

Night-Wine
A wine which was made on the island of Santorin called the wine of night, because the vintage was conducted during the cooler and darker evening hours.

Nile, River

In ancient times the Nile Valley produced such famous wines as Arsinoe, Mendes and Mareotis, in addition to the famed Sebenytus wine.

Nip
An abbreviation of nipperkin, i.e. a small quantity of spirits, less than a glassful.

Nittel
A village and commune on the Upper Moselle, Germany. Some vineyards: Gipfel, Schock, Goth, Leiterchen, Schorm, Kuff and some 40 more.

Noah
Genesis IX, 20, 21. And Noah began to be a husbandman and he planted a vineyard. And he drank the wine and was drunken.

Noah
An American grape of the Vitis vulpina species, introduced into Europe after the phylloxera and still used as a grafting vine makes a very alcoholic wine but with a foxy taste.

Noble Rot

See Pourriture Noble.

Nog
A kind of strong beer brewed in East Anglia; also short for egg-nog which, apart from a beer brew, was a wine posset with eggs in it.

Noggin
A word of obscure origin meaning, firstly, a small drinking vessel, and, secondly, a small quantity of liquor (generally spirits), usually a quarter-pint.

Noisette, Creme de

A liqueur flavoured with hazelnuts.

Noix, Creme de

A liqueur flavoured with walnuts.

Noizay
A small village and commune in the Vouvray area. on the Loire, and with the right to be sold as Vouvray.

Nomentum
The name of a vine species used in Roman times.

Nordheim
A village/commune in the Franconian district of Germany. Some vineyards: Vogelein, Kreuzberg.

Norheim
A village and commune near Kreuznach in the Nahe, Germany. Some vineyards: Dellchen, Gotzenfels, Kafels, Kirschheck, Merp.

North Coast Counties

The name given to a group of counties around San Francisco where the best red and white Californian wines come from.

Noyau, Creme de

A liqueur flavoured with crushed fruit kernels, generally cherries.

Nu
(French). Used in quoting bulk wines and means that the cask is not included.

Nuits

See Cote de Nuits.

Nuits-St- Georges-

A town in the Cote d’Or, France, from which the Cote de Nuits gets its name, also the commune around the town. Some vineyards: Le Saint-Georges, Aux Boudots, Les Porrets, Les Vaucrains, Murgers, Les Chaboeufs, Chaignots, Proces, Pruliers, Richemoines, Rue-de-Chaux, Ronciere, Poulettes, Les Cailles. A few miles south of Nuits is the village of Premeaux. Its wines have all the same characteristics as those of Nuits, but as the name is comparatively unknown to the public the appellation laws allows Premeaux wines to be sold bearing the name Nuits-St- Georges. Some vineyards of Premeaux: Clos de La Marechale, Clos Arlots, Clos-des Argillieres, Clos-des-Grandes Vignes, Clos-des-Corvees, Les Didiers, Aux Perdrix, Clos-St Marc, Clos Les Forets.

Nussdorf
A village and commune north of Landau in the Upper Palatinate, Germany. Some vineyards: Bild, Bornbach, Kupsacker, Krain, Roatzenberg.

MacArthur Family

John MacArthur, who went to Sydney, New South Wales, in 1791, is noted as having been the first to plant an Australian vineyard. His son, William, afterwards knighted, did tremendously useful pioneering work in improving Australian viticulture. So, as a family, they can be considered (with James Busby, q.v.) as the founders of the Australian wine industry.

Macabeo. Also Maccabeo

Name of a dessert wine grape species used in Banyuls, Roussillon and elsewhere in the south of France.

Macedonia
Red and white wines are made here. Those of Mount Athos are the best known.
Macharnudo
A most important fine wine-producing area to the north-west of Jerez-de-la Frontera, from which Amontillado officially comes. The land is extremely chalky and is called albariza in Spain.
Mache
French term applied to a big, heavy wine with great lasting properties.
Macon
The capital town of the Saone-et Loire departement and the centre of the Maconnais.
Maconnais
A large and important wine-making district of the Saone-et-Loire, which lies in a valley hugging the west bank of the River Saone and going due north to approximately the town of Tournus. Both white and red wines are made here. The reds with the Gamay and the whites with the Pinot-Chardonnay and Aligote vines. Included in the Miconnais are the communes of Macon, Lugny, SL-Gengoux, Cluny and Tournus.
Madeira
Officially discovered in the early 15th century, this island is under Portuguese rule and lies some 500 miles out in the Atlantic off the coast of Morocco. Length 20 miles. Width 8 miles. Capital is Funchal in the Bay of Funchal on the south coast. The island was called Madeira from the Portuguese word for wood, because when Goncalves Zarco discovered it in 1419 it was nothing but one gigantic forest. He set light to part of the island and started a fire which lasted, so it is said, for seven years, and they say that the ash from the conflagration still benefits the vines today. The great days (particularly in the United States) of the wines of the island were from around 1750 to 1850, after which first the oidium and then the phylloxera attacked the vineyards so severely that the wines never fully recaptured world markets. There are four grapes in the making of the wines here: Boal (in English, Bual) Malvasia (also Malmsey) (also Verdelho) and Sercial, which last makes a very dry are nowadays all grafted onto American root stocks. The most important vineyards are situated along and behind Funchal Bay which district comprises Estreito and Camara de Lob places where vineyard found are as follows south of the island: Santa Cruz, Madalen Porta Pargo; on the north: Seixal, San Vicente, Gruz. All of them are by the sea. The peculiarity of the making is the Estufa (q.v.).
Maderise

(French) As wine, one which has old and woody.
Madiran
A white wine appellation controle named from a villa north of Pau in the France.
Madre Vino

(Spanish) Or Mother Wine. This is grape juice or must boiled down to one third or a quarter of its original bulk. In this form it parts of Spain and France for the improvement and fortification of young fullyfortified wines. In Italy it is called calamich. This practice is very ancient, for in the Egyption tomb of Menopth at Beni Hassan there was found a mural painting which exactly depicted the cooking of the grape juice. The process was therefore known 4,000 years ago.

Magdelaine, chateau

A first growth of St. Emilion, Bordeaux.
Magnum
A bottle holding two ordinary bottles, or one third of a gallon. Mainly used for champagne and claret, but sometimes for burgundy and port.
Mahayah

An alcoholic beverage distilled in Morocco from figs.
Mahogany
A Cornish drink composed of two parts gin and one of treacle well beaten together, or alternatively a strong mixture of brandy and water.
Mahwah
Also Mahwa- An ardent spirit distilled from the flowers of the mahwah (Bassia butyracea) tree.
Maikammer
Also Malkammer Alsterweiler- A village/commune between Landau and Neustadt in the Upper Palatinate, Germany. The wines from here are of a somewhat higher grade than the bulk of the wines from this district. Some vineyards: Farber, Bobig, Spielfeld, Hitschbach, Heide, Weinsger, Mandelacker, Wetterkreuzberg, Poppel, Petersbrunnen, Vogelgesang, Heiligenberg, Letten, Stotz, and some 40 others.
Mailly
Also now called Mailly-Champagne. One of the most important communes/villages in the (black grapes) Montagne de Reims area, which lies between Reims and Epernay.
Main
An important wine river which flows into the Rhein from the east at Mainz. Although classed as Rheingau, the vineyards of Hochheim are on the Main. Further to the east the river flows through the Franconian vineyards and Wurzburg, the chief town.
Maine Laws

A series of early drink laws made by the State of Maine, U.S.A., said to be the beginning of the American prohibition campaign,
Mainz
The capital of the province of Rheinland-Pfalz, it is the town where the Rheingau meets Rheinhessen.

Today it is almost a twin town to Wiesbaden (q.v.). Two thousand years ago this town, perhaps the most important of the Rhenish wine trade, was a Roman fortress (Moguntiacum), and with Cologne (Colonia Agrippina) and Trier (Castra Triversonum) formed the most important bases for the Roman legions during their invasion of Germany.
Maize
Or Indian corn. Several kinds of spirit are made from this in various parts of the world.
Majorca
The principal of the Balearic Islands, belonging to Spain. Around Palma, the capital, are a large number of vineyards producing, among others, a wine of Malmsey type.
Majuelo
Description applied in the sherry district to any part of the vineyard where the grapes show a good quantity and quality.
Makasu
A Congo drink made from the kola nut, which is intoxicating and refreshing.
Malaga
The name of the beautiful seaport town and capital of the province of the same name which lies in the very south of Spain, a little to the east of Gibraltar, on the Mediterranean.

It is within the older named province of Andalucia. The wine made here is very sweet, dark walnut brown, and usually slightly fortified. It is also often a blend of young and matured wines and made largely with Pedro Ximenez grapes. Here, too, in a remarkably mild climate, is the home of Lagrima and Mountain (both q. v.) wines. Malaga was almost as popular in England in the 16th and 17th centuries as was sherry, when it was also called Malaca Sacke.
Malartic-Lagraviere, Chateau

A red Graves from the Leognan district of Bordeaux, making 120 hogsheads annually.
Malbec
The name of a good class red wine grape, much used in the Gironde. As an example of the confusion which exists as regards the many synonyms which grapes have, here are some for the Malbec: grape in this area alone: Auxerrois, Balouzat, Cahors, Cot Etaulier, Etranger, Estrangey, Gourdoux, Gros Noir, Guillan Rouge, Luckens, Magret, Mausat Mauzac, Mourane, Moustere, Negri, Noir Doux, Parde, Pied Noir, Pied de Perdrix, Prechat, Pressac, Prolongeau, Quercy, Seme, Teinturier, Terranis.
Malescot-St- Exupery, Chateau

A third classified growth of the Medoc.
Malic Acid

A small proportion of the fixed acidity of wine is due to this acid, which was originally discovered in the apple, hence the name from the Latin malum, an apple. Malic acid is always present in grapes and particularly when they are green; as they ripen the malic acid content diminishes.
Malle, Chateau de

A second classified growth of Sauternes in the commune of Preignac and 3 kilometres from Chateau Yquem.
Malmesbury, William of

A medieval writer and historian of the 13th century who provides much useful information as to the vineyards and winemaking in the England of his period.
Malmsey
Also Malvoisie, Malvasia, Malmseye, and about ten other English spellings between the 13th and 18th centuries.

The word comes from the Greek place name Monemvasia (a village on the shores of the Mirtoan Sea).

One supposes that afterwards the place gave its name to the type of grape (Malvasia) which has now spread to Cyprus, the Canary Islands and, particularly, the Island of Madeira, where Malmsey is a sweet, dark, fortified wine.
Malolactic Fermentation

In young, low strength, northern climate wines, where no fermentable sugars are present, the malic acid is decomposed by bacteria, including Bacterium gracile, which convert it into lactic acid.

During this transformation, a certain amount of carbon dioxide is given off, giving a petillant, spritzig character (both q.v.) and general pleasant freshness to the wine.
Malt Liquors

Liquors made from malted grain, such as certain beers and malt whiskies.

Malt Whisky

There are four categories of malt whisky produced in Scotland-Highland, Lowland, Islay and Campbeltown.

Malt whisky is distilled in a Pot still from a mash consisting entirely of barley. Scotch whisky as sold to the consumer is usually a blend of malt and grain whiskies.
Malta
There are a great many vines on this island, mainly in the south on the coastal fringe. They are very harsh and coarse. There have been recent attempts to export them.
Malvasia di Bosa

A rich, yellow, dessert wine made in the Bosa hills of Sardinia. It has a somewhat nutty flavour.

Malvasia di Grottoferrata

A dessert wine made in the hills around Grottoferrata near Rome.
Malvasia di Lipari

A dessert wine with a flavour of dried grapes, made on the tiny islands of Stromboli, Salina and Lipari, north of Sicily.
Mamertine Wine

Very famous in ancient Roman days. This is a Sicilian dry white wine which ages well and often attains up to 15 per cent. of alcohol. Made in the hilly territory in the province of Messina.

Mancha, La

An important red and white wine making area of Spain, south-cast of Madrid. The wines made around the town of Valdepenas are the best.

Mandarin
French for tangerine. A very sweet liqueur is made with this fruit in France, Holland and Denmark.

Manhattan
The name of a very famous cocktail consisting of vermouth and whisky, with sometimes a dash of bitters added.
Mannite
A serious disease of wine can be caused if a very high proportion of d-mannite (loosely termed mannitic bacteria or mannite) is produced by the action of the lactic acid bacteria on sugars. This can occur when there is too little acidity or when during fermentation too much heat (the ideal temperature for development in wine is 35 degs. C.) is generated and the ferments cease to work. At first it was believed that mannitic bacteria developed only, or chiefly, during alcoholic fermentation, but later research has shown that it develops readily in wines after alcoholic fermentation has ended Nowadays, the general use of S02 and cooling have practically eliminated this spoilage, which, when severe, gives wine a bitter taste.
Mantuo
The name of a grape much used in Jerez vineyards, generally more frequently in arenas soils.
Manzanares
A town in Don Quixote’s country north of Val. depeflas where a great deal of wine is made.

Manzanilla
The conjecture that the word has anything to do with small apples or crab apples is incorrect. Manzanita is the diminutive of apple, not man zanilla-though this word is Spanish for camomile, which again has nothing to do with the derivation. Almost certainly this supremely dry, pale wine, which is made around and matured in the sea town of Saffildcar de Barrameda, gets its name from a wine-producing village situated between Huelva and Seville, many miles further north. It is averred that the pleasant bitterdry tang these sherries possess is due to the salt sea air which blows into the Sanlucar bodegas from the Atlantic, and that they lose this characteristic when matured inland.

Mamschino
A water white, sweet, concentrated liqueur made from fresh green cherry kernels, usually put up in wickered bottles. In older days it was extensively used in cooking, especially for flavouring sorbets (q.v.), trifles, fruit salads and grapefruit. The word is so called because this small black cherry (Prunus avium) grown around Zara in Dalmatia (where all the finest liqueur used to come from) is called Mascara.
Marc
This is a French word meaning the residue (pulp) left from fruits, including grapes, don it was the centre of the wine and spirit trade of London.

Markham, Gervase

The author of the centuries-old The English Housewife, a work which contains useful information on old wines and cordials.
Marl
A special type of chalky, clayey soil suitable for certain vines.
Marne, Vallee de la

Also The River-From here come the best red wine grapes for making champagne.
Marquis-d’Alesme-Becker, Chateau

A third classified growth of Margaux, Medoc.
Marquis de Terme, Chateau

A fourth classified growth of Margaux, Medoc.
Marsda
A popular dessert wine (more popular outside Italy than in) made around the town of Marsala (from the Arabic marshel-allah, meaning God’s harbour) on the extreme west coast of Sicily, between Palermo and Messina. According to an official Italian publication, the international popularity of the wine dates back to 1763 when a merchant from Liverpool, John Woodhouse, decided to exploit this wine. Then its fame was assured when Nelson called at Palermo and ordered 500 pipes (the standard gauge is 93 gallons, while that of Madeira is only 92) for his sailors against scurvy. Again, when Garibaldi and his troops landed on the island in 1860, his men were so invigorated by the drink that a certain type of Marsala is to this day called Garibaldi. Basically, this dessert wine is a blend of a dry white wine, passito wine made from slightly dried grapes, and brandy. Although zabaglione can be made equally well with sherry or Madeira, it is with Marsala that it is traditionally made and tastes best.
Marsannay
Called also Marsannay-la-Cote. A commune/village south of Dijon, making rose wines-good, but hardly ever seen outside the region.
Martial

An ancient Roman wine writer of note.

Martillac
A commune/village situated some 11 miles south of Bordeaux in the Graves district.
Martin, Saint

A. D. 316-400. Bishop of Tours in 374 and patron saint of the wine trade, publicans and other dispensers of good fare. His day, llth November, when new wines were drawn from the lees and tasted, was held as a feast day over most parts of Christendom.
Martini
The name of a popular cocktail made with sweet Italian vermouth and gin. When made with French vermouth it is called a Dry Martini.

Martinique

A West Indian island famous for its white rum.
Martinmas

See Martin, Saint.
Maryland
A certain amount of wine is made in this American state in Green Spring Valley near Baltimore, in Carroll county, and at Riderwood.
Mascara
One of the best winemaking districts of Algeria, situated just outside Oran, making full-bodied table wines, red, white -And rose, all with V.D.Q.S. rights.
Masdeu
Formerly known as Maison Dieu, this is a red fortified wine made around Perpignan and Collioure in southern France, which had a brief but great reputation in Victorian times.

Mashing
The operation of mixing ground grain, malted and otherwise, in tuns with hot water, preparatory to making what is termed wash for brewing and distilling.
Maslas
The name given to a certain Tokay, less sweet than those to which the essence has been added.
Mass Wine

That used in the Roman Catholic Church for the celebration of the Mass. It must be a pure and certified as such by the bishop or his representative.
Massic Wines

Ancient wines in great favour with the Romans of the Empire.
Mataro
A wine-making district of Catalonia in the north of Spain. Also the name of a red wine grape used there and in California.
Mauer Wine

The wine of a small German district near Baden Baden which is allowed to be marketed in Bocksbeutels (v.q.).
Maury
A dessert wine making district, next door to those of the Cotes d’Agly and Rivesaltes, on the Mediterranean border of France by the Pyrenees.
Mavrodaphne

A modern popular red, sweet, Greek dessert wine.

Maximin Grunhaus

A celebrated vineyard on the river Ruswer, near Trier, Germany.
Mayence

See Mainz.
Mazeres
A commune/village near Langon in the Graves district of Bordeaux.
Mazys-Also Mazis

A premiere cuvee of Gevrey-Chambertin.
Mead
One of the most ancient forms of fermented liquor known. It is made by fermenting honey and water with yeast, and its alternative name is hydromel.
Mechage
The French term used for the operation of sulphuring casks. This is done by sulphur candles. These are lengths of cloth impregnated with sulphur. They are attached to a hook which is lowered into the cask and then burnt.
Medina
A wine made (according to Cyrus Redding) around Leon in the north of Spain.
MEDOC
This, the most important wine district in the most important wine country in the world, is a narrow strip of land fifty miles long and only some 7 miles (discounting almost prairie or marsh land where random vineyards make occasionally excellent red wine) wide. The district is divided into two parts: the Medoc in the north which runs from Soulac down to St- Germain-d’Esteuil. Then comes the Haut Medoc starting at Saint-Seurin-de-Cadourne (in St. Estephe) and ending only a few miles north of the nothern suburbs of Bordeaux at Blanquefort and Le Taillan. In this latter district are the world famous communes of St. Estephe, Pauillac, St. Julien and argaux. Also the lesser known ones of Arsac, Macau, Labarde, Cantenac, Ludon, Soussans, Moulis, Listrac, St. Laurent and Cissac. Here follows the official classification of the growths of the Medoc, with names of the present owners in brackets, as authorised by the Interprofessional Council for the Wines of Bordeaux (C.I.V. B.).

· First Growths (lers crus)

Chateau Lafite-Rothschild, (Barons de Rothschild-) Pauillac; Chateau Margaux, (Societe Civile Immobiliere du Chateau Margaux)-Margaux; Chateau Latour, (Societe Civile du Chateau Latour)-Pauillac; Chateau Haut-Brion, (Societe du Chateau Haut-Brion)-Pessac, (Graves).

· Second Growths (2emes crus)

Chateau Mouton-Rothschild (Baron Philippe de Rothschild) Pauillac; Chateau Rausan Segla, (Heritiers Frederic Cruse)-Margaux; Chateau Rauzan Gassies, (Societe Civile immobiliere du Chateau Rauzan-Ga-ssies)-Margaux; Chateau Leoville- Las-Cases – (Societe Civile du Domaine du Chateau LeovilleLas- Cases)-St. Julien; Chateau Leoville-Poyferre, (Societe Civile des Domaines de Saint-Julien, Chateau Leoville-Poyferre), Pm.

prietes Cuvelier fils)-St. Julien; Chateau Leoville-Barton, (H. R. Barton, associe de la Maison
Barton et Guestier)-St. Julien; Chateau Dufort-Vivens, (Societe Civile des Vignobles Ginestet)
Margaux; Chateau Gruaud Larose, (Societe Civile des Proprietes de Famille D. Cordier) St. Julien; Chateau Lascombes, Societe Civile du Chateau Las- combes)-Margaux; Chateau Brane-Cantenac, (Francois Lur- ton)-Cantenae; Chateau Pichon-Longueville-Baron de Pichon, (Societe Civile du Chateau Pichon -Longueville – Baron de Pichon)-Pauillac; Chateau Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, (Societe Anonyme du Chateau Pichon Longueville-Comtesse de La- lande)-Pauillac; Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou, (Francis Borie)-St. Julien; Chateau Cos-d’Estournel, (Societe Civile des Vignobles Ginestet)-St. Estephe Chateau Montrose, (Heritiers Charmolue)-St. Estephe.

· Third Growths (3emes crus)

Chateau Kirwan, (Schroder et Schyler & Cie)-Margaux; Chateau d’I(Societessan, (Societe Civile du Chateau d’Issan)- Cantenac; Chateau Lagrange, (Manuel Cendoya)-St. Julien; Chateau Langoa, (H. R. Barton associe de la Maison Barton et Guestier) -St. Julien; Chateau Giscours, (N. Tari)-Labarde; Chateau Malescot Saint-Exupery, (Seager, Evans & Co. Ltd)-Margaux; Chateau Boyd-Cantenac, (P. Guillemet)-Cantenac; Chateau Cantenae-Brown, (Societe Civile du Chateau Cantenac-Brown) Cantenac; Chateau Palmer, (Societe Civile du Chateau Palmer)-Cantenac; Chateau Grand La Lagune, (Madame Albert Galy)-Ludon; Chateau Desmirail, (Societe Civile du Chateau Palmer)-Margaux; Chateau Calon-Segur, (Gasqueton freres et Peyrelongue freres)- St. Estephe; Chateau Ferriere, Andre Durand, proprietaire. L. Fouque, fermier) Margaux; Chateau Marquis d’ Alesme-Becker, (Seager, Evans & Co. Ltd.)-Margaux.

· Fourth Growths (4emes crus)

Chateau Saint-Pierre, (Van Den Bussche fils)-St. Julien; Chateau Talbot, (Georges Cordier)-St. Julien; Chateau Branaire, (Duluc-Ducru), (J. Tapic)-St. Julien; Chateau Duhart-Milon, (Societe Civile de Duhart-Milon)-Pauillac; Chateau Pouget de Chavaille, (L. Guillemet)-Cantenac; Chateau La Tour Carnet (societe Civile du Chateau La Tour Carnet)-St. Laurent; Chateau Lafon-Rochet, (Ch. Duquesnoy) (Heritiers Charmolue)-St. Estephe.

· Fifth Growths (5eme crus)

Chateau Pontet-Canet, (Cruse et Fils Freres)-Pauillac; Chateau Batailley, (Marcel Borie) Pauillac; Chateau Haut-Batailley, (Francis Borie)-Pauillac; Chateau Grand Puy-Ducasse, (Societe Civile du Chateau Grand Puy-Ducasse)-Pauillac; Chateau Grand Puy-Lacoste, (Raymond Dupin)-Pauillac; Chateau Lynch-Bages, (J. C. Cazes) Pauillac; Chateau Lynch Moussas, (Jean Casteja)-Pauillac; Chateau Dauzac, (H. Bernat)-Labarde; Chateau Mouton d’Armailhacq, (societe Anonyme du Domaine de Mouton d’Armailhacq)-Pauillac; Chateau du Tertre (Societe du Chateau du Tertre)-Arsac; Chateau Haut-Bages-Liberal, (Mauge) Pauillac; Chateau Pedesclaux, (Comte Xavier d’Erceville et Michel Du lac)-Pauillac; Chateau Belgrave, (Societe du Chateau Belgrave)-St. Laurent; Chateau Camensac, (Cuvelier et Fils)-St. Laurent; Chateau Cos-Labory, (Weber) – St. Estephe; Chateau Clerc-Milon Mondon, (Mlle. M. Vialard et Mme. Hedon)-Pauillac; Chateau Croizet-Bages, (Paul Quie)-Pauillac Chateau Cantemerle, (P. Dubos)-Macau.
Mehring
A small Village and commune just north of Trier, generally conceded (with Detzem) to be where the Middle Moselle starts. Some vineyards: Hoxlay, Zellerberg, Plattenberg, Layert.

Melinots

The name of a vineyard of the Chablis district.
Mendocino

An important wine producing district of North California.
Mendoza – The largest and most important wine-producing district of the Argentine, situated in the west of the country and at the foot of the Andes.
Menetrieres

A vineyard in the Soultre district of the Maconnais.
Merano
An important wine town in the Venezia Tridentina province of Italy. Also a valley from whose slopes comes a red wine called Meranese di Collina.
Mercurey
An important vineyard of the Cote Chalonnaise and really a continuation of the Cote de Beaune. Ninety-five per cent. of the wine made in Mercurey is red.

Some vineyards: Clos du Roi, Clos-Voyen, ClosMarcilly, Clos-des-Fourneaux, Clos-des-Montaignes.

Mercurol
A small white (mainly) wine commune of the Rhone Valley near Tain I’Hermitage.
Merignac
A town and a commune of 12,000 acres, almost on the western outskirts of Bordeaux in the Graves district, making mostly red wines.
Merlot
A grape species which is also called the Gros Doux and, in Bordeaux, has the local synonyms of Plant Medoc, Vitraille, Bigney, Agreste, Semillon-Rouge and Craboulet. It is a black grape with a thick skin, used in the Medoc, as a second to the Cabernet as a se Sauvignon, before which it ripens.
Mescal
Also Mezcal and Mexical. A spirit made from the fermented sap of the century plant-

a giant variety of agave or aloe which grows wild and is extensively planted in Southern Mexico.

Mesnil
Also Mesnil-sur-Oger.- A village/commune in the Cote des Blancs district of Champagne
(south of Epernay), from which the blanc de blancs wines come.
Messina
A town of much commercial importance to the wine trade of the island of Sicily.
Methaglin
From the two Welsh words meddyg-healing, medicinal and llyn-liquor. It is, spiced or medicated variety of mead, originally peculiar to Wales.
Methanol
A synonym for methyl alcohol. It is found in very small traces in wine and is produce(in during fermentation.
Methuen Treaty

In 1703 the Right Honourable John Methuen was sent to Lisbon with full powers to negotiate a political treaty with Portugal and on 27th December of the same year this resulted in the treaty which bore his name and which did not expire until 1831. By its terms, Portuguese wines were given a heavy preference over those of France and Germany, while Portugal agreed to take British manufactured goods and, in is particular, woollen cloth. All this had great and far- reaching effects on the wine trade in Britain; wealthy merchants went out and established their headquarters in Oporto, and a large colony of English still exists there. At first the quality of wine shipped to Eng-land was merely table wine and (sheltering under the Methuen Treaty) greatly inferior to French. In 1756, however, the Marquis of Pombal reformed the Oporto Wine Company, armed it with tremendous powers, levied a tax on every pipe of port sold and used the money for improving communications and the quality of wine in the Douro.

Methuselah. Sometimes Methuadem

A giant bottle, very rarely used for champagne, taking 8 bottles. It derives its name from one of the pre-Noachian patriarchs supposed to have lived for 969 years.
Meung
Also Meung-sur-Loire.A red wine made near Orleans, still available but not nearly as popular or as good as it was a century ago.
Meursault
One of the foremost communes on the Cote de Beaune, Cote d’Or. It lies south of the town of Beaune and north of Chagny, almost half-way between. It is also a village of 2,000 inhabitants. Output 97 per cent. white wine. Some vineyards: Les perrieres, Genevrieres (dessus and dessous), Les Charmes (dessus and dessous), Prouzot, Sousle-Dos d’Ane, La-Piece-sous-le Bois, La Goutte d’Or, Les Boucheres, Santenots.
Midi Wines

Les vins du Midi are generally conceded to embrace that vast wine-producing area comprising the departements of the Aude, Herault and Gard, with Montpellier as the business centre. 99 per cent. red and nonvintage.
Migraine
A red wine made near Auxerre in the Yonne, Burgundy.
Mildew
Le mildiou arrived from America in France in 1878 and took around seven years to spread over every vineyard in the country. It is a fungus like the oidium, and attacks chiefly the edges of the leaves and the grapes. Generally speaking, mildew makes its worst attacks on fast-growing vine species and growth is faster on leaves than on the grapes. Incubation period can last from 4 to 28 days, but the average is 8 to 10. Cold wet weather favours growth; drying wind retards it; but in all cases and of all remedies suggested those with a base of copper are the only truly efficacious ones.
Milk Punch

A favourite beverage of our forefathers, which was in especial use at civic functions. Spirits of various kinds entered into its composition in conjunction with milk.
Millesime
The French word to denote a bottle of wine with the vintage date attached.
Minervois
One of the better wine-producing districts of the Languedoc, situated inland from the Mediterranean Sea behind Perpignan.
Minbeim
A village/commune on the Middle Moselle. Some vineyards: Weckberg, Zinkwald, Boden, Olk, Maisborn, Gehpfad, Kiemet and some 25 others.
Minorca
One of the Balearic Islands where large quantities of red and white wines are made.
Mint
A plant of the genus Mentha. Certain types provide an essential oil of strong peppermint flavour used for the making of Creme de Menthe.
Mirabelle
These are a yellowish green species of small plums which come originally from Miradeau in the Lower Alps. They slightly resemble olives, are sweet to the taste, and have very little acidity. A spirit is distilled from the fruit, mainly in Alsace. It is water white and sometimes sweetened.
Mis en Bouteille au Chateau

Or Mise du Chateau. These words on a bottle of French wine (in nearly all cases from Bordeaux) mean that the wine was bottled at the vineyard where the grapes were grown.

Mistelle-(French)
The juice of raisins, the fermentation of which has been stopped by the addition of spirits.

Mitidja
A plain in Algeria, from whence come most of the best wines.
Mittelbergheim
A village (700 inhabitants) of the Bas Rhin district of Alsace, with an ancient reputation for good wines.
Mittelhaardt
The Palatinate (q.v.) is divided into ‘three sections, the Upper, Middle, and Lower. Alternatively (and particularly in Germany), one speaks of the Oberhaardt, the Mittelhaardt and the Unterhaardt. The Mittelhaardt is the best winemaking part of the three, with some 30 villages/communes. It starts approximately at Dalsheim in the north and ends at the town of Neustadt in the south.
Mittelheim
A small town and commune on the Rheingau between Oestrich and Winkel. Some vineyards: Edelmann, Stein, Zeil, Gottesthal, Magdalenenacker, Neuberg, Mauer, Honigberg, Rheingarten, Schle Gessel.
Mittelwihr
A most reputed wine village and commune in Alsace.
Moelleux
Frorn the moelle-marrow, the fat bones. Moelleux as applied to (white) wines means fruity, generally sweet.
Moisi
(French)- Mildewed, musty, mouldy. A wine can take on this taste either through mould forming in the tubes of pipes used in cellar work, or through the actually mouldy grapes.

Molsheim
A commercially important wine town 23 kilometres south of Strasbourg in Alsache.
Monastic Wines and Liqueurs

Great religious orders of the Catholic Church have been noted in many instances for viticultural and wine-making skill, and many important developments have been due to their influence. Prominent in this respect have been Cistercians, founders of famed Clos de Vougeot the Benedictines of Hautvillers and its associations with champagne. They are reputed to have been the first to make-for medicinal purposes-any form of liquer.

Monbazillac
Sometimes the Poor Man’s Sauter very sweet white wines name come from three communes, Monbazillac, Colombier and Pomport, of the departement of the Dordogne, which is east of Bordeaux. The centre of the region is the tiny village of Monbazillac. Grape species used: Semillon, Sauvignon, Muscadelle.
Monferrato
Those hills south of Turin in the province of Piedmont, Italy, which produce some of the best red wines of all Italy, notably Barolo and Barbaresco.
Monica
An almost purple Italian dessert wine made (in small quantities and not easy to obtain) in Sardinia.
Montagne de Reims

An undulating district south of Reims and on the way to Epernay, from whence come the finest black grapes of the area. It includes the villages of Rilly-la-Montagne, Chigny-les-Roses, Ludes, Mailly Champagne, Verzenay, Verzy, Villers-Marmery.
Montagny
A white wine district and village of the Cote Chalonnaise, Burgundy.
Montant
(French). Said of a wine which ascends agreeably to the brain; a wine rich in alcohol and volatile substances.
Montauban
A town of the Tarn-et-Garonne departement of France, around which a great deal of wine used to be made.
Montavel
A sweet white wine made in the Bergerac district on the borders of the departements of the Dordogne and Gironde, and adjoining the regions of Monbazillac (q.v.) and Pecharmant (q.v.). It is marketed as Cotes de Montavel and Haut Montavel.
Monteflascone

See Est! Est !! Est !!!
Montepulciano
Described by Francesco Redi in his Bacchus in Tuscany as the King of Wines, this red wine is made south of Sienna in the province of Tuscany, Italy.
Montilla
An extremely dry, pale, manzanilla – resembling wine, made south of Cordoba, Spain, and from which amontillado gets its name. It is made on the same solera system as sherry, save that it is either less fortified or not at all, and is matured in huge very fine cement tanks (looking like amphorae) and left open at the top.
Montiottes, Haut and Bas

Two parcels of land in Clos de Vougeot, Cote de Nuits.
Montlouis
A semi-sweet white wine made in the district of this name which adjoins that of Vouvray, on the Loire near Tours.
Montmain
A vineyard in the commune of Chablis, Yonne.
Montmartre
Some vineyards still exist in this district of Paris from which a little wine (claimed by some as good) is still made and sold annually.
Montmelian
A red wine made in the Savoy departement of France, around a village of that name which lies 8 miles south of Chambery.

Montrachet
A vineyard (making the finest of white Burgundies) part in the commune of Puligny Montrachet and part in that of Chassagne-Montrachet. Other vineyards are: Chevalier Montrachet, Batard Montrachet, Bienvenue-Bitard Montrachet, Criots-Batard Montrachet. it is to be understood that none of these hyphenated Montrachets are as fine as Le Montrachet, tout court, of which the area is less than 45 acres.
Montrose, Chateau

A second classified growth of the Medoc, in the commune of St. Estephe, making 400 hogsheads of wine annually, and at one time praised as the Latour of St. Estephe.
Monts de Milieu

A vineyard (in the commune of Fleys) of Chablis, Yonne.
Moonshine
A term applied to smuggled or illicitly distilled spirits.
Moore’s Diamond

An American grape used in the Finger Lakes district of New York State.
Mor
A wine-producing district near Budapest, Hungary, making Ezerjo, a rich golden wine, from grapes of the same name.
Morat
A drink made with honey and flavoured with mulberries.
Mordant
(French). Biting. Of a wine one which has a trace of bitterness plus acidity plus a tiny prickliness on the palate. In a blend, however, a mordant wine can improve a weak wine, although its pungent characteristic will come through.
Morea
A Greek wine-making district of repute.
Morewood, Samuel

A British writer (circa 1830) whose book- A Philisophical and Statistical History of the Invention etc. etc. and Manufacture of Inebriating Liquors etc. etc. -has dealt thoroughly and interestingly with the subject of wine drinking.
Morey
Also called Morey St. Denis. One of the great communes of the Cote de Nuits, Burgundy. Some vineyards: Clos de Tart, Clos de la Roche, Bonnes Mares, Clos St. Denis, Chabiots, Les Charnieres, Les Faconnieres, Caloures, Monts Luisants, Les Chenevery.

Morgon
A village and commune in the Beaujolais district. Morgon is situated south of Moulin-a-Vent and north of Brutally.

Moriles
A village near Cordoba in that district of Spain from whence comes Montilla (q.v.). The wines made around Moriles are perhaps the best of the district and in Spain much of the region’s wine is sold under this name.
Morocco
The Southern part of the country is the wine production area. The red is better than the white. Meknes is the best district.
Moscatel
A generic term for a sweet white Spanish wine made (generally) with the Muscat grape.
Moscato
As above but for Italy, the range in that country being greater and going from light and sometimes quite dry wines.
Moselblumchen
German for a Little Moselle Flower. Generally the cheapest wine on English lists, this is a coined fanciful name for a blend of lower grade Moselles which generally have been sugared.

Moselle
The most northerly fine wine district of the world. Although the river has its longest stretch in France (Vins de Moselle have had V.D.Q.S. rights since 1951) and then skirts the Duchy of Luxembourg (and it is along the river that all Luxembourg wines are made), it is only that incredibly twisty stretch from Trier (the river enters Germany actually at Wasserbillig) down to Coblenz that the wine-drinking public of the world thinks of when Moselles are mentioned. The scenery here is of unsurpassed beauty and the slopes of the river banks where the wine is harvested are well nigh as steep as those of the Douro near Regoa. As the crow flies it is under 60 miles, yet by canoe (it is one of the best rivers in Europe for this) it must be three times this length. The Moselle is divided into three sections: Obermosel, Mittelmosel and Untermosel. Obermosel. This is often called the Obermosel and Sauer, which latter is a small tributary. This part runs from Trier down to Luxembourg, and light, pleasantly acid, minor wines are made. Some larger communes/villages: Nittel, Wellen, Tawern, Perl, Hellfant, Oberbilling, Temmels, Hennig, Kollig, Wincheringen, and around 20 more. Mittelmosel This runs from Longuich, just north of Trier, and stops at Merl, which is just north of Zell. Here the great Moselles are made in some 70 communes of which a few of the better known (going from Trier north) are: Trittenheim, Neumagen, Dhron, Piesport, Wintrich, Brauneberg, Lieser, Wehlen, Berncastel, Graach, Zeltinger, Trabach, Erden, Traben, Uerzig, Enkirch, Zell, Untermosel. This runs from the communes/villages of Alf and Bullay right up to Kobern, almost on the outskirts of Coblenz. Here, as with the Obermosel, minor wines are produced in about 40 communes, of which some of the larger places (in numbers of vineyards) are: Briedel, Cochem, Dieblich, Winningen, Senheim, Nehren, Oberfeld, Valwig.
Moselle Muscatel, Sparkling

A sparkling wine made in the Moselle area, the Muscatel grape being largely used in its composition.

Mostaganem

A wine-making district of Algeria.
Mosto

The Latin name for grape must and one often employed, especially in Jerez.
Mosto Cotto

See Calamich
Mou
(French). Flabby. A wine which lacks body, sprightliness-one which has little alcoholic strength and tannin.
Moulin-a-Vent

A vineyard area of some 1,700 acres, just north of Fleurie in the Burgundy district.
Moulis
A commune of 5,000 acres and village of 1,000 inhabitants, 20 miles north of Bordeaux in the Medoc. Some chateaux, with annual output of hogsheads in brackets: Chasse-Spleen (360), Poujeaux Castany (260), Gressier-Grand Poujeaux (160), Dutruch-Grand Poujeaux (200), Duplessis (400), Antonic (200), Maucaillou (20), MouIin-a-Vent (120), Bouqueyran (120).
Mountain
A variety of Malaga wine, made from the grapes grown on the mountains, which used to be popular in England in the eighteenth century. Mentioned by Henry Fielding.
Mourvedre

The name of a not great red wine grape used in Algeria.
Mousseux
The French term for wines of sparkling character.
Moustille
From the Latin mustum. This French word is used to denote a wine which is releasing a tiny amount of carbonic gas, due to an extremely light secondary fermentation.
Mouton d’ Armailhacq, Chateau

A fifth classified growth of the Medoc in the commune of Pauillac, making 400 hogsheads of wine annually. This Chateau and Mouton Rothschild used to be a single property owned by the Seigneurs of Mouthon. The properties were divided up in the 18th century. Then for many years this Chateau was owned by the d’Armailhacq family, one of whom-a fervent viticulturist -published an extensive work on the subject which is still referred to. Since 1930 it has been run in conjunction with Mouton Rothschild, so that, in fact, the two properties have again become joined.
Mouton Rothschild, Chateau

A second classified growth of the Medoc (Pauillac). Although the above facts are correct, they are somewhat misleading, since not only was this Chateau in 1855 classed at the head of the second growths, but due in the past 30 years to a policy of magnificent husbandry, the prices fetched for this wine exceed, more often than not, those of the first growths. It used, before it was purchased in the middle of the last century by one of the Rothschilds, to be called Chateau Brane-Mouton.
Muet (French-dumb)

A wine which is humdrum; which does not speak to the palate.
Mulled wines or spirits

Wines or spirits heated or boiled, often with added spices or other flavourings.
Muller-Thurgau
A hybrid vine of the Riesling and Sylvaner, called after its creator. Has a slight Muscatel flavour.
Mulsum, Mulsa

Mulstun is the Latin name for a mixture of wine. and must, or wine and honey.
Mum or Mumm

A kind of beer originally brewed in Brunswick, largely imported into England in the 17th and 18th centuries. Some say it got its name from Christian Mumm, a brewer of the 15th century. This, however, has been discredited.
Munster
Also called Munster Sarmsheim. The name of a town and wine-making commune in, the Nahe near Bingen. Some vineyards: Dautenpflanzer, Pitterberg, Langenberg, Kapellenberg, Muhlenberg, Wingert, Sendel, Lina.
Munster-Am-Stein, Bad

Also a town and wine commune on the Nahe, but (see above) near Bad Kreuznach. Some vineyards: Felseneck. Rotenfels, Holle, Auf der Platt.
Murets, Les

The name of a vineyard in the Hermitage district of the Rhone Valley.
Murigny
A village and reputed wine commune in the Montagne de Reims, due south of that town and almost on its outskirts.
Murray River

The largest river in Australia which is between Victoria and New South Wales. Some vineyards of repute along it are: Albury, Rutherglen, Swan Hill, Mildura, Renmark, Reynella.

Murrhine Cups

Frequently noted in wine history. They were very valuable, but their material is a debatable point, although it is asserted that they were often made of the Murra of Smyrna, a kind of porcelain.
Muscadet
A very dry white wine made just outside and to the cast of Nantes, on the Rivers Loire, Sevre and Maine. The French appellation decrees distinguish three wines: (a) Muscadet, which is made with the Muscadet grape and must be 9 per cent.; (b) Museadet-des-Coteaux-de-laLoire, and (c) Muscadet-deStyre-et-Maine. Both these latter two are also made with the Muscadet grape, but the minimum strength 10 per cent. The Muscadet grape is of Burgundian origin, but nobody knows when it was introduced into the Nantais or how it acquired this name. Around the early part of the seventeenth century it was called the Muscadet de Bourgogne and it was not till nearly 1790 that the word Muscadet appeared on its own. Before the phylloxera invasion this area was planted one-third with the Muscadet grape and two-thirds with a variety of the Folle called the Gros Plant (which makes a V.D.Q.S. wine today in this area). In making Muscadet wines in those days it was then the habit to plant vineyards nine-tenths Muscadet with one-tenth Gros Plant, because the latter gave the wine an acidity which the former lacked.

Some wine villages and communes of the three regions are: In Muscadet: Bouage, Le Pellerin, St. Philbert; In Muscadet-Sevre-et -Maine: Haute Goulaine, Basse Goulaine, Le Landreau, Le Pallet, St. Fiacre, Vallet, Vertou, Mouzillon, Gorges, Maisdon, Monnieres; In Muscadet-des-Coteaux-de-la Loire Ancennis, Lire, St Florent-le-Vieil, Bouzille, Drouin, Champtoceaux, Oudon.
Muscadelle
The name of a white wide grape used in the Gironde. Some synonyms here are: Resinotte, Muscade, Guepie, Catape, Colle-Musquette, Angelicant.
Muscat
A species of scented, rather cloying, white wine grape, with many sub-varieties, grown in nearly every part of the world either for table grapes or wine. In France three appellation controlee dessert wines are made: Muscat de Beaumes de Venise, Muscat-de-Frontignan, and Muscat-de-Lunel. In Alsace, Muscat is a full-bodied table wine. Muscatel (Modern English), Muscadel (Old French and 17th century English), Muscadelle (15th century English), Moscatel (Modern Spanish), Moscatello (Modern Italian)-All these are the name given to a strong, sweet wine made from the Muscat grape.

Muselage
(French-muzzling). The addition of a tin cap to champagne corks.
Musigny, Les

One of the most reputed vineyards of Chambolle-Musigny, Cote de Nuits.
Mussbach
A village and commune in the Middle Palatinate, near Neustadt, making rather ordinary white (also a little red) wines. Some vineyards: Stecken, Spiegel, Wurm, Rappel, Fritzenzeil, Pabst, Lauterbach, Bischofsweg, Glockenzehnt, and some 30 more.

Must

The term used for the freshly pressed juice of the grape before fermentation sets in.
Mustimeter

An instrument for testing the density of the grape must.

Mutage

The process of muting wine.
Mute

From the Latin mutusdumb. To check the fermentation of must.
Mycoderma Aceti

The ferment which turns wine into vinegar.
Mycoderma Vini

The ferment which decomposes alcohol with the formation of carbon dioxide, acetaldehydes and other products. See also Flor.
Myrat, Chateau

A second classified growth of Sauternes, in the commune of Barsac, making 160 hogsheads annually.

Labarde
A villagelcommune some 24 kilometres north of Bordeaux in the Medoc, between Macau and Cantenac. It contains two classified growths, Giscours and Dauzac.

La Bataille des Vins

A noted wine poem of the 13th century, written by Henry of Andelys, which extolled the wines of Epernay and Hautvillers against others. This poem is of much interest to wine students in view of the detailed information it gives of the wines of the period.
Labels
A comparatively modern method of gumming printed coloured re generally-slips of paper on bottles of wines, spirits, etc., with a more or less detailed description of their contents, the name-and often the address of the supplier, and in England- obligatory-the country of origin. The word comes from the old French label.

· Size and shape of labels

The shipper with several agencies and the retailer must realise that an all-purpose label is almost impossible to achieve, if, that is, he wishes to get the maximum sales appeal plus balance on each bottle. For a claret, port or sherry bottle (of the traditional shapes) can support a label as much as four-and-three-quarter inches from top to bottom (it will just go on the half-bottles, too), whereas, apart from the question of good looks, label of this depth will not go on burgundy and hock bottles (because of the sloping shoulders) without crinkling badly. For these two shapes, label, if it is to be used for half-bottles as well, cannot be more than three-and-a-quarter inches deep, though it can with advantage be as much as a half inch to an inch wider than the first mentioned bottles.

· Neck labels

If a firm has a standard (generally minor) table wine (for example, Medoc, St. Julien, Macon, Beaujolais, Laubenheimer) which they will be offering for the next 10 to 20 years and of which a mention of the vintage is important, it will be more economical to print a large supply of the name, plain without the vintage. Then, as the years pass on, the vintage can be printed on a smaller label and affixed to the neck of the bottle.

· Slip labels

Generally used by the shipper who has bought chateau-bottled claret, or similar, and put on underneath the main label to show the supplier. Also used by retailers buying fine wines from shippers in the same way.
La Brede

A commune/village of the Graves district, some 20 kilometres south of Bordeaux, making white (mainly) and red wines.
Labrusca
Some 400 cultivated American grapes are descendants of this species-Vitis labrusca of which Concord and Niagara are typical examples. It is also called the Fox grape, because of the (to European palates, disagreeable) odour it gives to the wine.
La Cote

The most intensely planted white vineyard district of Switzerland, in the Canton of Vaud. It lies between Lausanne and Geneva on the shores of Lake Geneva. It starts at the town of Morges and goes right on to Nyon. Other villages/ communes are: Aubonne, Fechy, Bougy, Perroy, Gilly, Vinzel, Tartegnin, Mont-sur Rolle.

Lacrima Christi. Lacryma Christi. Lagrima Cristi

All three alternate spellings are Italian for Tears of Christ, and a legend has helped to make this one of the best known wines (made on the slopes of Vesuvius in Campania) outside its country of origin. It is said that when Lucifer was thrown put of Heaven he fell into what is now the Gulf of Naples, but brought with him a small piece of Paradise. One day, Christ, visiting the region, saw that sins thrived even on this earthly paradise, and he shed a tear of pity which fell upon a vine that ever since has given marvellous wine. Actually, Lacrima Christi is a good wine. The white, made with the Greco and Fiano grapes, is the better and much more seen, but a little red is also made.
Ladoix
A commune/village- the first of the Cote de Beaune just north of Aloxe-Corton. Although the wines from here have the same full controlled appellation rights as other Burgundy places, the fact that the name is hardly known to the public, even in France, has caused the wine to be sold, mainly under other more generic names.
Lafaurie-Peyraguey, Chateau

A first classified growth of Bommes, Sauternes. Annual production 180 hogsheads.
Laffitte
There are several minor chateau in the Gironde with other words tacked on, or with two v’s and a single t, or vice versa.
Lafite, Chateau

Now also called Lafite-Rothschild, the history of this great first growth chateau of Pauillac, Medoc, has been anything but calm. In the Middle Ages it was owned by the Seigneurs of Lafite and then the Segur family. It became very much h la mode under Louis XV, and then Madame de Pompadour offered it at her soirees. At the end of the 18th century it became the property of the popular M. de Pichard, president of the Parlement de Guienne, but he was guillotined at Paris on the 12th day of Messidor of year two-in other words, 30th June, 1794. Chateau Lafite then became national property. Then it was bought by a Dutchman, Vaulerbergues, and then by the English banker, Sir Samuel Scott. This may be the reason why Cyrus Redding, in his book on wine in 1836, says that nearly all Chateau Lafitte (note the two t’s- before this there were two vs as well-Laffitte) found its way to England. In 1867 it was again bought, by Baron James de Rothschild, and his descendants still own it. This claret is reputed to have an aroma of violets and almonds, of which it is impossible to say which one dominates. Annual production now 620 hogsheads. In 1836 it was 400.
Lagar
A wine press. A large square, shallow trough, about 10 feet square, raised about a yard off the ground, made of wood or stone, and slightly tilted so that the expressed juice can run out from a small hole into the waiting vats. Generally, the Lagar in Spain is of wood and in Portugal of stone or concrete, and in the latter the peasants crush the grapes with their bare feet, while in the former the men wear boots (zapatos de pisar) made of cow-hide, with studded nails set at a special angle so that while the juice is crushed, the pips are unbroken. A small Lagar is known as a lagareta.

Lagrange, Chateau

A third classified growth of St. Julien, Medoc, making 400 hogsheads annually.

Lagrima
A special type of vin de paille Malaga from sun-dried grapes.
Lagrino Rosato

A light red Italian wine made around Bolzano in the province of Venezia Tridentina. When the district was Austrian, the wine was called Lagreiner Katzer.
La Lagune, Chateau

Also called Ch. Grand La Lagune. A third classified growth of the Medoc, in the commune of Ludon, making 80 hogsheads of wine annually.
Lalande, Chateau

A growth of Listrac, Medoc, making 140 hogsheads of red wine annually.
Lalande-de-Pomerol
A subdivision of Pomerol, north of Libourne, Gironde.
La Louviere, Chateau

A well known growth in the commune of Leognan in the Graves area, making 340 hogheads of red wine annually.
Lamarque
A commune/village adjoining Listrac in the Medoc and some 36 kilometres from Bordeaux.

Lamb Wine

A beverage made in parts of China from lambs’ flesh mashed with milk or rice and fermented.

Lamb’s Wool

A hot ale, nutmeg, ginger and sugar drink, in which is put the pulp of apples.
Lambsheim
A village/commune near Worms in the Lower Palatinate. Some vineyards: Kisselbohl, Ochsenkopf, Sandgewann, Hollereck, Kurzgewann.
Lambrusco
A red wine made in the province of Emilia, Italy, from the Lambrusco grape often sold sparkling.

La Mission Haut Brion, Chateau

A fine red wine growth of Pessac, Graves, which is also called Haut Brion, La Mission. It was founded in the 17th century by a group of priests who were called The Preachers of the Mission, which in turn was started by St. Vincent de Paul, hence the name. The monks were dispossessed in the French Revolution in 1792, and the property given to the State. Annual production 180 hogsheads.

Lamothe, Chateau

A second classified growth of Sauternes in the commune of Sauternes. At one time it would appear to have been called Lamothe Bergey, now it seems to be called Lamothe-Tissot. Annual production 80 hogsheads. There are a further 14 plain chateaux Lamothe’s and 4 with another name coupled to it. (See also below).
Lamotte, Chateau

A second classified growth of Sauternes in the commune of Sauternes, making 40 hogsheads of wine annually. Note spelling. Much confusion exists here. All older lists of the official classification show only one Lamothe, yet the latest list produced by the comite Interprofessionel des Vins de Bordeaux shows two Lamothe’s, one now called Lamothe-Tissot and the other Lamothe-Espagnet.
La Moutonne

This used to be a trade name belonging to only one firm, but recently (1951) a French law court decreed that Moutonne can be sold as a grand cru It lies between Les Preuses and Vaudesir, Burgundy.
Lamporecchio
An Italian wine extolled by Redi (q.v.) in his famous wine poem Bacco in Toscana.
Landes
That infertile, pine-covered departement of France, immediately south of the Gironde.
Landing
All dutiable wines, spirits, etc., have to be duly landed under the supervision of the Customs.

Langenlonsheim
A village/commune on the River Nahe, Germany, between Bingen and Bad Kreuznach. Some vineyards: Borngraben, Rotenberg, Lohr, Steinchen, Grembs.
Langoa, Chateau

Also called Langoa-Barton. A handsome chateau, a third classified growth of St. Julien in the Medoc. It was bought in 1821 by a Mr. Hugh Barton and has remained in the same family ever since. Annual production 300 hogsheads.
Langoiran
A district and village on the right bank of the Garonne, opposite the Graves area, 26 kilometres south of Bordeaux. The district itself comprises the communes of Langoiran, Baurech, Haux, Lestiac, Le Tourne, Tabanac, and Paillet. Here are made red wines of mediocre quality and much better (and more in quantity) whites. The latter in an average year amount to 20,000 hogsheads on the 10,000 acres. Some chateaux: Du Biac (200 hogsheads white, 80 red), Laurentan (580 white), Faubernet (400 white), Du Vallier (180 white, 20 red.)
Langon
A town (Hotel Olivier is starred for good food) of 5,000 souls and a commune of 3,000 acres, 30 miles south-east of Bordeaux, on a bend in the River Garonne, and almost at the southern end of the Graves district. The white wines from here, which must be of a minimum strength of 12 degrees, are of above average quality, but a surprisingly large amount of red (minimum strength 10 degrees) is made; roughly 3 to 8 of white.
Languedoc
A former province of the very south of France, running from Toulouse across to the Rhone, and now comprising (among others) the modern departements of the Aude, Herault and Gard, and it is here that the majority of the enormous output of France’s vin ordinaire (sold almost entirely by alcoholic degree) is produced. The province gets its name from the fact that in former times the inhabitants of this (southern) part of France spoke the Langue d’Oc, i.e. the language of saying yes-oc, in contrast to those (of the north) who spoke the Langue d’Oil, which has now come down to us as oui.
La Rochelle

The capital town (60,000 inhabitants) of the departement of Charente Masitime, France, with close and extensive wine and brandy associations, especially in the Middle Ages.
Larose, Chateau

Not to be confused with Chateau Gruaud Larose (q.v.), the famous second growth; there is a Chateau Larose in Baurech in the Langoiran district; a Cru Larose-Laurent in the lles do la Gironde; and a Chateau Laroze at St. Emilion, and at Sainte Eulalie in the Premieres Cotes do Bordeaux.
Larrivet-Haut-Brion, Chateau

This chateau of the Graves, Leognan commune, next door to Haut Bailly, used to be known equally well as Haut-Brion Larrivet. 80 hogsheads of red wine annually.
Lascombes, Chateau

A second classified growth of the Medoc in the commune of Margaux. Annual production 140 hogsheads.
Las Palmas

In the Canary Islands, once noted for its important trade in Canary wines.
La Tache

A small but extremely renowned vineyard (14 acres) in the commune of Vosne Romanee, Cote do Nuits, Burgundy.
Latium
The province of Italy in which is Rome. Much wine is made here, including Est! Est !! Est !!!, Frascati, Marino, Castelli Romani.
La Tour

See under Tour.
La Tour, Chateau

A first classified growth of the Medoc, in the commune of Pauillac. The chateau itself was burned down at the end of the Plantagenet period and all that remains is a water tower and a caretaker’s house. The chais (q.v.) are, however, among the handsomest

in the Medoc. Annual produc-tion is 400 hogsheads, the same as Haut Brion. In 1945 only 200 were made.
Latour-Blanche, Chateau

A first classified growth of Sauternes in the commune of Bommes.

Annual production 260 hogs-heads. The property was at one time given by a M. Osiris to the state on condition that it was used to train young men to be cellar-masters, and at present, part of the buildings are used as classrooms and in the winter months special practical and theoretical training is given.
Latour-Carnet, Chateau

A fourth growth of the Medoc, in the commune of Saint Laurent. Annual production 280 hogs-heads.

Latour-Pomerol, Chateau

A first growth of Pomerol, Gironde, which is run in conjunction with Chateau des Grandes- Vignes, which is next door. Combined annual production 160 hogsheads.
Laubenheim (Rhine)

The first town of any size on the Rhine front going from Mainz to Worms in the Rheinhesse. Also a commune of 300 acres of vine-yards. Between the two World Wars, the name was often used for the cheapest hock on many wine merchants’ lists. Great wines are not produced. Some vineyards: Steig, Klinke, Kloster-neck, Hippel, Edelmann, Secker-grund, Neuberg, Kuh, Hayl, and some 20 others.

Laubenheim (Nahe)

A town and commune in the Nahe Valley, between Bingen and Bad Kreuznach. Some vineyards: Hornchen, Fuchen, Lohr, Sonnenring. Lavaux-An important white wine growing district (considered the best of Switzerland) in the Swiss canton of Vaud. It lies along the Lake of Geneva (Lac Leman) between Lausanne and Vevey amidst superb scenery. Some villages/communes: Dezaley, St. Saphorin, Vevey, Chexbres (the x is not pronounced), Epesses, Cully, Vilette, Chardonne, Grandvaux.
Layon, Coteaux du

A fine sweet wine making district in the departement of the Maine-et Loire, south of the town of Angers and west of Saumur. The Layon is a tiny river which flows into the Loire. Some villages/communes of the district.. Faye, Rochefort-sur-Loire, Thouarce, St-Lambert-de-Lattay. St.Aubin-de-Luigne, Tigne, Beaulieusur-sur-Layon.
Leanyka
A white table wine made in the Eger district of Hungary.
Leather Bottle

An old-fashioned type of wine bottle used before the introduction of the glass bottle. It has been immortalised by the old poem The Leather Bottel.
Lebrija
A wine district and town near Jerez, Spain, where some average wines are made. Here. too, are some mines of a special clay used for clarifying wines.

Ledbury
In Herefordshire and once noted for its medieval vineyards.
Lees
The term applied to deposits found in the bottom of casks of wine, especially after such operations as racking and fining. These Ices are put to various uses, such as the making of a coarse brandy, and occasionally are dried and used for making cream of tartar. Racking from the lees means drawing off the bright contents of cask wines and leaving the lees behind.
Leger
French for light; a wine which is pleasing, but with little alcoholic strength.
Legge, Vino di

Wine of the Law made in Crete by Hebrews for their co-religionists.
Leistadt
A village/commune on the Weinstrasse, near Durkheim on the Middle Palatinate, Germany. Not renowned for great wines. Some vineyards: Woogerhang, Kalkofen, Hobel, Herrenmorgen.
Leisten

A vineyard of Wurzburg, Franconia, Germany.
Leiwen
A village/commune between Trittenheim and Berncastel on the Middle Moselle, Germany. Some vineyards: Laurentiuslay, Klostergarten, Ohligsberg.
Lembic

Another way of spelling alembic (q. v.)
Le-Mesnil-Sur-Oger
A village and commune of some repute on the Cote de Blancs region of Champagne.

Leognan
An important commune (10,000 acres) and village (2,000 inhabitants) of the Graves district, 8 miles south of Bordeaux, making mostly fine red wine. Some chateaux, with annual production of hogsheads in brackets:

Haut Bailly (120), Domaine de Chevalier (120), Carbonnieux (240), Fieuzal (120), Olivier (80), Larrivet Haut-Brion (80), La Louviere (340), Brown (160). Most of these chateaux produce some white wine.
Leoville-Barton, Chateau

A second classified growth of the Medoc, in the commune of St. Julien. Annual production 400 hogsheads.
Leoville- Lascases, Chateau

A second classified growth of the Medoc (St. Julien). Annual production 600 hogsheads, of which 500 are sold as Lascases and the balance as Clos du Marquis.

Leoville- Poyferre, Chateau

A second classified growth of the Medoc (St. Julien), making 480 hogsheads annually.
Lesbian Wine

A wine from the island of Lesbos, which enjoyed great fame among the ancients.
Lesparre
A commune of a not very great part of the Medoc of 10,000 acres, and also a town of 3,500 inhabitants, 63 kms. from Bordeaux.
Lestiac
A commune/village in the Graves area, 28 kilometres south of Bordeaux.
Levant Wines

A term applied to several types of wines made in the Eastern areas of the Mediterranean. At one time these areas supplied
Leoville-Barton, Chateau

A second classified growth of the Medoc, in the commune of St. Julien. Annual production 400 hogsheads.
Leoville-Lascases, Chateau

A second classified growth of the Medoc (St. Julien). Annual production 600 hogsheads, of which 500 are sold as Lascases and the balance as Clos du Marquis.
Leoville-Poyferre, Chateau

A second classified growth of the Medoc (St. Julien), making 480 hogsheads annually.
L’Evangile, Chateau

A first growth of the Pomerol, St. Emilion, district of the Gironde. Produces 18 hogsheads of red wine annually.
Levulose
Another word for fructose or fruit sugar.
Lewinsbrook
A vineyard district in the Paterson River area, Australia.
Liber Albus

A useful reference book for the wine student of the Middle Ages.
Libourne
This town (19,500 inhabitants) on the river Dordogne is, after Bordeaux (31 kilomet away)

one of the most important wine centres of the Giron departement. It boasts 3 hotels of which one is starred for go food, and is also a tiny port fro which the wines of Blaye, Bou Fronsac, Neac, St. Emili Pomerol, etc., etc., are shipped. It is also a minor quality making commune of 5,000 acres.

Licensing, British

The history the licensing laws of this count can be said to have started with the Gin Acts of Queen Arm reign, followed by the Beer A of the early 19th century, both designed to stop drunkenness There was an important Licensing Act of 1911, but it was Dora the Defence of the Realm of the First World War which fi caused the service of alcohol be limited to the hours we no know. The hours were fix at 9 hours for London weekdays, and 8 hours for t provinces; with 5 hours Sundays. Local authorities the power to modify these various reasons, i.e. market da seaside holidays, and general special occasions. In order sell wines, spirits, etc., to the public for consumption either on or off the premises, it necessary to apply to the bench of justices sitting at what is called the brewster sessions (they only take place once a year but can be adjourned many times for a justices’ license. This can be refused by the bench without there being any obligation for them to give any reason for refusal to the applicant. successful, the applicant is given a license (usually with endorsements agreed to on the back which entitles the holder to take out an Excise license; this is automatic and cannot be refused. Delivery of alcoholic beverages. No matter whether wines, etc., were ordered within permitted hours or not, they cannot be taken away from the licensed premises save during licensing hours. They can, however, be delivered to the abode of the orderer at any time outside permitted hours, with one proviso -namely that a permitted hour has come in between. As example, a telephoned order given at 3.30 p.m. may not be delivered until 5 p.m. (or whatever the opening hours are in the district), but could, if required, be delivered at midnight. Delivery to a waiting car, even if done by the licensee, is an infringement of the Act.
Liebig, Dr. Justus von (1803-1873)

One of the most noted chemists of recent generations. His scientific appreciation of the value of good wines and matured spirits has been invaluable to the trade.
Liebfrauenkirche
The Church of Our Lady in Worms, Germany, from which originally stemmed the beginning of Liebfraumilch (q.v.)
Liebfrauenstift
A 25 acre vineyard in the northern part of the (Rheinhesse) district of Worms, which, like the Church, was almost certainly the cause of the beginning of Liebfraumilch.
Liebfraumilch
Less frequently, but equally correctly, Liebfrauenmilch, as it always was in the 19th century. This German wine is now in the same position in England as hock was in the last quarter of the eighteenth century. This means that it had got past being just a generic name, but was well on the way to being accepted as the correct English word for Rhine (nay, German) wines as a whole. People are beginning to say: 1 like Liebfraumilch; meaning not that they like a German wine labelled Liebfraumilch, but that they like a German wine. This state of affairs has been going on for some time, but slowly the field has widened. In 1875, James Denman wrote: The attraction evidently lies in the name, which, with one exception, that of the renowned Johannisberger, is commercially speaking the most popular among the copious Rhenish nomenclature. The vineyards are situate on the outskirts of Worms… So here it is clear (and other authors confirm this), that there was no question of the word being generic. Thirty-five years later, the picture had changed, when the Chamber of Commerce at Worms in 1910 held (and their decision has been referred to in many courts of law) that .. Liebfraumilch should be considered a fancy name, even though it originated from the vineyards of the Liebfrauenstift at Worms, but it has become the accepted view of the trade that in consequence of many years during which reputable merchants have made a free use of the name, the fancy name of Liebfraumilch applies exclusively to Rhine wines of good quality and character. But the provenance of Liebfraumilch is widening-a court of law in 1950 acquitted a merchant who was selling Nahe wine as Liebfraumilch. To conjecture where it will stop is outside the scope of this work.
Lieser
A villagelcommune between Berncastel and Trittenheim on the Middle Moselle, Germany Empire sweet wines under preferential duties, this trade has fallen off almost entirely. Other Lisbon wines that used to enjoy a vogue in England were Bucellas, a sort of hock copy, Carcavellos, a sweet muscatel, and Colares, a red table wine.
Listrac
A village and commune of 15,000 acres, between St. Julien and Margaux, in the Medoc 34 kilometres north of Bordeaux. Some chateaux, with the annual production of wine in hogsheads in brackets: Fonreaud (400), Fourcas-Hostein (200), Fourcas Dupre (200), Lestage (500), Clarke (120), Semeillan (160), Lafon (180). Pierre Bibian (120).
Litre
The liquid unit of capacity of the metrical system and the most common standard measure of wine used on the Continent. One litre is equivalent to a fraction more than 1 ¾ pints, or, accurately, 1.760 pints.
Livermore Valley

A wine-growing district in the Alameda County of California.
Ljutomer
Formerly called Luttenberg; this is Yugoslavia’s most important white wine making district, with Ptuj as its centre.
Lodges, Wine

The name given to the extensive storage warehouses of the port wine trade, situated in the incredibly hilly town of Vila Nova de Gaia, the twin of Oporto.
Logrono
The largest in size town (60,000 inhabitants) of the Rioja wine district in the north of Spain.

Loire
The longest river in France, rising as far south as the old province of the Dauphine, well below Lyons, and going up to Orleans, where it turns west and runs into the sea at Nantes. So far as wines go, the vineyards do not begin until it gets to the departement of the Cher in the centre of France, and from here Loire wines, in approximate order as they go to the sea, are as follows: Pouilly Fume, Pouilly sur-Loire, Sancerre, Reuilly, Quincy, Coteaux deTouraine, Montiouis, Vouvray, Saint-Nicolas de- Bourgueil, Chinon, Saumur, Anjou-Saumur, Anjou, Muscadetse- Sevre-et- Maine, Muscadet des Coteaux de la Loire.

Lombardy

A wine-producing province in the north of Italy. (q.v.).
London Gin

See Gin.
London Particular

A well-known and once very popular type of Marsala prepared for and shipped almost exclusively to this country. The term was often shortened to L.P.
Longfellow
The much travelled American poet, whose poem Ode to Catawba Wine contains the following:
“Very good in its way is the Verzenay, Or the Sillery, soft and creamy,

But Catawba wine has a taste more divine, More dulcet, delicious and dreamy.
Longshot

An after-product of distillation.
Longuich
A village/commune of the far end of the Middle Moselle, near Trier. Some vineyards: Herrenberg, Probstberg, Hirschlay.
Lons-le-Saunier
The capital (15,000 inhabitants) of the Jura departement, and the nearest large town to the wines of chateau Chalon.
Lorch
A village/commune north of Rudesheim, officially in the Rheingau, but some way away from the main district, and, with Lorchhausen (see below), the end of the Rheingau and the beginning of the Middle Rhine. Some vineyards: Arenspfad, Bodenthal, Boxberg, Kapelle, Krone, Pfaffenweis, Presenteberg, Muckenberg, Wispergrund, Niederflur, Mantelweg, Ortkeller, Hospohl, and some 35 more.
Lorchhausen
A village/commune on the Rheingau (see Lorch above). Some vineyards: Damm, Wannen, Rabenlay, Futtersack, Eitelshaus, Scheib, Siligmacher, Dimpel, Atzelfeld, Gruben, and some 20 more.
Lot-et-Garonne
A departement which is contiguous to the south-east over a large part of its boundary to that of the Gironde. Some wine is made here.
Lotus Wine

A wine made in Tripoli from the Rhammus lotus, or tree of the food of the ancient lotophagi.

Loudenne, Chateau

A growth of the St. Yzans commune in the canton of Lesparre, Medoc, producing 240 hogsheads of red wine annually. One of the few under British ownership.
Louis XIV

During his reign occurred the famous battle between Champagne and Burgundy referred to by many writers.
Loupiac
An important commune of 1,400 acres and village of 1,000 inhabitants, 25 miles south of Bordeaux, and adjoining Sainte-Croix-du- Mont, next door to Cerons and Sauternes, but on the other bank of the River Garonne. It is really a curved slice out of the premieres Cotes de Bordeaux.

The wines from here are mostly a luscious white, with around ten per cent. mediocre red. Some chateaux, with the annual output of white wine in hogsheads in brackets: de Ricano (500), du Cros (300), Mazarin (320), Pontac (280).
Louviere, Chateau La

An ancient, handsome chateau in the Leognan district of the Graves, Bordeaux. Annual output of red wine 340 hogsheads.
Lovage

A plant used rather in the same way as is borage for the decoration of cups.
Low Duty Wines

The term applied in England to table wines of a strength at present fixed at not exceeding 27 degree Empire and 25 degrees foreign, and now paying eleven shillings and thirteen shillings per gallon respectively.
Lowland Malts

Malt whisky made in the more southern parts of Scotland, so called in contra-distinction to the Highland Malts of further north. See also Appendix.
Lucullus
A Roman general, a century B.C., noted for the extravagance and luxury of his wines and food. Hence the adjective lucullan.
Ludes
A village/commune in the red wine Montagne area of Champagne, half way between Epernay and Reims.
Ludon
A commune of 5,000 acres and village of the Medoc, some 10 miles from Bordeaux. It contains one classified growth claret-Chateau Grand La Lagune.
Lunel, Muscat de

A reddish French dessert wine, sold either as a vin doux naturel, in which case 10 per cent alcohol is added during fermentation, or as a, vin de liqueur, where 15 percent alcohol is added before fermentation.

Made with the Muscat grape around the town (8,000 inhabitants) and district of Lunel in the Herault departement on the Mediterranean.

Lussac
A village and commune of 6,000 acres, 13 kilometres north of St. Emilion, also called Lussac St. Emilion. Some chateaux, with output of hogsheads of red wine in brackets: du Lyonnat (1,200), Bellevue (360), Vieux-Chenes (200), do Lussac (240), Lion-Perruchon (120).
Luther, Martin

To this famous reformist is attributed the saying: Who loves not women, wine and song, remains a fool his whole life long.
Luttrel
A British writer of the 17th century whose Brief Relations contains much information regarding the wine trade of his period.
Luttenberg

See Ljutomer.
Luxembourg
The wines of this country, made near the northern limit of viticulture, are all white, with a high degree of acidity. crisp, clean and pleasant. The grapes used are mainly the Sylvaner, Riesling, and the Muller-Thurgau. The winegrowing district is along the banks of the Moselle and runs from the frontier town of Wasserbillig through the following wine-making places: Grevenmacher, Machtum, Ahn, Wormeldange, Ehnen, Greiveldange, Remich, Wellenstein, Wintrange, Remerschen.
Lynch-Bages, Chateau-

A fifth classified growth of the Medoc in the commune of Pauillac, making 400 hogsheads of wine annually.
Lynch-Moussas, Chateau

A fifth classified growth of the Medoc in the commune of Pauillac, making 80 hogsheads of wine annually.
Lye, Les

A vineyard in the Chablis district, France.

Kabinettwein

See Cabinet.
Kadarka

A black Hungarian wine-making grape.
Kaefferkopf

The name of a vineyard near Hunawihr in Alsace.
Kaffa

A Crimean (Russian) wine district.
Kaisertuhl
A wine-producing district in Baden, Southern Germany. Some wine towns in the Kaiserstubl are: Endingen, Ihringen, Oberrottweil, Eichstetten, Botzingen. The district is of volcanic origin; the wines are mainly white.
Kallstadt
A town and large district on the Weinstrasse to the north of Bad Durkheim on the Middle Palatinate, making average to good quality white wines. Some vineyards: Nill, Horn, Annaberg, Kreuz, Kobnert, Saumagen, Steinacker, Kronenberg, Trift, ReuteIstein, Hasenlauf, Hessel.
Kalterseewein
(Also Kalterersee Wein). A red, light, South Tyrol wine, given this name because the district was Austrian. Now, as part of Italy, it is also called Lago di Caldaro.
Kammerbau
A method of training vines in certain rural parts of Germany, where a frame horizontal to the ground is erected and some dozen vines are trained over the structure. The disadvantages are that, firstly, the roots do not get enough sun, and secondly, weeding is difficult.
Kanzem
(Also Canzem). A village/ commune on the Saar, Germany. Some vineyards: Berg, Sonnenberg, Altenberg, Unterberg, Wolfsberg, Kelterhaus.
Kanzlerberg

A very well-known vineyard of Bergheim, Alsace.
Karden
(also Carden). A village/ commune on the Lower Moselle, Germany. Some vineyards: Fahrley, Herrenberg, Huttenberg, Daubhaus, Munsterberg, Rosenberg, Juffernmauer.
Karthauserhofberg

See Eitelsbach.
Kasel
(Also Casel). The largest and most important wine town on the Ruwer. It is surrounded by some 250 acres of vines producing good, but not the best, wines of the district. Some vineyards: Umweg, Coles, Timpert, Nieschen, Herrenberg, Hocht, Taubenberg, Hitzlay.

Kaub
A village/commune where minor (but esteemed in the Middle Ages) wines are made on the Mittelrhein near Bingen, but not in the Rheinhesse.
Kaya
A strong beverage made in the Friendly Islands from a pepper plant masticated by women and then diluted with water.
Kayserberg
Also Kaiserberg. A small wine town between Colmar and Riquewihr in Alsace. Birthplace of Albert Schweizer.
Keg
A small cask, usually of less than ten gallons and consequently freely employed by old time smugglers.
Keller
German for cellar. Thus, Kellerabfullung and Kellerabzug, cellar bottling.
Kempten
lncorporated with Bingen and often referred to as Bingen-Kempten; this is a wine-making town on the Rheinhesse, Germany. Some vineyards: Schnack, Wolfskaut, Pfarrgarten, Lies, Gansberg.
Kesten
A village/commune on the Middle Moselle, Germany. Some vineyards: Paulinsberg, Herrenberg, Niederberg, Lay.
Keuka
The name of a lake (see Finger Lakes) and a red wine grape in the U.S.A.
Kiedrich
A town/commune on the Rheingau, not on the river, but up behind Eltville in the hills among the vines. Some vineyards: Grafenberg, Sandgrube, Turmberg, Dippenerd, Wasserrose, Berg, Bruck, Heiligenstock, Norr, Weihersberg, Platt.
Kientzheim
An important wine village/commune of Alsace, France, between Riquewihr and Colmar, with a reputation for its Gewurztraminer.
Kilderkin
A small barrel for liquids, or fish, etc., of a definite capacity, equalling two firkins or about 16 to 18 gallons.
Kill-Devil

A West Indian name. Now nearly obsolete, for rum.

Kinheim
A village/commune-of some 200 acres-on the Middle Moselle, making rather average wines. Some vineyards: Hubertushofberg, Eulenlay, Lowenberg, Petrusberg, Rosenberg.

Kintzheim
Not to be confused with Kientzheim (q.v.), but also in Alsace, further north and nearer Selestat.

Kirsch Kirschwasser

A, usually, dead white, dryish, potent spirit popular in Switzerland, Alsace and the German Black Forestmade with a small black cherry (it grows wild) of that name.
Kirwan
A third classified growth of the Medoc in the commune of Cantenac, adjoining Chateau Margaux, and making 400 hogsheads of claret annually.
Kissanos

A red wine-making district in Candia, Greece.
Kitzingen
A wine-making commune and town on the Main in Franconia, Germany. Some vineyards: Repperndorf, Berg, Winterleite, Sulzfeldergraben.
Klebner Klevner-leyner

All these spellings are encountered in Alsace, where it is the-more commonly used-synonym for Pinot.
Kleinberger
Also called the Elbling or Rauschling. A rather poor white wine grape used in less good districts of the Moselle, Baden and Alsace.
Kleinbockenheim
The first villages commune in the Lower Palatinate on the German Wine Road, which runs through the Palatinate to Schweigen on the French frontier.
Kloster Eberbach

A superb monastery near Hattenheim, Rheingau, founded in the twelfth century, and near the famous vineyard of Steinberg, which it used to own until it was secularized by Napoleon. The vineyard is now owned by the State.
Klosterneuberg
A white winemaking district around Vienna. See Austria.
Knipperle
A species of grape, also called the Klein Reuschling or Rauschling, used in Alsace for mass produced wines and often seen on labels in France.

Kobern
A commune/village at the extreme end of the Lower Moselle, near Coblenz. Some vineyards: Uhlen, Pfarrberg, Weissenberg.
Kochem
Also Cochem. A town/ commune within the Krampen (q.v.) district of the Lower Moselle. Some vineyards: Kern, Pinnerberg, Flain, Langenberg, Schlossberg, Christenberg, Arzlay.
Kowen
A wine-producing village/ commune on the Saar, Germany. Some vineyards: Kupp, Rippchen, Nonnenberg, Kirchberg.
Kohl
An Arabic word, originally meaning a form of powder used for the complexion; later it became associated with distilled liquors in the form of alcohol.
Konigin Viktoria Berg

A vineyard of Hochheim (q.v.) christened, with her permission, in 1850 after Queen Victoria, and in which a monument to her stands.
Konigsbach
A village/commune close to Deidesheirn, on the German Weinstrasse in the Middle Palatinate. Some vineyards: Bender, Idig, Muhlweg, Weissmauer, Reiterpfad, Falbert, Muckenhaus, Hitzpfad, Hohe.
Konigswinter
A very northerly district of the Middle Rhine, just south of Bonn. Some vineyards: Domley, Kuckstein, In der Kump, Drachenfels, Bollsgasse.
Kosmis
A Tartar word. A fermented beverage made mainly in Russia from the fermented milk of mares, camels, etc. A stronger drink called arika is sometimes distilled from koumis.
Krampen
The Krampen is a district on the Lower Moselle, so called because here the river bends in the shape of a crampiron, Krampe. It goes from Couchem to Eller.
Kreszenz
(German, growth).This word, followed by the producer’s name, means that the wine is natural and unsugared.

Krettnach
A commune on the River Saar, Germany. Some vineyards: Euchariusberg, Silberberg, Kapellenberg, Karlsberg.
Kreuznach
Also Bad Kreuznach. The most important town-also a famous spa-and commercial centre, as well as the best wine commune. of the Nahe Valley, Germany. Some Kreuznach vineyards: Forst, Krotenpfuhl, Hinkelstein, Narrenkappe, Bruckes, Kahlenberg, Steinweg, St. Martin, Mollenbrunnen, Monchberg, Kronenberg, Tilgesbrunnen, Monat.
Krov (Crov)

A town (ancient and beautiful) and commune-about 300 acres-on the Middle Moselle between Zell and Traben Trarbach. It possesses a vineyard called Nacktarsch, or nude bottom, and the labels show a small boy being spanked on his bare behind. Most German restaurants list one vintage of this wine, for the name has added greatly to its popularity. Some other vineyards are: Paradies, Petersberg, Niederberg, Steffensberg, Engelberg.

Kuchelberg
A red wine made near Merano in North Italy. This district used to be the Austrian Tyrol and the wine has retained its original name.
Kummel

A white grain spirit (sometimes potatoes are used) into which cumin or caraway seeds have been infused. It is reputed to have great digestive powers and the Dutch (kummel translated is caraway) have cultivated this wild herb, with its big head of tiny flowers, since the Middle Ages.

Kyrenia

An important wine town in Cyprus.

Jaggery
A coarse, dark brown sugar made in India by evaporation from the sap of various kinds of palm. which is sometimes, especially in Java, then fermented and distilled into arrack.

James
A grape used in the far south of the U.S.A. occasionally for making red wine.
Jamaica
One of the most important rum-making islands of the West Indies and the first of them all to produce it commercially.

The capital is Kingston in the south of the island, and it is here, along a 40-mile narrow strip, that are to be found the best sugar estates which have been in production ever since the early eighteenth century. In the past, Jamaica rum was one of the most full-bodied and highly flavoured (achieved by distilling at a comparatively low strength to allow a large amount of esters to come over in the distillation) of all rums, and each distillery would have its own method of manufacture and produced a characteristic product. Now, however, as more and more is used in cocktails a lighter, paler and less erotic article is preferred.

Jamaica has perhaps more stringent regulations concerning ruin Production than any Government in any other island. Government inspectors regulate the ageing in bond and here rums are required to have aged three years in bond before bottling. See also Rum.
Jamshid, King

This Persian potentate’s claim to vinous fame rests on the traditional story that being inordinately fond of grapes, he directed that a large quantity be carefully stored up in order to supply him with his favourite fruit beyond the ordinary vintage season.

After a while the reserve was un-covered, only to disclose a bubbling, fermenting mass which, on being tasted, was pronounced as being execrable and so it was then labelled poison. Shortly afterwards, Gulnare, the most beautiful of Jamshid’s numerous wives, satiated with life and having heard of the dangerous fluid gained access to the con-demned store, drank the fluid and fell into a delicious sleep.

Hearing the tale the Persian king tried the same and wine was created.
Jarnac
A town of 4,000 inhabitants on the River Charente and between Cognac and Angouleme, where many large cognac distilling companies have their headquarters. It is second to Cognac in importance.
Jaroillieres
A vineyard in Pommud, Cote de Beaune, Burgundy.
Jasnieres
Grouped as a Loire wine, this tiny white and rose district (which has fully controlled appellation rights) is on the River Loir and is situated just to the north of Vouvray. Output minute and rarely seen even in Paris.
Jau
A tiny village near St. Vivien to the very north of the Bas Medoc, Bordeaux.

Jaulnay
A red wine making district near Poitiers, in the Vienne, whose growths once had more than local popularity.
Jenorodi
A luscious wine said by some to resemble Tokay, made with the Corinth grape on the Ionian Islands, Greece.
Jerez-de-la-Frontera
56 kilometres inland from Cadiz and about twice as far from Seville in the old province of Andalucia, right in the south of Spain, this is the centre town (population 100,000 and one of the most beautiful and, being very rich, beautifully kept towns of all Spain) of the sherry industry. It is situated on a small plateau and is thought to have been the ancient Tartessos; then, during the Iberian period it became Serit, and then Ceret. Our word sherry comes from Jerez; this in turn, comes from the Moorish name Shiraz.

Jeroboam
So called in allusion to Jeroboam that mighty man of valour who made Israel to sin (1 Kings, xi, 28). A large bowl or a huge bottle. Not all books give the same number of ordinary bottles it is supposed to contain; some say five for claret and four for champagne. The Daily News of 1889 has it as ten to twelve bottles.
Jeropiga

See Geropiga.
Jewish Wines

In spite of long periods of exile, the Jewish nation has maintained its ancient wine-making traditions, and the Bible is full of references to its activities in that respect. Moreover, their own particular Talmud praises the moderate use of wines, and the vine is used as an illustration of fertility and energy.
Johannisberg
A quite small village (and commune of 200 acres) on the Rheingau (above Geisenheim), not on the river but high up in the hills behind, protected by fine forests, and affording a superb view over the whole Rheingau and the Rheinhesse on the other side of the river. By far its most famous vineyard is Schloss Johannisberg (q.v.), but others are: Erntebringer, Goldatzel, Kahlenberg, Vogelsang, Halle, Weilier, Nonnholle, Hasenberg, Mittel-Holle, Kerzenstuck, Schwarzenstein, Klaus, Sterzelpfad.
Johannisberg
In the Valais district of Switzerland they often, sell a white wine, made with the Riesling grape, which is labelled Johannisberg.
Johannisberg Riesling

In California they thus call a superior species of German Riesling, in distinction to inferior sorts.
Johnson, Dr. Samuel (1709-1784)

The noted scholar, dictionary compiler and author. He was at one time addicted to port and punch. Later he had a teetotal period. In trade circles he is best known for his dictum: No, Sir, claret is the liquor for boys; port for men; but he who aspires to be a hero must drink brandy.”He had not a good opinion of claret; it was, he said, so weak “a man would be drowned by it before it made him drunk.
Joigny
A town (7,000 inhabitants) and district north of Chablis in the departement of the Yonne, where a wine of that name is made.
Jonson, Ben (1573-1637)

Poet and friend of Shakespeare; also a great tavern frequenter. His literary appreciations of the merits of good wine are legion. His tastes set the wine fashion of his period and his favourite drink was sack.
Jonzac
An historic centre of the Charente brandy – making district, possessing several good distilleries.

Josefshofer
This is the name of a fine Middle Moselle vineyard/ estate lying between Graach and Wehlen. It is unusual in that it is not sold with either of these place names attached, but just as Josefshofer, plain.
Jugazan

A tiny village/commune near Branne in the Entre-deux Mers district of the Gironde.
Jugenheim

A small wine-making commune near Bingen, in the Rheinhesse, Germany.
Julep
From the Persian gut, rose, and ab, water. Thus (in English) a sweet drink. But in the United States it signifies a mixture of brandy, whisky or some other spirit with sugar and ice and some other flavouring, usually mint.
Julian Emeror

This Roman Emperor, like Probus, after whom-so years later-he reigned, also did much to encourage wine-making.
Julienas
A red wine Producing commune (considered by many in France the best) of the Beau Jolais district. It lies to the north Of Macon.
Juliusspital
A charitable institution (very like in many ways the Hospices de Beaune), which also makes excellent wine comprising a fine set of buildings and extensive wine cellars (some of the carvings on the faces of the casks are worth a special visit), in the town of Wurzburg, Franlonia. The wines are bottled in Bocksbeutels (q.v.)
Jullac
A tiny villagelcommune near Pujols in the Entre-deux Mers district of the Gironde.

Jullien, Julien

Author (1822) of an accepted work of authority “Topographie de tous les Vignobles Connus.” This work contains much useful information on vine growing throughout the ages.

Juniper
A genus of evergreen shrub, the berries of which are used for various medicinal purposes and for the flavouring of gin. See also Geneva.

Jura
A wine-making departement with a quarter of a million population, of some considerable importance. In it are Arbois (q.v.) and Chateau Chalon (q.v.). See also Franche Comti.
Jurancon
This is a heavy, sometimes orange, sometimes ruby sweet dessert wine (with full appellation controlee rights), made south of Pau in the Pyreneese. Grapes used are the Gros Manseny, Petit Manseny, Corbu, Camarlet, and others. Historically, the wine of Jurancon is noted that with which the lips of King Henry IV (Le Vert Galant) were wetted when he was born in 1553.
Juvenal, A.D. 60-130

A caustic Roman writer from whom we get much knowledge of wine drinking habits of the period

Iberian Wines

See Spanish and Portuguese Wines.
Ice Wines

A name given to certain (usually fine) German wines made in infrequent years when the vines have been picked so late that ice has formed on the berries.
Ice Saints

Or Eis-Heiligen of the German calendar. They are four-12th May, St. Pancratius; 13th May, St. Servatius; 14th May, St. Bonifacius; and 15th May, St. Sophie, dubbed Die Kalte Sophie, or Cold Sophie. These days are watched with care, and tradition has it that once they are passed frost dangers are over.
Icing of Wines

To advise the amateur to drink wine at the temperature of the cellar is not good enough. In the first place, nine storage places out of ten which the average householder considers his cellar are nothing like cool enough for the true enjoyment of a white wine (and there is a tendency to like wines colder and colder), and, in the second place, a cellar which remains ideally cool in normal weather takes up ground-level temperature after several days of really hot weather, to a degree that the bottle coming from such a place would not be cellar cool”- -it is, therefore, wiser to stick to degrees Fahrenheit and to state that white wines (and vins roses and certain uncommon in England reds) should be served at a temperature between 40 degs. and 50 degs. Within this temperature range, it now becomes necessary to decide how cold each individual wine should be and it is fair to state that the sweeter the wine the colder the bottle should be. The reason for this is that extreme cold kills the somewhat cloying taste of sugar on the palate and yet allows the aroma to be discernable. This theory, however, is not held universally. Both the refrigerator and the ice bucket chill wine satisfactorily, though the former does the job more gently and produces the finer drink. With an ice bucket (those of plastic or fibre preserve the cold longer than the traditional metal) see that the whole bottle is immersed and remember that an ice-water mixture, because of the fuller contact with the bottle, cools more rapidly than ice alone.
Ile
It appears that a small vineyard here in the commune of Ordonnac, near Lesparre in the very north of the Medoc, belonging to the ancient abbey of Ile, used to produce a minor wine with a bouquet of roses.
Iles de la Gironde, Les

A vast amount of (mostly red) wine is made on a group of long, terribly narrow islands in the Gironde between Bourg and Pauillac. The main islands are: Ile Margaux, Ile Fumadelle, Ile du Nord, Ile Nouvelle, Ile Patiras, Ile Verte, Ile Bouchard; producing in all nearly ten thousand hogsheads of wine annually.
Il
A small river which rises in the foothills of the Jura and runs through an important part of the Alsatian vineyards, until it flows into the Rhine at Strasbourg.
Illats
A commune/village (6,000 acres, 1,000 inhabitants) between Podensac and Cerons, roughly where the Graves district ends and the Sauternes begins. Wines from here (almost entirely white) have the right to be called Cerons.
Illicit Still

Keeping an illicit still (the legal term for one which is unlicensed) attracts financial fines of an exceptional severity.
Illyria
One of the extensive winemaking districts of the old Austro-Hungarian Empire.
Imitations

See Sophistication.
Immiscible Liquors

Liquors that are not capable of mixing. Thus, before corks and bottles came into general use for wines it was the custom in several countries to fill up their bottlings with a little olive oil-an immiscible liquid-as this acted as a buffer between the wine itself and the flax stoppers then used.
Imola
An Italian town near Bologna, once belonging to the old Papal States, where considerable wine is made. It used to be famous for its boiled wine, or vino cotto.
Imperial Tokay

The name given to the authentic essenz (q.v.) wines of Tokay (q.v.); probably because the limited stocks of these wines were originally mainly in the Imperial cellars.
Imperial, Imperiale

A large bottle holding, generally, 6 litres or 8 bottles.

Imperial Pint

A bottle size which was quite popular for champagne (and a little less so for claret) up to around the thirties of this century. It contained an eighth of a gallon and was thus in capacity less than the bottle and more than the half. See also Pint.
Implements, Cellar

See Scantling, Tongs, bottle, Scotch, Shive, Skid, Spile (Spiggot), Rousing Stick, Corkscrews, Rod, dipping, Velincher (Barrel Thieves).
Imposts
Another term for the taxes or duties imposed on such dutiable commodities as wines, spirits and liqueurs.
Impure Wines

The term used when a wine contains abnormal r added ingredients or has been sophisticated in any way.
Incrustation
A rather formal term used in regard to the more or less fixed crusts which develop in red wines intended for lengthy periods in bottle. Vintage and crusted ports are the two wines mostly concerned with this term.

Index Vectegalium

The official tit e applied to the list of instructions given to our Customs and Excise officers of the 17th century, It also embodied the varies duties liable to be paid, and altogether supplies much to interest the student of the history of wine in England.
Indian Corn Spirit

A spirit made in the U.S.A. and elsewhere from maize.
Indications of Origin

See Appendix.
Individual Growths

Used to describe the single growths of a particular vineyard, as contrasted with those of a more generic type. The classified chateau growths of Bordeaux, certain cuvees of the Cote d’Or and many renowned German hock and Moselle growths are instances of individual growths.
Industrial Spirit

Alcohol is used to a great extent in the manufactured of explosives and the blending of motor spirit. Spirits used for ordinary household purposes in Britain are denatured and rendered highly unpalatable before being sold to the public.
Indies, West

A group of islands lying between North and South America. They are noted for rums of several types-Jamaica, Demerara, Cuba, Trinidad, etc and for certain types of liqueurs.

Indre
A departement of France to the south-east of the Indre-et Loire and to the west of Cher, where a certain amount of wine is made.

Indre-et-Loire
A n important wine-producing departement of France, with a population of 35,000 people and Tours as its capital town. Bounded on the west by the Maine-et-Loire and the cast by the Loir-et-Cher, within its boundaries are the wines of Vouvray Chinon, Bourgueil and St. Nicolas-en Bourgueil, all of which q.v.
Inferno
A good Italian red wine made with the Nebbiolo grape in the Valtellina district of the province of Lombardy.
Ingelheim
This town of 14,000 inhabitants is in the Rheinhesse, directly opposite Schloss Johannisberg which is in the Rheingau. in Niederingelheim (reputedly Charlemagne’s birthplace) are the remains of one of Charlemagne’s most magnificent palaces. Oberingelheim, a former Imperial city, has a Romanesque church, a ruined fortress and old fortifications. Its asparagus is to Germany what that of Evesham is to England. Vinously speaking, Ingelheim shares with Assmannshausen the reputation for making the best red Rhine wines. Some vineyards: Reds: Paares, Horn, Unft, Atzel, Rheinhohe, Grauerstein, Lottestuck; Whites: Salzborn, Hesselweg, Sonnenhang, Geisberg, Kreis.
Ingersheim
A little village (2,000 inhabitants) north of Colmar, making good Alsace wines. There is a cave cooperative here also. Floriment is a vineyard of the commune of some renown.
Inns
Public places of refreshment of great antiquity which have always been important outlets for wines, spirits and other alcoholic beverages. The Greeks are supposed to have invented them, but it was the Romans in their triumphal progress through Western Europe who appear to have developed the inn system. Strictly, an inn is a public house kept for the lodging of travellers and also (erroneously) a tavern which does not provide lodging. But the sense has altered in the past half-century, and an inn is now also a refined word for a public house in a country setting.
Inosite
A non-fermentable saccherine substance found in certain wines.
Inspissated Wines

The term (spissus is Latin for thick) applied to wine musts that have been boiled down or otherwise reduced to a third or quarter of their original bulk. It is assumed that by this means, ancient wine–makers preserved much of their fine vintages. The practice is still in force in certain wine districts, but more for the purpose of fortifying or flavouring younger wines.
Invert Sugar

Sugar formed by the breaking up of cane sugar into dextrose and levulose. A monosaccharose sugar; one which the yeast germ can convert into alcohol.
Iona
A native North American grape called after Iona Island, N.Y. It is used for making sparkling wine in the Finger Lakes region of New York State.
Ionian Wines

Wines made in a group of islands along the southwest coast of Greece. At one time they were made there in considerable quantity, but now the staple trade is currants.
Ipecacuanha Wine

In the earlier part of this century, an official British Pharmaceutical preparation, also called Vinum Ipecacuanha, made by mixing 5 parts of liquid extract of ipecacuanha with 95 parts of sherry. Ipecacuanha is a South American shrubby plant which possesses emetic and Purgative Properties.
Iphofen
A Franconian village/ commune on the River Main near Wurzburg, Germany. Some vineyards: Julius Echterberg, Kronsberg, Kalb, Pfaffensteig, Bettenberg.
Ipocras

See Hippocras.
Irish Whiskey

Note that it is trade usage in Britain to spell it Irish whiskey and Scotch whisky. Ireland has for long been renowned for its fine pot still whiskeys and it is asserted by some authorities that this country was the first to distill usquebauch -the water of life. Generally speaking, Irish whiskeys are offered for sale at a higher alcoholic strength than Scotch. See also Whisky.
Irouleguy
One of France’s V.D.Q.S. (vins delimites de qualite superieure) wines. It is strong and red and made in the western Pyrenees, near Bayonne.
Irrawang

A vineyard district in New South Wales, Australia.
Ischia
The name of an island in the Bay of Naples, Italy, producing a large amount of fair wines, Most Of which is sold as Capri.
Isere
A departement in the S.E. of France, part Of the old province of Dauphine. On its western boundary it abuts on to the River Rhone near Vienne. A fair amount of wine is made in this region.
Isfahan

An important winemaking district in Persia.
Isinglass
The word is supposed to be a corruption of the Dutch huisenblas, literally the Sturgeon’s bladder (hausen is the giant black sturgeon). It is a firm, whitish, semi-transperent substance (a comparatively pure form of gelatine) obtained from the sounds or air bladders of some fresh-water fish, especially the sturgeon and shad. It is used for clarifying wine.
Islay
An island in the Hebrides noted for its particular style of whisky which is sought after as a component part of many good blends. See Appendix.
Isle Saint Georges

A village/ commune near La Brede, south of Bordeaux, in the Graves district.
Issan, Chateau d’

A third classified growth of the Medoc, in the commune of Cantenac and one of the oldest properties of the region. Makes 120 hogsheads annually.
Israel
Wines have been made in the ancient land of Canaan since the time of Noah, but since the 19th century the Israeli farmer has taken only a passing interest in wine. The phylloxera hit the country in 1890, but after it had been controlled the industry was organised and a careful selection of the best varieties of Spanish and French grapes were imported and planted. Overproduction resulted. Then, after the First World War, the industry was again reorganised, but with small results. Today, the two big vineyard districts are near Haifa and Tel-Aviv.
Istria
A peninsula situated between the gulfs of Fiume and Trieste, which has been possessed by several powers in turn. In the Italian section, near Trieste, a great deal of good red wine is made, as well as brandy.
Italy
The second largest wine producing country in the world, with an annual production of one thousand million gallons. In spite of her tremendous output and the length of time she has been making it, Italy produces no great wines of the same quality as the French and German top growths. Most of the best Italian wines come from the northern provinces. Here follows a list of the more important wine producing provinces (going approximately from north to south) with some of the wines made in each:

· LOMBARDY (Lombardia)

Names of wines and/or districts. Red: Grumello, Inferno, Sassella, Freeciarossa, Vagella.
White: Valtellina (also red).

· PIEDMONT (Piemonte)

Red: Barolo, Barbera, Barbaresco, Fresia, Gattinara, Grignolino, Nebbiolo.

White: Cortese.

Sparkling: Asti Spumante.

· LIGURIA

Red: Dolceacqua

White: Cinque Terre, Vermentino, Coronata, Polcevera.

· TRENTINO ALTO ADIGE (formerly Venezia Tridentina)

Red: Marzemino, Lagarino, Rosato, Teroldego, Santa Maddalena, Caldaro.

White: Terlano, Termeno.

· VENETIA (Venezia Euganea)

Red: Bardolino, Valpolicella, Valpantena.

White: Soave, Prosecco, Garganega, Colli Euganei.

· EMILIA ROMAGNA

Red: Lambrusco, Sangiovese di Romagna.

White: Albana di Romagna.

· MARCHE

Red: Rosso Piceno.

White: Verdicchio di Jesi.

· TUSCANY (Toscana)

Red: Chianti, Vin Nobile di Montepulciano, Brunello di Montalcino, Brolio.
White: Vino Santo, Vernaccia di San Gimignano.

· UMBRIA

White Orvieto.

· LATIUM (azio)

Red: Cesanese del Piglio.

White: Est ! Est !! Est!!! , Frascati, Velletri, Marino, Castelli Romani.

· ABRUZZI (Abruzzo)

Red: Cerasuolo.

White: Trebbiano d’Abruzzo.

· CAMPANIA

Red: Falerno, Gragno, Lacrima Christi del Vesuvio, Capri. White: Falerno, Capri, Fiano di Avellino, Solopaca.

· APULIA (Puglia)

Red: Aleatico di Puglia, San Stefano.

White Sansercro, Salento.

· LUCANIA

Red: Aglianico del Vulture.

White Malvasia di Lucania.

· CALABRIA

Red: Savuto, Ciro di Calabria.

White: Greco di Gerace.

· SICILY

Red: Etna, Eloro.

White: Etna, Faro, Marsala, Moscato di Pantilleria, Malvasia di Lipari, Moscato di Noto, Mamertino, Eloro.

· SARDINIA

Red: Oliena.

White: Nasco, Monica.
Ithaca

One of the Ionian islands of Greece, traditionally famous for its wines.
Itterswiller

A wine-making village between Colmar and Strasbourg in Alsace.
Ives

One of the best red wine making grapes of America, especially in the Finger Lakes region for sparkling wine.
Ivybush
It used to be the practice to hang up a bushy bunch of ivy (or a representation of it) outside a tavern as a sign that wine was sold there. Hence the phrase, good wine needs no ivy bush, later shortened to good wine needs no bush.
Izamorodny
Also called Smorodni. A wine of Hungary made with the Furmint grape.

Hail
“La grele” in French. One of the most feared of all disasters and especially in the spring, when a severe storm breaks off the young sprouts. The vines grow, true, but not in time to produce mature grapes. As a partial remedy, cannons, bombs and anti-hail rockets are let off, but the Burgundian has found that his best insurance against total loss (and this is not rare on the Cote d’Or) is to have his vineyards in several small scattered lots.
Halb
Fuder. -Standard measure in the Moselle district for a cask containing approximately 480 litres. (but as the casks are still almost entirely hand-made, a deviation of 80 litres is not unknown)
Halb
Stuck-Cask used in the Rheingau and Rheinhesse holding 600 litres.
Hallau
The most well-known community of the Canton of Schaffhausen, Switzerland. The wine is somewhat ordinary red.
Hallgarten
A most important village and commune of the Rheingau, but not, as most are, on the River Rhine, but up in the hills behind. There are no less than three cooperative cellars here with, officially, rather unusual names. The first two were founded during the Boer War, and the larger and richer growers formed the Vereinigte Weingutsbesitzer, who were promptly called Die

Englander-the Englishmen- by their poorer neighbours, who soon became Die Buren, the Boers. A third, Die Deutscher, was formed alter. They are all in action today. Some
Hallgarten vineyards Deutels-berg, Deez, Biegels, Jungfer, Rosengarten, Wurzgarten, Egersberg, Handelberg, Merholzchen, Schonhell, Geyersberg, Fruhenberg.
Halling
A gift of wine from this place near Rochester was recorded as being made to Edward II.
Haltingen
A wine village in the Markgraflerland district of Baden, Germany.
Hambach
A hillside village/ commune on the Upper Palatinate, south of Neustadt, making average quality white (and some red) wines. Some, vineyards: Seminargarten, Grain, Feuer, Brusselberg, Sommerhalde, Kirchberg, Birk.
Hambro
Also Hamburgh or Hamburg-The most popular English type of (black) grape was once used for wine-making.
Hamburg
That German seaport which all through the 19th century had a world reputation as being the place where sherries and ports were copied or sophisticated.
Hangling
Also the Hangling Blue. -The name of a red wine making grape used in Germany.
Harfleur
This northern French port used in olden days to handle a considerable trade in French wines.

Harmonisch (German)

Harmonious, i.e. well rounded and balanced. A complimentary term for a pretty little wine, not of necessity great.
Haro
By far the most important town commercially and so far as the number of bodegas therein is concerned of the Rioja district of Spain. It is 43 kilometres west of Logrono, the next most important wine town, and due south of Bilbao.
Harxheim
There are two (not to be confused with Herxheim, (q.v.) on the Rhine: (a) A village/commune on the Rheinhesse, south of Mainz. Some vineyards: Schlossberg, Osterberg, Kuchelberg, Bonn, Uberruck. (b) A village/ commune on the Upper Palatinate. Some vineyards: Silberberg, Schnepfenflug, Hengstgewann.
Hasenlaufer
German for hare’s run. Name of a vineyard site in Brauneberg.
Hasensprung
Hare leap. Name of a vineyard site in Winkel.
Hattenheim
One of the most important and attractive wine towns on the Rheingau, situated between Oestrich and Erbach.

Here are the great vineyards of Steinberg and Kloster Eberbach, both important enough to have separate entries.

Hattenheim has some 500 acres of vineyards, of which some are: Aliment, Bergweg, Bitz, Boden, Boxberg, Dillmetz, Deitelsberg, Engelsmannsberg, Geirsberg, Gasserweg, Hassel, Hinterhaus, Kilb, Kiedricherweg, Klosterberg, Mannberg, Mehrhoelzchen, Nussbrunnen, Pfaffenberg, Pflanzer, Rothenberg, Schutzenhduschen, Weiher Weid, Wisselbrunnen, Stabel.
Hatzenport
A small minor wine village/commune on the lower Moselle.
Haut
French for upper. It would be impossible to give a complete list of districts and properties which have this word attached. In and around Bordeaux alone, for example, there are 95 chateaux, crus, domaines, etc., with haut prefixed.
Haut Armagnac

One of the three Armagnac districts; actually, the least good.

Haut Bages

Liberal, Chateau-A fifth classified growth of Pauillac, Medoc.
Haut Bailly, Chateau

A cru exceptonel of Leognan in the Graves district of Bordeaux.
Haut Barsac

The Barsac district of Sauternes is divided into Barsac and Haut Barsac.
Haut Brion, Chateau

This is the only growth of the Graves district (in Pessac) which was allowed to figure in the official Medoc classification of 1855, and indeed the only chateau of all not in the Medoc. It is a first growth made on a 42 hectare estate now well in the suburbs of Bordeaux itself. A little white is also produced.
Haut Brion Larrivet, Chateau

See Larrivet Haut Brion.
Haut Medoc

The Medoc is divided into two sections: the Haut Medoc, which runs from Bordeaux-Blanquefort to be more accurate-up to SaintSeurin-de-Cadourne; and the Medoc, which continues on due north from Saint-Germaind’Esteuil up to Soulac, where the River Gironde meets the Atlantic Ocean. More than nine tenths of the great wines are in the Haut Medoc and no classified growths are in the Medoc.
Haut Peyraguey, Clos

This (in the commune of Bommes) is a 1st classified growth of Sauterness and is not to be confused with Chateau Laufaurie Peyraguey.
Haut Rhin

That part of the Alsatian vignoble which runs from Colmar to Selestat.
Haut Sauternes

In spite of the popularity of the words Haut Sauternes on English wine lists, there appears to be no official demarcation between Sauternes and Haut Sauternes, as there is with Barsac.
Hautvillers
A famous Abbey and vineyard district of Champagne on the northern bank of the Marne. It was at the Abbey’s cellars that the renowned Dom Perignon carried out experiments on the control of fermentation, which gave the world the present fully sparkling type of champagne.
Headings
A technical term used in brandy distilling to describe one section of the passingover of the spirituous vapour concerned.
Hectare

French land measure equalling 2.47 acres.

Hectolitre

French liquid measure equalling 100 litres or 22 gallons.
Heddesheim
A village/commune in the Guldenbach Valley of the Nahe, Germany. Some vineyards: Kilb, Layerweg, Thal, Steiler, Geiseman, Bemerich.
Hefegeschmack
(German, Hefe = yeast, dregs). A wine which has the taste of lees.
Heidelberg
This famous university town is vinously speaking in the Baden Bergstrasse region, but is perhaps more famous for the Heidelberg Tun, which was constructed in 1751 and was 31 feet long and held 49,000 gallons.
Heilbron
A town in the Wurttemberg-mainly red-wine-making district of Southern Germany.
Heiligenbaum
German for Holy Tree. The name of a vineyard in Nierstein.
Heimersheim
A village/commune on the red wine making river and district of the Ahr, Germany.
Henderson, Dr

The author of a long and reliable book on wine published in the middle of the last century.

Henry II

By this English King’s marriage to Eleanor of Aquitaine, the province of Gascony became part of the English Crown, with the result that the wines of Bordeaux soon gained favour in Britain.
Heppenheim
A village on the Hessian Bergstrasse, Germany, making minor white wine.
Hepsema
The Greek word for must sufficiently boiled down to prevent fermentation.
Herault
That Departement of the Languedoc in the south of France which makes most wine of all. Mainly it is very ordinary red, and not more than a tiny fraction is exported.
Herb

German for tart, acrid, bitter, astringent. Much used in wine parlance.
Herbemont
A species of red grape which flourishes in Southern American states and is much esteemed as a possible good wine producer of the future. Named after Nicholas Herbemont.

Herbs and Wine

Old records show that herbs were used universally in olden times to flavour wines. Today, the best example of the successful combination of herbs and wine is to be found in the manufacture of Italian and French vermouth and many French aperitifs.
Hermitage
A small reputed winemaking area (mostly red, some white) of the Cotes du Rhone around the town of Tain (now called Tain-l’Hermitage: population 4,000; two small hotels, plus two one-star-for-good-food Guide Michelin restaurants), which is to the north of Valence. Grape species for the red is Syrah. For the white, Roussanne or Marsanne. Some vineyards (not often shown in England) are: La Chapelle, La Sizier, Les Bessards, Les Murets, Chante-Alouette. Fine red Hermitage wines need longer in cask than do Cote d’Or wines of equivalent quality.
Herrenberg
A vineyard name (German for the hill of the lord of the manor) used, among other places at Ayl, Oppenheim, Enkirch and Wawern.
Herxheim
The most northerly village/commune of the Middle Haardt, making by no means (much of it is red) great wines.
Hesse

See Rhinehessia.
Heurige
(German) The potent, sweet, milky coloured, new, semi-fermented wine drunk in Germany and Austria in cafes immediately after the vintage. Heurig-this year’s. (see also Federweisser.
Highball
(American) A long drink of spirits (whisky unless otherwise qualified) diluted with soda water and with cubes of ice added.
Highland Malts

Malt whiskies produced in the Highlands of Scotland, i.e. in distilleries lying on the mainland north of Dundee in the east and Greenock in the west. (See Appendix for list of Distilleries.)
Hills of Bacchus

A poetical term in use owing to the fact that so many fine vineyards are on slopes. Perhaps the phrase has its origin in the old tag Bacchus loves the hillsides.
Himmelreich, (German)

Means the Kingdom of Heaven; the name of a notable vineyard of Graach on the Moselle.

Hinterhaus
German for rear of the house. The name of a notable vineyard of Rudesheim on the Rheingau.

Hippocras
An ancient English favoured beverage, the ipocras of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, made of a basis of wine (some writers say usually pricked wine), sugar, cinnamon, cloves and other spices. As the whole brew was filtered through a long woollen bag known as a Hippocrates’ sleeve (so called because the apothecaries of that time wore garments with huge sleeves) it was thus that the drink got its name.
History of Wine

Some notes as to further research:

(a) Archaeologists have found evidence of wine-making in Mesolithic times, that is, ten to eleven thousand years ago.

(b) Noah planted a vineyard in Biblical times.

(c) The majority of historians feel that Persia was the first wine-making country.

(d) Herodotus, born five hundred years B.C., wrote much on Persian intemperance, stating that public affairs were discussed while the legislators were under the influence of drink and that decisions reached while imbibing in public houses were noted down by the publican If, when they were sober the following day, the drinkers still held to the decisions made the previous night they were put into effect. (e) In Greece around 1,000 years B.C. wine was always drunk mixed with water; only the barbarians took wine neat.

(f) Petronius, Athenaeus, Columella, Juvenal, Virgil, Galen, Martial, Pliny are useful writers to study.

(g) Cultivation of the vine in France started in the time of the Caesars; first, it is believed, around Marseilles.

(h) During the Roman heyday in spite of the great variety of wines available (Lesbian, Chian, Falernian, Mamertine, Caccuban, Surrentine, Campanian) it became more and more the fashion to mix them with herbs, spices, boiled down must, snow, sea water, aloes, bitters and the like.

(i) According to the Doomsday Book, wine was made in Essex. (j) It was Henry II’s marriage to Eleanor of Aquitaine that caused claret to outstrip other wines in popularity. The Methuen Treaty caused port to become more popular than claret. The Napoleonic Wars caused Cape wines to become popular. Gladstone’s tax reduction on beverage wines caused an upsurge in the popularity of European table wines. Shortage of whisky, due to the need to obtain dollars, caused the popularity of gin. It would seem, therefore, that political and economic reasons have been the causes of change in our drinking habits, rather than tastes.
Hochedel, Hochfeine (German)

Superb and noble.
Hochgewachs

Noble growth.
Hochheim
The position of this town in relation to other Rheingau wines is similar to that of chateau Bout Brion and the other classified growths of the Medoc. For the town of Hochheim with its surrounding 500 acres (they form an astonishing island of vines, for there are none other in the neighbourhood) is not in the Rheingau proper nor on the River Rhine, but 10 miles east on its tributary, the Main. And yet it is this town which has given the English language hock (see below), a comparatively new word for what was formerly called Rhenish. It is to be noted that although on comparatively flat ground and in spite of being situated where it is, the wines from here have all the characteristics of a true Rheingau. Some Hochheim vineyards Konigin-Viktoria Berg (q.v.), Domdechaney, Holle, Rauchloch, Raaher, Beine, Sommerheil, Weiner, Steinern Kreuz, Hofmeister, Gehitz, Daubhaus, Stielweg, Neuberg, Kirchenstuck, Kohlkaut, Bettelmann, Gans, Russelheimer, Orben, Bickei, Wandkaut.
Hock
The name (an abbreviated form of Hochheimer-see above) given in England to Rheingau, Rheinhesse and Rheinpfalz wines, rather in contradistinction to Moselles and, perhaps less definitely, Nahe, Ruwer and Saar wines. Apart from a minute output of not great red (Assmanshausen and Ingelheim are the two most reputed places) wines, it is white wines (made with the Riesling, Sylvaner, Muller Thurgau, Traminer, Gutedel and Osterricher grapes) which entirely predominate. The distinctive character and flavour of hock is partly due to its being produced in the most northerly winegrowing area of Europe; the slow growth resulting in quality. Hogshead-A liquid measure of capacity; also a wooden cask for holding wines, spirits, sugar and other commodities. In the English wine trade it almost always referred to a cask for claret and burgundy of 46 to 48 gallons. The name is supposed to be a corruption of ox-head or ox-hoft, by reason of a supposed resemblance between the two.
Holland
Noted for its great spirit industries, i.e. Hollands Geneva, Schiedam, Schnapps, etc. Also for its fine types of liqueurs, such as cherry brandy, Curacao and Advocaat. At one time Schiedam had some 300 distilleries in working order.
Hollands Geneva

A Dutch spirit of gin character, but possessing its own particular flavour of smokiness. The national spirit of the country; also enjoys an almost universal reputation.
Holy Ghost

This is a charitable institution called the Buergerspital zum Heiligen Geist in Wurzburg, who own now some 250 acres of fine vineyards, mainly around Randersacker and Wurzburg.

Holzgeschmack, (German)

Woody taste. Resulting from too long cask storage, or a faulty stave in the cask.
Homer
The Greek writer who recorded his appreciation of the use of wine and of his own favourite, Thracian wine, in particular.
Honey
Apart from its use in making beverages such as mead and hydromel, honey was frequently employed of old for softening and sweetening the young and sometimes acid wines that were then consumed.

Honigartig (German)

Honey flavoured. A wine with this aroma.
Honigberg (German)

Honey hill. A famous vineyard of Erbach on the Rheingau.
Hopkins
A species of American grape used with great success in North Carolina. It ripens in August, nearly a month ahead of other species there.
Horace
This Roman poet (68-5B.C.) has been called the Latin Poet of Wine. One of his Odes contains the famous tag-nunc est bibendum (now is the time to drink). In many of his other Odes, Horace sings the praises of various Latin and Greek wines, especially Caecuban, Falernian, Chian and Lesbian.
Horstein
A town/commune near Aschaffenburg on the River Main in the Franconian district of Germany, producing some of the best Franken wines. Some vineyards: Abtsberg, Langenberg, Reuschberg, Steinbusch, Schwalbenwinkel.
Hospices de Beaune

Situated in the town, just off the main square, this collection of build-ings which is a home for the in-firm is one of the greatest sights of France. Around an immensecobbled courtyard, the steep roofs of the jumble of buildings come down over the balconies with coloured slates laid in patterns of yellow, green and black-a traditional Burgundian roof im-posed on a mediaeval Flemish style of building. It is here (the place was founded by Nicolas Rollin, a tax collector under Louis XI in the mid-fifteenth century) that the now world- famous wine auctions take place, usually on the last Sunday in November. On the Saturday before, potential buyers taste the wines direct from the cask in cellars underneath one of the courtyards. A charge is made for this, and this money together with the proceeds from the auction forms the revenue with which the Hospices are financed. For, over the centuries, some magnificent vineyards have been bequeathed to the institution, and they have been so well maintained that the prices fetched for the casks are very high; added to which, a certain amount extra is realised owing to the cachet attached to owning a Hospices wine and the imperative need for luxury European hotels to list at least one of the famous cuvees, which if genuine will bear the name of the donor on the label. The auction (one of the last big ones in Europe done by candle, where the bidding must stop when the flame gets down to a measured mark) is not only a social occasion, for the tasting (even though the wine is still fermenting and thus hard to appraise) affords the wholesale buyer his first opportunity of assessing the merits of the vintage, and the prices fetched the next day are a basis for judging all of those on the Cote d’Or, even though the Hospices vineyards are confined solely to the Cote de Beaune. The total number of acres owned by the institution is 120 acres, split up into 22 cuvees, or parcels of red and 6 of white, as follows: Red: In Beaune: Guigone de Salins, Nicolas Rollin (the founder), Clos des Avaux, Betault, Brunet, Rousseau-Deslandes, Dames Hospitalieres, Virly, Estienne; in Pommard: Billardet, Dames de Charite; in Savigny: Fouquerand, Forneret, Girad; in Aloxe-Corton Charlotte Dumay, Dr. Peste; in Blondeau, Muteau, Gauvain Jehan de Massol; in Auxey, Duresses: Boillot; in Monthelie: Jacques Leblin.

White: in Meursault Loppin J han Humblot, Goureau, Baudot; in Meursault-Charmes: de Bahezre de Lanlay, Albert Grivault. Hospices de Nuits-They own several fine vineyards in the Cote d’Or, notably parcels in Les Porrets, St. Georges, St. Didiers.
Hotte (French)

A huge deep basket made either of cane or wood, strapped on to the vendangeur’s back, into which the Pickers tip their smaller hand baskets, and which the former then takes to the waiting vehicle destined to return to the fermenting vats.
Hubsch (German)

Comely, pretty, a pleasant, clean, but not great wine.
Hudson River

See America.
Huelva
An important but not great wine-producing province (Huelva town, population 70,000, capital) right in the south of Spain on the Atlantic.
Hunawihr

A small village/commune just north of Riquewihr, producing some of the finest Riesling wines of Alsace.

Hungary
The main vineyards (nearly coincident in latitude with the central part of France and South Germany) cluster round the superb Badascony Hills (Mount Badascon is an extinct volcano) which surround the majestic (125 square miles in area) Lake Balaton, which is in the east of Hungary. The most important district around the lake is to the north-east, around Vorosbereny, where is made the white Badascony, Balaton Furmint and Balaton Riesling. In the extreme west are two further regions, Tokay (q.v.) and Erlau. Generally speaking, Hungarian wines are named by district and grape. The following are other names which will be encountered. Whites. Somlai Furmint, Mori Ezerjo (Mor is a commune near Budapest, and Ezerjo the name of a grape), Szamorodny. Reds: Egri Bikaver (means Bull’s Blood of Eger), Villany, Kadarka, Szekszard.

Hunter River

A wine-making centre in New South Wales where much red and white wine is made.

Hybrid Vines

It is to be stressed that this has nothing to do with grafting. Indeed, for practical purposes so far as European viticulture is concerned it can be called the opposite process. Hybridisation is the cross fertilisation of two grape species, and in Europe is always with a European and an American vine strain. The ideal cross should give grapes (berries) of the European species and be American in its other parts; that is to say, to be resistant to phylloxera sand mildew. So far (though an important section of French viticulturists violently disagree), success has only been partial, because when the berries are good, the leaves and roots are too like vinifera species to be of much use so far as resistance is concerned. But experiments are still going on and results improve yearly. In districts where great wines are not sought after or a large production per acre is difficult, the hybrid is coming into its own. That is, where commercial wine-making is a secondary consideration but where wine is necessary for the daily requirements of the household. Generally speaking, the American species used is the Vitis rupestris. In Europe the reason for hybridising is, of course, to avoid the trouble and expense of grafting the vinifera vine on to American phylloxera-resisting root stocks, and the two most successful hybridisers in France have been Seibel and Couderc. One short work on French viticulture describes the individually different characteristics of 29 different Seibel numbers and 17 of Couderc. Of these, Seibel 1,000 and 5,279 and Couderc 4,401 are particularly noteworthy. Other hybrid names to remember are: Othello, Herbemont, Noah, Elvira, Oberlin, Berthille-Seyve.
Hydria
A Greek form of Roman amphora with two or more handles, used for carrying water and occasionally wine.
Hydromel
An ancient fermented beverage of great fame both in Britain and abroad. As its name signifies, it has a basis of honey and water.
Hydrometerv
Literafly, a water measure or a test of the density or gravity of water. It has then been applied by various developments to ascertain the strength of spirits. In Britain, the Sykes instrument and methods are used.
Hymettus

An Attican (Greece) growth of red and white wines.

Gabarnac
A village/commune near Cadillac, 45 kms. south of Bordeaux, in the premieres Cotes de Bordeaux district, making red and white wines much of which is called premieres Cotes de Bordeaux.
Gaillac
A wine-producing district and town in the department (south west) of the Tarn. Within this area is Gaillac premieres Cotes, both places making a sweetish white wine which has a tendency to semi-sparkle and much of which is turned into a vin mousseux. These were popular in England in the Middle Ages, when the red was also esteemed.
Gaia
See Vila Nova de Gala.
Gaillan
A commune/village in the very north of the Medoc near Lesparre.
Gallon
An English and American wine measure. The two, however, are not now quite the same, for the former contains 277.274 cubic inches, while the latter only 231. They were formerly the same, until an Act in the reign of George IV in 1826 created the imperial gallon of the aforementioned capacity. The gallon was divided into 8 pints or 4 quarts.
The etymology of the word is complicated. There is Old French, jalon. Old North French, galon. Latin, gallera-a measure for wine. Old English, zellet-a bowl. The ultimate origin of the word is unknown.
Gallize
This means to treat unfermented grape juice with water and sugar so as to increase the quantity of wine produced. Called after Dr. L. Gall of Trier who invented the process
Gamay
A small black proliferous red wine making grape which in the Beaujolais district makes good wines, but which in the Cote d’Or is only used for lesser wines. It gets its name from a hamlet near Puligny-Montrachet in Burgundy, and many times since the Middle Ages edicts have been published seeking to curb its use. Philip the Bold, last Duke of Burgundy, in 1395 ordered the destruction of the disloyal plant, great in abundance but horrible in harshness. There are many strains of the Gamay grape and some of these have the somewhat rare quality of producing a red juice. However, the Gamay used now in the Beaujolais is not one of these. It is also called the Gamay Beaujolais, or Petit Gamay, or Gamay Rond, and is capable of giving 60 hectolitres to the hectare.

Gan
A commune of the Basses Pyrenees in the Jurancon area where a certain amount of wine is made.
Gard
A department of France in the extreme south bordering the Mediterranean, which, with the departments of the Herault and the Aude, makes 330 million gallons of wine a year-about a quarter of France’s total as much as Portugal, and Germany and Australia put together. Nearly all of it is red. The most distinguished wines of the Gard department are the Costieres du Gard (q.v.) and the Clairette de Bellegarde.
Garde
Vin de-French phrase to denote finer wines which must be kept and matured.
Garganega
A straw-coloured dry (sometimes made sweet) wine made in the Italian province of Venetia from the grape of the same name.
Gascony
An old division of southern France whose wines were famous in England in the Middle Ages. See Aquitaine.
Gattinara
A light, dry red wine made around the town of Gattinara in Piedmont. The better grades mature for 3 years in cask, and when ready are considered by some to be the most aristocratic of all Italian red wines. Reputed to have a faint bouquet of raspberries.
Gau-Algesheim; Gau-Bickelheim; Gau – Bischofsheim; Gau – Odern helm.

Gau is German for county or district, and these are four village/communes all in the Rheinhessen district of Germany, making average quality white wines. Some vineyards: Algesheim: Hasen sprung, Goldberg, Rothenberg, Stolzenberg; Bickelbelm: Kapelle, Saukopf, Heiligenwann, Wiesberg, Goldberg; Bischof-sheim: Glockenberg, Kircheck, Bruhl, Sandkaut, Herrenberg; Odernheint Hippel, Platte, Petersberg, Hosel, Seebuckel, Hummelberg, Singmantel, Lieberg, Reifinger, HoIzeck.
Gaugers
The title of the official Customs and Excise men in England whose duties are to ascertain the measures and contents of the casks that come under their survey.

Gay-Lussac Joseph-Louis (1778-1850)

A celebrated French analyst and physicist; inventor of the alcoholometer and measures that bear his name, and are officially employed in France and elsewhere.
Gazefie
(French). Wines artificially carbonated are thus described.
Geisenheim
An ancient, picturesque, wine town of the Rheingau near Rildesheim, famous for its cathedral, the Rheingauer Dom, and also for its (the largest in Germany) State Training School of Viticulture, which has a world-wide reputation. Some vineyards Rosengarten, Rothenberg, Kirchgrabe, Kreuzweg, Mauerchen, Hinkelstein, Morschberg, Fuchsberg, Lickerstein, Kosakenberg, Altbaum, Decker, Spitzenlehn, Klauserweg, Steinacker, Kilsberg, Backenacker.
Geneva
Nothing to do with the Swiss town, the word is derived from the Old French genevre, which in turn comes from the Latin juniperus , the juniper. It is a spirit distilled from (generally) grain and flavoured with the berries of this low, resinous shrub or tree (Juniperus communis), of which there are at least a dozen species.
Gentian
A plant belonging to the genus Gentiana, especially Gentiana Iuten, the root of which yields a bitter extract used in several French aperitifs.
Gentil
The word used in Alsace to signify a wine made from (nearly always) a blend of more than one high-grade grape species. Edelzwicker is the same.
Georgia

A Caucasian district where a large amount of wine is made.
Germany
The fourteenth largest wine-producing country of the world, with an annual production of some 45 million gallons yet with a higher proportion of fine exportable wines in relation to the total output than any other country. Most of the fine white wines are grown in the north of Germany, while the cheaper white and an increasing amount of red wine is grown in the south, in and around Bavaria and the Black Forest. See: Rheingau Rheinhessen, Moselle, Saar, Ruwer, etc.
Geropiga
Also Jeropiga.—

(1) Etymology. From the same Portuguese word, which comes from the French geropigre, which in turn comes from the Geek hiera picra, or sacred bitterness, a name given to many medicines in the Greek pharmacopoeia, but mainly a purgative drug composed of olives and canella bark sweetened with honey.

(2) Its substance. There would seem to be a certain reluctance to state or divulge just what geropiga does consist of, for not one of five modem books on wine gives the same definition. They range from: a sweet port wine used in small quantities for blending, down to grape syrup used for sweetening cheap wines. Perhaps the best definition is to euphemize the definition given in the Oxford English Dictionary -a mixture of grape juice, sugar, brandy and red colouring matter used in the manufacture of port wine.
Gers
A department of France, formerly part of the old province of Gascony, in the centre of which is the Armagnac (q.v.) district.
Gevrey-Chambertin
Gevrey was, or is, the name of a 2,000 inhabitant village, 26 kilometres north of Beaune and 13 kilometres south of Dijon, on the Cote de Nuits, which has had the name of it vineyard, Chambertin, tacked on. It is also a commune which produces around a quarter of a million gallons of red Burgundy a year.

With Chambertin, the other outstanding vineyard is Clos de Beze. Other vineyards are: Latricieres, Ruchottes, Mazy, Chapelle, Charmes, Griotte.
Gewachs

German for growth of. Then follows the name of the grower.
Gewurztraminer
Means a spicy Traminer. Almost dying out in Germany; still popular in Alsace. As to whether it is a different species to the Traminer is not easy to decide. Of the many books consulted in the English language there is not one which positively states that they are one and the same, or that they are different. A French work on Alsatian wines, published in 1932, says that the Gewurztraminer is also called the Gentil aromatique and a] so the Savagnin rose, and that the Traminer is called (among eleven other synonyms) the Savagnin; but the work goes on to describe the characteristics of the two wines in almost the same terms. In the absence of more definite knowledge, then, a Gewurztraminer (wine) is a somewhat more aromatic wine than the Traminer, possibly made with a different grape species, but more likely made with a blend of Muscat and Traminer grapes.

Gill

A liquid measure commonly used to describe one-fourth of a pint.
Gimlet

Gin and iced lime juice.
Gimmeldingen
A village/commune south of Deidesheim in the Mittelhaardt part of the Palatinate, Germany. Some vineyards Kieselberg, Meerspinne, Schild, Bienengarten, Kapellenberg, Hofstack, Nonnengarten.
Gin
A spirituous liquor produced from a highly rectified spirit flavoured with juniper and other aromatics such as coriander seeds, angelica, cinnamon and caraway seeds according to the recipe of each individual manufacturer. Gin differs from spirits such as rum, brandy and whisky in that whereas these derive their flavours from the raw materials from which they are distilled, gin is produced by removing the flavour and impurities by rectification and then imparting a new flavour to the purified spirit by subsequent distillation in a pot or gin still. Gin became popular in the late 17th and early 18th centuries, following the increase in duty on French wine and brandy imposed by William Ill. Until about the beginning of the present century most gin made in England was sweetened, but sweetened gin then became almost wholly displaced in popular favour by dry gin. The name Old Tom has long been applied to sweetened gin and is mentioned by Charles Dickens in Sketches by Boz. The origin of the name is uncertain, but it may have been derived from a gin dealer called Thomas Chamberlain.
Giro

A red dessert wine, something like port, made with the Giro grape in Sardinia, Italy.
Girolles

A former wine-making district near Avallon, between Auxerre and Dijon.
Gironde
The name of that French department, almost the whole of which is devoted to producing unquestionably more fine and great wine than any other department of France. It is bordered on the west by the Bay of Biscay, on the north by the department of the Charente Maritime, on the north-east by those of the Dordogne and Lotet-Garonne, and on the south by the barren, pine forested Landes. Through the department flow the Rivers Garonne and Dordogne, which meet in the north at Blaye to form the River Gironde. So much of the department is taken up in growing Appellation controlled wines that it is better to describe the small area which is not. This is a very flat triangle, with Bazas at the south, Arcachon in the centre and St. Vivien (at the mouth of the Gironde) to the north, all of which is called the Landes de Bordeaux. Within the remaining area are the following districts:

· North of Bordeaux Medoc, Cotes de Blaye, Cotes de Bourg;

· South of Bordeaux Graves, Sauternes;

· East of Bordeaux: Entre-deuxMers, St. Emilion, Ste. Foy de Bordeaux.

This is a rough division and within each of the abovementioned are further subdivisions. Within these areas the location of red and white wines is as follows: Take a line due east-west passing through Bordeaux, and to the north it is predominantly red wine made, with nearly all the great red wines and no great white wines. To the south it is red and white wines, with all the great whites.
Giscours, Chiteau

A third classifled growth of the Medoc from the commune of Labarde, producing 80 hogsheads of wine annually.
Glacier Wine

Vin du Glacier an almost bitter white wine made from the Reze grape around Sierre in the Canton of the Valais, Switzerland. When made, the inhabitants hoist the wine up to the mountain tops to store and age it in their chalets for many years.
Gladstone, W. E

In 1860, as Chancellor of the Exchequer, he brought down the duty on French table wines from 12s. to 2s. a dozen bottles, thus revolutionising the wine trade and dealing Cape (South African) wines a blow which took them three decades to recover from. In this same Budget, Gladstone amended the licensing laws so that single bottles of wine and spirits could be taken home from grocers’ shops; before this date, this retailing had been restricted to publicans, wine merchants and hotel-keepers.
GLASSES
The modern trend is for wine glasses to be large, plain and thin. Gone are the days when (probably mainly to mask the cloudiness of the wine) hock glasses were huge, heavily cut affairs and often deeply tinted. It is not wise to lay down hard and fast rules on taste or glass sizes, but the following guidance is not far wide of what is now generally acceptable.

· Sherry Glasses

The narrow, elongated slightly curved inward at the top, dock glass-provided it is not too large-is probably the best allround sherry glass for home or restaurant or office use.

· Cocktail Glasses

As the cocktail is the only drink which is served near to the brim of the glass, these should be 2-ounce glasses to take a cocktail of 11 ounces. The stem of such glasses is traditionally short, and the bowl part wide and flat, like a miniature champagne coupe. Bordeaux, Burgundy, Glasses Here, the tulip glass is de rigueur, and a glass of 8 to 10 ounces is not too ostentatious. It is now the mode to fill the glass twothirds, or even only half, full to allow the drinker gently to rotate the glass so that the aroma of the wine is the better given off.

· Champagne Glasses

There are signs that the coupe shape, which often resembles an ice cream sundae bowl, is going out of fashion and that the beautiful flutes (not unlike a dock glass) used by French champagne lovers are now finding favour.

· Hock Glasses

Now plain, with a slightly curved bowl on tall stems, bringing the overall length up to 7 ins., the stem being 5 ins.

· Port Glasses

- With vintage port the thick cut glass is still acceptable.

· Brandy Glasses

The popular, socially acceptable, and also most pleasant to drink from brandy glass is now the short stemmed, balloon-shaped one, provided that the balloon part is not too large.

Glasses more than 5 inches in diameter are, it is safe to say, ostentatious and do nothing to improve the enjoyment of brandy drinking.

· Whisky Glasses

These should be tumblers (preferably of cut glass) with parallel sides and a very thick heavy base, of a 6 to 7 ounce capacity.
Glogg
A Swedish cold weather drink made from a base of hot red wine, spices and aquavit, and topped up with raisins and almonds.
Glycerine. Glycerol

Derived from the Greek word glukeros, meaning sweet, the two words are synonymous, save that the latter is now preferred in systematic chemical nomenclature. it is a colourless, sweet, syrupy liquid and is to be found in ordinary wine to the tune of about 1 per cent. But when Botrytis cineria (q.v.) has attacked the grape, the glycerine content goes up to 2 or 3 per cent thus rendering these wines more moelleux.
Glycol-i.e. glukeros (sweet) + ol (indicating alcohol). A similar but simpler structure to glycerol. it is otherwise known as ethylene glycol C2HAOH)g, and traces are found in some types of brandy.
Gods-Wine

See Dionysus and Bacchus.
Goldbeerenauslese
(Applied to German wines). Auslese means selected and beeren means berries, or individual grapes. So this word refers to single berries cut from selected bunches with scissors, when the clusters are super-ripe. Wines of this calibre are only made in great years.

The grapes when picked are a golden colour, hence the name. See also Trockenbeerenauslese.

Goldwasser

See Danzig.
Gonnheim
A village/commune on the Middle Palatinate, Germany. Some vineyards Hohberg, Ortswingert, Mandelgarten, Sonnenberg.

Gooseberry Wine

Perhaps the most popular fruit used to make a home-made domestic wine in England. It is termed legally by the Customs and Excise a 11 sweet.
Gout
French for taste. As applied to wine, here are some meanings: Gout anglais-for champagne, quite dry; Go& americain-for champagne, fairly sweet Go& do bois-woody taste Gout do bouchon-corky taste Gout do ferment-still fermenting, a sickly sweet unpleasant smell and taste; Gout do fermier, gout do fumier-a strong smell on the nose (usually noticeable in white wine) denoting that the vines have been overmanured. Often the wine is well-made and the smell often goes off after a time in bottle; Gout do paille-wet straw smelling, unpleasant; Gout do pierre do fusil-gun flint taste, a compliment applied to certain white wines made along the eastern end of the River Loire; Gout do pique-pricked, i.e. nearly vinegar; Goiftt do taille-rasping, bitter taste due to the wine having been made from a final pressing of the grapes.
Goutte-d’Or, La

A white wine vineyard of Meursault in the Cote do Beaune, Burgundy.

Graach
An important parish/ village on the Middle Moselle between Berncastel and Trarbach. Some vineyards: Himmelreich, Abtsberg, Bistum, Lilienpfad Domprobst, Stablay, Miinzlay, Tirlei, Rosenberg, Goldwingert, Kirchlei, Homberg. See also Josefshofer.
Gradignan
A commune 6 miles south of Bordeaux in the Graves district, making red mainly and some white wine. Some chateaux: Moulrens, Poumey, Lange, and Lafon.
Gragnano
A dark red Italian table wine made around Gragnano in the province of Campania. Sometimes it is sold petillant.
Grafting
Theophrastus, the Greek philosopher who was writing 300 years before Christ, stated that the grape cannot be grafted on to itself. A hundred years later, Marcus Cato told how to graft grapes. The practice, however, did not become common until modern times, when it became necessary to grow European grapes on to American root stocks since the latter were resistant to Phylloxera. But that is not the sole reason for grape grafting; some vinifera varieties are so wanting in vigour on their own roots that they are often grafted on to a strong-growing stock. Sometimes too, in France, hybrids are grafted either because the soil does not suit them, or to avoid certain diseases. There are two places one can graft grapes: (a) in the vineyard; (b) on the bench. With the former, the earth is removed around the stock to a depth of 3 inches and it is then sawn squarely off at the surface of the ground. A cleft is then made in the centre of the sawn-off stock to a depth of two inches with a very thinbladed saw. Now a scion (which should have been cut leaving two buds on it) is cut, and a wedge is made at the lower end then the cleft is forced open and the two parts are joined. If the stock is large, the graft need not be tied, but with young vines it is wise to tie the graft with raffia. With direct vineyard grafting, a grafting wax (made of tallow, beeswax and resin which keeps the parts moist) need not be used, as the earth’s moisture is sufficient to prevent the graft from drying up.

But for large vineyards, all the vines are bench grafted. Here, better unions are assured, the chances of successful propagation are greater, and much time is saved. With bench grafting, success depends upon seeing that the two parts fit together snugly, and to further this object a double nick (like a W) is made in the stock and the scion, so that the maximum amount of the cambium (the sappy layers between the bark and the hard wood) layers are in contact. The cuttings take best when the vines are about a third of an inch in diameter, and may be taken from the growing vines up to a fortnight before the buds start their spring swelling. The cuttings absolutely must be kept moist and this is best done by covering them with damp sand. In France there are many root stocks to choose from, and that choice is by no means simple. One overriding thing all porte-greffes must have is that they should be resistant to Phylloxera. That, however, is only the beginning; some porte-greffes when grafted to a certain species will cause the latter to get coulure (q.v.), others will cause it to blossom too late, others too early. Then, there is the soil to consider; for example, on a schistous soil it is general to use the porte-greffe Chasselas x Berlandieri; while on a light, chalky soil, the Cabernet x Berlandieri is preferable. Finally, there is the question of the geotropic angle of the roots of the various species. Geotropism is a collective term to describe a tendency of roots to grow towards or away from the centre of the earth, and the viticulturalist is naturally most interested in which species to grow at which angles. In the following list it is to be noted that. 0 degs. refers to a vine whose roots go down completely vertically into the earth, and 100 degs. to those whose roots are completely parallel.

A few principal root stocks: their qualities and the geotropic· angle of their roots 1. Rupestris du Lot. 20 degs. Has an affinity for the Gamay, Cabernet, Folle Blanche, and many other species.

2. Bourrisquou x Rupestris. 30 degs. Very vigorous. Much used in south-west France.

3. Aramon X Rupestris Ganzin. 35 degs.

4. Riparia x Rupestris 3306. 40 degs.

5. Rupestris x Berlandieri. 40 degs. Does well on dry and pebbly soil.

6. Chasselas x Berlandieri 41B. 45 degs. Develops slowly during the first three or four years, but then produces excellent stock. One of the best portegreffes on the dry soils of the

7. Berlandieri x Riparia 420A. 60 degs. An interesting portgrefle for it only produces male flowers. Because the roots take a long time to appear it is not recommended as suitable for bench-grafting, but on the other hand it takes particularly well when grafted on to growing vines direct in the vineyard.

8. Mourvedre x Rupestris 1202. 60 degs. Does best on a compact marl (marne in French) soil. Takes the graft very well.

9. Berlandieri X Riparia 157-11. 75 degs.