WINE AND WINE-DRINKERS.
Tux Blue-book containing the " Reports by her Majesty's Secre- taries of Embassy and Legation, on the effect of the Vine disease on the commerce of the countries in which they reside," is just what we wanted. It bears upon the new prospect of an increased consumption of the light wines of France, and the probable con- sequences of their importation on our national economy, our trade, our way of living, and even our popular morals. On all these points the book furnishes curious particulars, the value of which is of the more importance as the facts are gathered from indis- putable sources, and are duly attested by official inspection. It appears that in the summer of 1858 the karl of Malmesbury sent a circular despatch to our Ambassadors, Ministers, and Consuls abroad, asking for information respecting the vine disease and its effect on particular branches of commerce. The despatch stated that the consequences of the disease had been felt even in this country, not only in the diminished import of French wines, but in the increased export of distilled spirits to France and other countries where the oldium had made its ravages. The reports in reply to this despatch soon came in from all directions.
First, in order of time, was that of Mr. Erskine, dated Washington, December 31, 1858, giving a most interesting sketch of the history of wine-growing in the United States, from its beginning in 1826, to the end of 1857. We learn from this re- port that the States at present produce more than two millions of gallons of wine annually, and that about 6000 acres of land are cultivated as vineyards in Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Missouri, and Illinois. One result is a great diminution in the consump- tion of spirituous liquors ; " and," adds Mr. Erskine, " the fur- ther substitution of cheap and wholesome wine will do more to wean the people from habits of drunkenness than all the Tempe- rance Societies and Maine Liquor Laws by which it has been sought to arrest this great evil." Curious testimony e converso is given in the second report, from Mr. Corbett, her Majesty's Secretary of Legation in Tuscany, under date of January 6, 1859. Tuscany suffered much from the disease during the years 1852-57, and the immediate con- sequence was a considerable importation of rum, brandy, and other spirits from France. As a body the landowners lost little or nothing, since the high price which they received for the small quantity of wine which they produced to a great degree com- pensated them for the deficiency in quantity. The real losers were the lower classes of the people, who not only had to pay more money for an inferior article, but, what was worse, accus- tomed themselves to the use of spirituous liquors as a substitute for the juice of the grape. " Although the disease," says Mr. Corbett, " has now nearly disappeared, some time will elapse before the lower orders will return to the habits of a former period, when the poorest person was able, at a moderate expense, to procure for the use of his family a wholesome and economical beverage." Something similar is reported by Mr. West, her Majesty's Secretary of Legation at Turin. Before 1851, he says, wine was both abundant and good, and was the common beverage of the whole population. The price was low, and within the reach of all ; but the great havoc made by the disease in many districts caused such a rise that wine was at once put beyond the reach of the labouring classes, and became more or less an article of luxury. The immediate effect in the rise of the price of wine was, that the fabrication of beer, which had hitherto been carried on only to a small extent, received a great impulse, and the consumption, especially in the towns, increased largely. In the city of Turin one million of gallons is now consumed annually. But beer, though a far inferior beverage in every respect, is found to be dearer than wine; for whereas wines in an abundant year may be had in Piedmont, anus indeed throughout most wane- producing countries, for about twopence the quart, beer coats everywhere from three to four pence, or nearly double that amount. The consumption of spirits is, of course, still more ex- pensive, besides being infinitely more pernicious to the health of the people. In respect to this latter fact there is perfect unanimity in the reports of all our Consuls and Ministers abroad. So that it seems pretty certain that the temporary want or, what is very nearly
even more than in purse.
The vine disease, according to all reports, has now very nearly disappeared from the wine-producing countries of Europe. Con- trary to all expectations, so far from producing any lasting evil consequences in respect to the culture of the grape, it has rather encouraged it than otherwise. The report of Mr. J. Savile Lum- ley is convincing in this respect. " The wine-trade of Spain with North and South America," says this gentleman in his very in- teresting account, " has received a great stimulus during the pre- valence of the vine-disease. The French and German wine mer- chants not being able to furnish the ordinary supplies required by those countries, an extensive market was opened for Spanish wines, which not only increased the demand, but brought into notice a number of excellent and cheap wines hitherto unknown." The report of Mr. Consul Baker, of Barcelona, throws still more light upon this subject. " The present condition and prospects of the wine trade," says he, " are much more favourable than pre- vious to the disease. The demand for good wines has increased, the exportation is much greater, the traders have much improved their knowledge on the matter, and a great deal of additional care is now successfully bestowed upon the production and preparation of the wines."
This improvement in the culture of the grape was not confined to Spain, but took place simultaneously in many other countries of Europe, Austria for example. From the report of the Honour- able Juhan Fane, dated Vienna, January 25, 1859, we learn that " great advantages have resulted to Austrian and Hungarian wines from the radium, by reason of its causing a demand for these wines in countries like Italy Proper and France, where they had hardly been known before even by name." And, what is very important, we are informed by the same authority, as well as by others, that the production of wine in many countries of Europe is all but unlimited. Mr. Fane is of opinion that "Austria might become the first wine-producing country in Europe ; " and from the report of Mr. Lumley it appears no less certain that Spain is able to grow wine enough for the whole of the civilized world. In confirmation of this, the latter gentleman tells a curious little story.
" A proprietor of extensive vineyards at Huesca, in the Province of Arra- gon, assured me that the drought last summer was so great, and the vintage soplentiful, that it would have been easier for him to irrigate his vineyards with wine than with water. He also stated that in order to make room for the new wine, he had on one occasion offered to sell that of a former vintage at tvo sueldos the cantaro, or about five pence English for a little less than four gallons ; but finding that he could not even get one real for the can- taro (one halfpenny English the gallon), and there being a scarcity of earthen wine-jars or vats, he was obliged to throw away the whole of that year's vintage."
It may be thought that this is an exceptional ease, happening under very exceptional circumstances. But this seems to be by no means the fact, for we are told that many of the wine districts of Old Castille are no less prolific than those of the province of Arragon. For instance, an English gentleman who passed through the town of Aranda del Duero, in the former province, a few years ago, saw some bricklayers at work mixing their mortar with wine instead of water; and he stated that this was no very un- usual occurrence, as there were several instances of houses in that town having been built with mortar prepared in the same way. In another town of Old Castille, at Toro, the " Casa de Ayuntamiento," or Town Hall, is also pointed out as having been built with mortar mixed with wine. We can, therefore, easily believe Mr. Lumley, when he says-
" Large as is the extent of country in Aragon and Navarre cultivated with vineyards, it is small in comparison with what it might be if the de- mand for wines of those provinces should continue ; and what it certainly will be when the railroads now in course of construction are completed to the French frontier, as well as to Bilbao and Barcelona, which lines will be of equal benefit to the vineyards of Old and New Castille, many of which, like those of Arragon, have been as little known to the rest of Spain as they are to the rest of Europe."
In regard to the wines of France, we gather this interesting fact from the Parliamentary Blue-book, that many of the most famous juices which are exported from that country have not been grown at all on French soil, but are imported in turn from other territories to be prepared for the " market." So that in reality, with the opening of the produce of France, we have the prospect of drinking the wines of all Europe. Mr. Savile Lum- ley's report, among others, gives much that is curious in this respect :—
" The wine trade of France seems to have been as much indebted to Spain for its existence during the last five or six years as that of Portugal or the Douro has been ; and although at Bordeaux, as at Xeres, the large stocks of old wine may be still unexhausted, though greatly diminished, there is little doubt that a large quantity of the new wine, which for the test five years has been manufactured in the South of France, and which has been exported to all parts of the world as wine of the first vintages of France, was litde else than Spanish wine mixed and flavoured with other substances.' Which same assertion is made by the Honourable Julian Vane, who states as an
indubitable fact,' that during the mirages of the vine disease in France, the Hungarian wines were sold by French wine merchants as Bordeaux
wines.' "
This large importation of foreign wines into France has no doubt greatly diminished within the last two years, after the more or less complete cessation of the disease. The figures in the 4bles of imports and exports of wines in France, given in the report of Viscount Chelsea, fully bear out that conclusion. From these we learn that while France imported in the year 1857 the amount of 609,827 hectolitres of wine, and 356,056 hectolitres of the same, the high price of wine, falls with peculiar weight on spirits, these imports sank in 1858 to 103,118 hectolitres of wine, the lower classes of the population, who suffer through it in health and 38,062 hectolitres of spirits. Daring the last season it is calculated the French vineyards have again produced about forty- five millions of hectolitres of wine ; and it is the opinion of M. Michel Chevalier that France is now of itself able to meet any demand which England might make in consequence of a revision of the tariff, and even far more, for a long time to come. M. Chevalier also states that in the departments bordering on the Mediterranean, an immense quantity of wine is now converted into alcohol and brandy for no other reason than want of suffi-* cient demand for it in its natural state ; and he thinks that were such demand to arise from England, this produce would be di- verted from the still, and exported to England in the shape of wine ; and vines of a better quality would be planted, so as to yield wines to be consumed as such, instead of wine to be burnt for brandy. There are many other authorities, who assert that France can produce almost any quantity of good and wholesome wine, if a demand for it only existed. One department alone, that of the Herault, is said to produce more than four millions of hectolitres annually ; and it is a well-known fact that in not a few districts—for example in the plains of Montpellier—one hectare of land will give on the average from 350 to 400 hectolitres of wine, which is equal to from 3080 to 3520 gallons per acre. Now the w'. ,le extent of land devoted to the cultivation of vine in Fra' .a amounted, in 1849, to 2,169,504 hectares ; from which figures alone an approximate guess may be made of the capabili- ties of the country for the production of wine.
For the moment we abstain from comment on these facts. We have picked them out of the Blue-book for the convenience of the reader, who will find the volume itself,—full of information and interest. But we shall have a word to say next week on the manner in which these facts, so ably collected over so wide a field, confirm long expressed opinions on the subject of free trade, temperance, and deep-reaching civilization.
Previous page
