Australian Town and Country Journal at KellyGang 18/5/1872 (3)
The method of planting the vines adopted by Mr. Sangar is a novel one in many respects. Half of the vineyard is planted with vines four feet apart or 1700 to the acre and the other half is planted seven feet apart, about 900 to the acre. No difference m yield bas been obtained from these different methods during the past fine seasons: that the one half, that seven feet apart, has yielded as much wine as that four feet apart with about half the labour. The seven feet apart vines are trellised.
The following table will show the division of the vine yards and the success attending the planting of ouch variety of the grape under the management of Mr. Sangar:
Ground under vine, 29 acres: White Wines - Reisling three acres: a first-class wine, yielding 300 gallons to the acre. Aucarot, 1 acre: a good wine, about 400 gallons to the acres. Verdeilho, 4 acres: a beautiful wine, sometimes requires blending with Gounis, 400 gallons per acre. Tokay, 2 acres: a good wine in certain seasons, 500 gallons per acre. Gounis, 3 acres: a light wine, good to blend with those which lack fermenting qualities. An enormous bearer, sometimes as high as 1200 gallons to the acre. Baxter's Sherry, or Pedro Ximenes, 1 acre; a very good wine and an excellent table grape, generally a good bearer, say 500 gallons per acre. Red Wines - First among red wines is, Shiraz, 10 acres: a first-class wine improved by mixing with Malbec, yielding largely when trellised - sometimes 900 gallons to the acre. Malbec, 2 acres: another good wine excellent when blended with Shiraz, &c, only a good bearer in certain seasons, average 250 gallons per acre. Rousillon, 3 acres. This wine in reality is made from the Matoro, Carignau, and Grenache, in about equal proportions; a fair grape in some seasons, yielding about 400 gallons wine to the acre.
The last vintage from Corowa vineyard yielded 13,500 gallons - a capital return from 28 acres. The wine cellars are thatched, and very cool large buildings. The most novel feature is n Chinaman overseer whom Mr. Sangar finds a very industrious and faithful fellow. Though scarcely in place here, I may state that a pleasing appearance is lent to the house, which is in the centre of the vineyard, by a good shrubbery, and a capital orchard where I saw some splendid apples, pears, figs and other fruits.
The vineyard next visited was the Midarro, Mr S A Meyers. It is on the border of the town of Corowa. 24 acres are in bearing as follows:- 2 acres, Reisling; 3 ½ Verdeilho; 5 Shiraz; 2 Muscatel; 3 Malbec; 1 Burgundy; 2 Tokay; 2 Ancarat; l ½ Gouais; 2 acres other varieties. Most of these are good wine grapes, and the returns have been most satisfactory. Mr. Meyers has had the benefit of a German and Australian experience. The present vineyard was planted in 1862, and the samples of wine which I tasted were of the highest character. Capital crushing machine and cool cellars near the cottage completed the inspection of Midarro vineyard.
The third vineyard worthy of special mention is that of Mr Camille Beau, the host of the Empire Hotel. "The Tuilleries" is the appropriate name of the vineyard. It is prettily situated on the banks of a stream two miles distant from Wahgunyah. Reisling and Shiraz are the principal grapes grown, and they are bearing well. Mr Camille Reau spends much of his time attending to his vineyard (his greatest source of pleasure), and the wines, no doubt, profit by experience gained by him in the south of sunny France.
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