Colonial.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VII, Issue 437, 10 January 1857, Page 5

Colonial.

NEW SOUTH WALES. Our Sj7dn«y papers by the Taranaki are only two days later than those previously received. They contain no political news of interest. We have drawn largely upon their columns for the European intelligence by the Royal Charter which we gave last Wednesday. Among other items worthy of notice is a paper in the Empire on AUSTRALIAN WINES. The return of settled warm weather, as well as the near approach ot the festive season, when light refreshing tlrinks are in great request, present an appropriate opportunity for saying a few words respecting colonial wines. Their agreeable and even delicious taste commend them as ordinary drinks, while they have a strong claim to public patronage on the ground of their purity and wholesomeness. and also of their forming an important branch of colonial industry. . ■

We published some months since the reports of the Jurors at the Paris inhibition of last year, which awarded high distinction

to many of the samples of this colony's manufacture ; their average number, indicative of quality, ranging as high as those of the Cape or any other British wine producing colony. In [addition to this, other competent critics in England and on the Continent have testified to their excellence as wines. The result of these .favourable notices has been some large orders for shipment to Europe ; the exports of colonial wine this season have been very extensive, almost approaching what has been sold for consumption in the metropolis. The anomaly of countries at the antipodes exchanging the same commodity, of our importing annually upwards of a thousand pounds' worth of an article which is produced at our very doors, can only be explained by assuming that the colonial wines have not attracted general- attention. The Hunter River District is the seat of the principal wine manufacture of this colony, but the demand for the wines in the neighbourhoods of the vinyards is such as to leave no surplus available for the metropolitan market. That there is yet. so small a demand for colonial wines for consumption in Sydney, and that they have no position as an article of commerce, can, however, haidly excite surprise. Their limited acceptance here in comparison with European wines is partly owing to acquired taste, but probably more to prejudice engendered by habit, and which it must take some time to remove ; it is also in a measure owing to their being seldom brought into notice, not being produced at the public dining-rooms, and kept at but few of the Sydney hotels. The circumstance of some ill-made wines, or some that had become acid, having been occasionally sold, has also operated to bring Australian wine into disfavour. Further, many are of opinion that wine-making is yet merely an experiment in Australia, and doubt the possibility of wines being produced here which can at all compare with those of Europe. Iv order to disabuse the minds of such persons, or at least to afford them the opportunity of doing so themselves, we proceed to furnish an account of the Australian vines at present in the market.

In doing so it is right to state that the wines of this colony are essentially Australian. In general character they assimilate to the light French and German wines; some are considered by connoisseurs to resemble Hock, Sauterne, Claret, Burgundy, &c, but no attempt is made to imitate these or any other wines. Of course the vines are in variety, but from, whatever description of grape ihe wines are made, each vineyard has a peculiar local characfp'-, distinguishable by connoisseurs. The colonial wines though classified generally according to their locality of manufacture are named individually by the description of grapes from which they are made.

We notice first the Caraden wines, manufactured by Messrs. J. and W. Macartlmr. These are of three sorts—white, which somewhat resembles the Rhenish wines; Red, wHch approaches Burgundy in tosie; and Muscat, rather like the Frontignac of the Cspe, Malmsey, or Madeira. The first two are dry wines, the^ litter is sweet, and retains ihe flavour of the Muscatel grapes. The Camden wines are on sale by Mr. R. Hutchinson, 3, Queens-place; and by Messrs. Watson and Combes, Royal Hotel Cellars.

We next notice the Irrawang wines. The proprietor of the vineyard is Mr. James Iv;ng; the lessee and present manufacturer of the' wines is Mr. J. E. El«ke. Tlie wines produced are White, Rod, and sparkJiiiS1 Mnratta. The white is considered as Hock or Rnuteri;« ; of the lied, there is at present no stock; the sparkling Muratta

resembles a champagne. Mr. Blake's office is at No. 14, Macquarrie-place.

We proceed to mention the Wiveiihoe -wines, manufactured by Mr. C. Cooper, M. P. These are—White Muscat, resembling Hock ; Red, corresponding in flavour with Rhenish wines; Madeira, which is of a Frontignac description ; and Heisling. Messrs, Watson and Comben are agents for the Wivenhoe wines.

We notice next some wines manufactured at Oatlands near Parramatta, by Mr. T. H. Hood, M.L.C. The red wine rather resembles a claret; the White corresponds with a light French wine ; Reisling wine is also manufactured. The Gatland's wines are on sale by Messrs. Watson and Combes. We notice finally some wines consigned for sale to the same agents, by Mr. McDougall, and manufactured at Baulkhamhills. These wines are of two kinds—Madeira, and Sherry, named from the description of grapes from which they are made.

Some wine-making operations are in progress in connexion with the North British Australian Company. Tho only kind at present in th? market is a sweet white wine called Piuau, resembling a Rhenish wine. Mr. R. Mackay, of Church hill, is the Company's manager in Australia.

It would not accord with our design— which is simply to introduce these wines into more general notice —to draw any comparisons between the several samples, either as to quality or price ; these particulars can be easily ascertained from the sources we have mentioned. We may, however, state that the colonial wines are less expensive than the genuine imported wines of a corresponding character. We understand that all the samples named are on sale in quantities of a dozen and upwards, and keep both in bottle and wood.

The intelligence we have lately received of the grape failure in some of the vine growing districts of France and Spain, and the probable scarcity of some descriptions of wine, may be the occasion of bringing1 our own wines into more general use. The adoption of colonial wine as a refreshment, or at our too frequent occasions of complimentary drinking, would have a beneficial effect in checking the practice of spiritdrinking, which prevails to so mischievous an extent, and would thereby promote the cause of temperance.

New Weights and Measures.— P. N. Russell and Co. have ju*t completed the manufacture of nineteen sets of brass ■\yeights and measures, for official use, being being intended, we believe, as standards in the principal towns in the colony. The weights are cast from English weights, and lange from one grain to six pounds troy, jind from one pennyweight to fifty*six pounds avoirdupois. The measures run from a half-giU to a bushel ;there is also a yard measure marked with feet and inches. The instruments are very creditable productions, both in respect to turning and polish, and in no way inferior to the original. The total weight of brass used has been upwards of five tons. The cost to the country will be about £2000.— Empire. Dec. 10th.