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will ever surpass Marsala or many of the Cape wines。 English people； as
a rule； object to cheap wines； or at least they are reserved concerning
the price； should cheap wine be upon their table。 It is a dangerous
thing to mention the cost of any wine； even to your nearest friend；
although he might have enjoyed it when he thought it must have cost you
72 shillings the dozen； he will detect some unpleasant peculiarity when
you may foolishly have confided to him that it only cost you 36
shillings； or； worse still； 24 shillings。 He will possibly suggest to
you on the following morning that 〃something disagreed with him during
the night； but he does NOT think it was the 24 shilling wine。〃 Here is
the fault of HALF…EDUCATED palates； they expect too much； and are guided
by fancies。 The same person might be beguiled into the belief that the
24 shilling wine was very superior if he had been deceived by an
assurance that it cost 72 shillings。 There are really very few amateurs
who could value unknown wines by the test of their own palates； but the
chilly climate of England is adverse to light wines； and necessitates a
full body； with considerable strength。
The sherries are always fortified by an addition of between 30 to 40 per
cent。 of alcohol before they are shipped to England； without which they
would be unsaleable； as to our taste； they would be empty and vapid。 We
must therefore make a considerable allowance when judging of Cyprus
wines in their present extremely rude and uncultivated position。
Nothing is added； and the following concise description will account for
their disagreeable peculiarities。
There are no roads in Cyprus in the mountainous wine…producing
districts； therefore all agricultural products must be conveyed upon the
backs of mules up and down the steepest and most dangerous rocky tracks；
apparently more fitted for goats than other animals。 A mule will travel
in this rough country with a load of 250 lbs。 This serious difficulty of
transport will account for the rude and ancient method of conveying wine
in goat…skins。 〃No man will put new wine into old bottles；〃 referred to
this system of employing skins instead of casks； or other receptacles
that could be cleaned and rendered tasteless。 The goat…skin would
quickly rot； unless it was prepared by a species of tar； thus not only
is the naturally unpleasant flavour of the skin imparted to the wine；
but the mixture of tar renders it completely abominable to any palate
that has not been educated to receive it。 Let any person conceive the
result of pouring ten or twelve gallons of Chateau Lafitte into an old
and dirty goat…skin thoroughly impregnated with tar； and carrying this
burden upon one side of a mule； balanced by a similar skin on the other
side filled with the choicest Johannisberger。 This load； worth at least
70 or 80 pounds at starting； would travel for two days exposed to a
broiling sun； and would lie for several days before it would be turned
into the vat of the merchant at Limasol。 By that time； according to
civilised taste； it would be perfectly valueless and undrinkable； if the
best wines in the world can be thus destroyed by a savage means of
transport； what must the effect be upon such inferior qualities as the
crude produce of Cyprus？ Common sense will suggest that the first step
towards improvement will be the completion of roads throughout the wine
districts； that will enable the two…wheeled native carts to convey the
wine in barrels direct from the growers to the merchants' stores at
Limasol。
We will now commence at the beginning； 〃the cultivation of the vine；〃
and trace its progress until the wine is ready for the consumer。
As I have already described； the commanderia and the black wines are
produced by the two different qualities of soils； but there is no
difference in the altitudes。 The new British road from Limasol to
Platraes； thirty miles； cuts directly through the principal vine
districts of the country。 From the deep valley and roaring torrent； up
to the mountain…tops exceeding 4000 feet above the sea…level； the
country is green with vineyards in the middle or latter end of May； not
a yard of available land is lost。 When the shoots are about three feet
long and have shown the embryo bunches； a number of men enter the
vineyard with switches and knock off the tender ends of the runners；
which in a gentler method of cultivation would be picked off with the
finger and thumb…nail。 Sometimes goats are turned in to nibble off the
shoots in order to save labour； and at the same time to feed the
animals； they of course damage the vines； but the Cypriote thinks the
system pays。 The young vines are never staked and tied as in Europe； but
are allowed to take their chance； and the heavy bunches in many
instances rest upon the dusty ground。
There is seldom rain after May； but a few showers are favourable at this
particular season when the young bunches are in blossom。 In the best
vineyards attention is given to clearing away the weeds after rain； but
usually the vines are left to nature after the grapes have formed； as
the hot sun and drying wind are sufficient to keep down adverse
vegetation。
The grapes ripen towards the middle or end of August。 The commanderia
grapes are collected and spread upon the flat mud…plastered roofs of the
native houses； and are exposed for several days； until they show
symptoms of shrivelling in the skin； and the stalks have partially
dried： they are then pressed。 By this time many of the grapes that have
been bruised by this rough treatment have fermented； and the dust and
dirt of the house…top； together with flies and other insects； have
adhered to the impure heap。 It has been imagined by some travellers that
the grapes are purposely dried before pressing； on the other hand； I
have been assured by the inhabitants that their only reason for heaping
and exposing their crop upon the house…tops is the danger of leaving it
to ripen in the vineyard。 None of the plots are fenced； and before the
grapes are sufficiently ripe for pressing they are stolen in large
quantities； or destroyed by cattle； goats； mules； and every stray animal
that is attracted to the fields。 The owner of the vineyard accordingly
gathers his crop by degrees； a little before the proper time； and the
grapes are exposed upon the house…tops to ripen artificially in the sun。
In this manner the quality is seriously damaged； but the natives will
not acknowledge it any more than the Devonshire farmers； who leave their
apples in heaps upon the ground for many weeks； rotting and wasp…eaten；
before they are carried to the pound for the grinding of cider。 The
grapes； having been trodden by men with large boots； are pressed； and
the juice of the commanderia is placed in jars capable of holding from
seventy to one hundred gallons。 The refuse of skins and stalks is laid
upon one side to ferment for the manufacture of raki； or spirit； by
distillation。 The fermentation of the juice proceeds in the earthen
jars； and is guided according to the ideas of the proprietor； when he
considers that it has continued to a degree sufficient for the strength
and quality of the wine； it is checked by the addition of powdered
gypsum。 Here is one of the patent errors of the manufacture of
commanderia as a wine suitable to English tastes。 The grape…juice is
naturally so rich in saccharine； that it is luscious and vapid to an
excess； this superabundant amount of sugar would be converted into
alcohol in the natural process of fermentation if unchecked； and by the
chemical change the wine would gain in strength and lose in sweetness。
Should this process be adopted； the result would no longer represent the
wine now accepted as commanderia； which finds a ready market in the
Levant； owing to its peculiar sweetness and rich flavour； although
disagreeable to Europeans； there would accordingly be a risk attending
such experiments； which the grower would consider unnecessary； as he
already commands the sale。
The large jars in which the wine ferments are porous and unglazed； the
usual waterproofing is adopted； in the shape of tar； with which the
inside is thickly coated。 There are many jars of a century old； which
have lost the flavour by extreme age； and have become liquid…proof by
the choking of the pores with the crust deposited by the wine； these are
highly prized； and the wine after fermentation is left upon its own lees
to ripen； or； according to our ideas； it is entirely neglected。 It is
never racked into other vessels。
There is an unusual peculiarity in commanderia； instead of the colour
becoming paler by great age； it deepens to an extraordinary degree。 The
new wine is the ordinary tint of sherry； but it gradually becomes
darker； until after forty or fifty years it is almost black； with the
syrup…like consistence of new honey。 Wine of this age and quality is
much esteemed； and is worth a fancy price。 I was presented with several
bottles of the famous old Cyprus growths of commanderia； morocanella；
and muscadine； by the kindness of Mr。 Lanites； who is largely interested
in the trade at Limasol。 The old commanderia was sufficiently sweet to
occasion a roughness i