cyprus, as i saw it in 1879-第49部分

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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　in　the　throat；　and　each　quality　was　far　too
luscious　for　English　taste；　but　might　have　been　agreeable　to　sip　like
Tokay；　by　soaking　a　sponge　biscuit。　The　utterly　rude　method　of　producing
native　wines；　which　can　scarcely　be　dignified　by　the　term　〃manufacture；〃
is　a　sufficient　explanation　of　their　inferior　quality；　but　at　the　same
time　it　is　a　proof　of　the　great　wine…producing　power　of　Cyprus；　where；
in　spite　of　ignorance　and　neglect；　an　extensive　commerce　has　been
established；　which　adds　materially　to　the　revenue　of　the　island。　If
these　badly…made　wines　have　founded　an　important　trade；　there　is　every
reason　to　expect　a　corresponding　extension　when　scientific　principles
shall　have　resulted　in　a　superior　quality。

The　black　wines　receive　even　less　care　than　the　commanderia；　the　grapes
are　trodden；　and　are　thrown　into　receptacles　to　ferment；　together　with
the　skins　and　stalks。　This　bruised　mass；　after　lying　a　certain　time
exposed　to　fermentation；　is　pressed；　and　the　muddy　juice　is　stowed　in
the　large　tarred　jars　to　ripen　for　a　few　months；　which；　according　to
Cyprian　taste；　are　sufficient　to　prepare　it　for　consumption。　The　stalks
and　black　skins；　being　extremely　rich　in　tannin；　have　imparted　to　the
wine　a　powerful　astringency　and　the　exceedingly　dark　colour　which　so
disagreeably　distinguish　this　common　quality。　The　growers　imagine　that
the　extra　amount　of　tannin　is　preservative；　without　which；　their　wine
might　deteriorate　during　the　rough　treatment　to　which　it　is　subjected　by
transport　and　exposure；　and　to　their　specially…educated　palates　this
astringency　is　agreeable；　combined　with　the　strong　flavour　of　tar；　which
completely　excludes　it　from　the　consumption　of　Englishmen。　Neither　the
commanderia　nor　any　other　quality　of　wine　is　subjected　to　the　process　of
〃fining；〃　when　issued　from　the　stores　of　the　merchant；　therefore；　a
really　bright　clear　wine　is　never　met　with。　The　black　wines　could　be
considerably　improved　by　allowing　them　to　settle　in　large　vats；　and　by　a
series　of　rackings　into　other　vessels；　as　they　become　clearer　by
depositing　their　impurities。　I　have　tried　this　experiment　upon　a　small
scale　with　success；　and　there　can　be　no　doubt　that　the　simple　manual
labour　of　drawing　off　the　clear　wine　to　enable　it　to　fine　itself　by
precipitating　the　albuminous　matter　that　has　been　fixed　by　the
superabundant　tannin；　would　render　the　〃mavro；〃　or　black　wine；
drinkable；　always　excepting　the　presence　of　tar；　which　can　at　once　be
avoided　by　the　substitution　of　casks　for　the　earthen　jars　and
goat…skins。

At　the　expiration　of　the　vintage　the　vines　remain　uncared…for　throughout
the　autumn　and　winter；　cattle　and　goats　invade　them　ad　libitum　so　long
as　their　leaves　are　attractive；　and　no　operation　is　performed　until　the
month　of　March。　At　this　time　they　are　pruned　close　to　the　stocks；　which
are　generally　about　one　foot　above　the　ground；　and　two　eyes　are　supposed
to　be　left　upon　each　spur。　But　I　have　watched　the　cultivators　during　the
process；　and　observed　the　usual　neglect；　sometimes　the　spurs　were　shaved
off　completely；　without　a　bud　for　next　year's　shoot；　and　at　others　too
many　buds　were　left；　that　would　weaken　and　disfigure　the　parent　stem。
The　instrument　for　pruning　was　similar　to　a　very　small　reaping…hook；
with　a　handle　about　a　foot　in　length；　and　the　delicate　operation　was
conducted　with　a　rapidity　that　rendered　the　necessary　care　impossible。
After　the　clearing　of　the　refuse　the　land　is　carefully　ploughed　and
cleaned。

I　visited　some　large　wine…stores　in　Larnaca；　where　casks　of　about　300
gallons　each　were　arranged　in　long　parallel　rows；　all　filled　with
commanderia　of　various　ages　and　corresponding　prices。

Having　now　traced　the　liquor　from　the　original　vineyard　into　the
merchant's　store；　it　will　be　interesting　to　examine　the　network　of
obstructions　and　extortions　to　which　the　unfortunate　wine…grower　is
exposed　before　he　can　deliver　his　produce　into　the　hands　of　the
merchant；　either　at　Limasol　or　elsewhere。

Consul　Riddell　reported　officially　in　1875　as　follows：

　　　　〃The　wine