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Agbiculture on the Rhine.
which sold some years back for IljOOOflorins (916Z. 12s.).
The management of this vineyard, with which, as at
Johannisberg, a farm is connected, is a perfect pattern
of rural economy ; leaving nothing to desire that science,
experience, and diligence can dictate. It is managed as
a private domain of his Highness the Duke of Nassau,
and under the direction of the present manager, Mr.
Kopp, serves as a model for the winzers of the Rhine.
As at Johannisberg, everything proceeds in military
order. The men who work in the vineyard are enlisted
rather than hired, and are furnished with instructions
which, as they are well paid, they fear to disobey. The
predominant grape in the vineyard is the Riesling ; but
the immense extent of wall furnishes a large quantity of
nearly every description of grape, and its produce would
soon undeceive such as suppose that grapes can be raised
under glass to vie in flavour with those grown in a fa-
vourable climate in the open air. The view from this
vineyard is more extensive than that from the Johannis-
berg, but is different, inasmuch as the Rhine is more
distant from the spectator.
If the Steinberg vineyard is on a larger scale, the
cellar at Eberbach surpasses that of Johannisberg still
more. The visitor is admitted from the court-yard into
a vaulted basement story which has an extensive anti-
vault ; and if he has any claim on the hospitality of the
place, he there sees the cellar in its whole extent,
lighted up by numerous lamps flickering on the butts like
spirits, in a manner that recalls the well-known bacchana-
lian scene in ‘ Vivian Grey.’ But this cellar contains not
the choice of a single growth alone. Theducal vineyards
run through the Rhinegau from Hochheim to Assmanns-
AGRICULTURE ON THE RHINE.
199
hausen, and of all the growths the best and choicest are
to be found at Eberbach. In going through the whole
for the course of the last forty years it is interesting to
see how the palm was successively borne away by each.
Thus, in 1822 it was Johannisberg, in 1819 Steinberg,
in 1825 IIochheim, in 1829 Riidesheim, in 1834 Stein-
berg again, that excelled. Wewere fortunate enough
to taste the delicious cask of Hochheim, 1825, which
from its smoothness, with surpassing bouquet, was
christened “ the Bride.” It was sold in the present
year for 12,500 florins, having, in the opinion of judges,
reached its acme of perfection. We ventured on that
occasion to name the Rddesheim, 1829, in which the
fire of the Orleans grape was perceptible, with little
inferior bouquet to the former, “ the Bridegroom.” But
we fear we have dwelt too long upon the details re-
specting wines ; all correct descriptions of which can-
not but appear exaggerated to those w ho have no oppor-
tunity of convincing themselves of the truth of what we
asserted some pages back—that if the Rhenish is the
dearest, it is beyond all dispute the finest wine that is
made.
From Eberbach the road joins the high road again
near IIattenheim, adjoining which lie the Marcosbrunn
vineyards, much nearer to the Rhine than the Steinberg,
and with southern exposure. The Duke of Nassau,
Count Schonborn, and a few private owners, possess all
the upper, that is to say, the best sites. In the cellars
of M. IIeymes at Hattenheim, and of Dr. Grafe at
Eltville, a few miles farther on, strangers may again see
the extensive arrangements and cellarage which private