184
AGRICULTURE ON THE RHINE.
ment is, however, not precisely ascertained. The second
peculiarly consists in its being possible to train the vines
on the good sites much higher than can be done in the
valley of the Rhine ; the angle of the slope being sharp
enough to reflect heat to the plant at a greater elevation.
The grapes usually cultivated are such as ripen earliest,
the climate not favouring a late vintage, except on the
best sites and soils. The Kleinberg grape is the most
common on the Moselle. This species gives abundance
of fruit, sweet but without fine flavour, and ripens in the
beginning of October. The Riesling, of which the finest
hock wines are made, is only found in the choicest vine-
yards at Brauneberg, Piesport, and Zeltingen. The
Riesling ripens towards the close of October, but can
only be used in warm seasons. In unfavourable summers
it gives no return. Hence the quantity of the fine Mo-
selle wines that is grown is very limited. Scharzberg,
Brauneberg, Piesport, and Zeltingen must not be judged
of by the light wines sold under those names at tables
d’hôte, or by the still lighter that are daily recommended
by travelling agents. The choice Moselle growths are
rich but delicate wines, and are very expensive on the
spot where they are produced. The Kleinberg wines are
usually those which are distinguished by mildness and
absence of acidity when young. They do not keep so
well, nor can they be in any way ranked with the juice
of thé riesling grape. At Piesport and Zeltingen a good
deal of red wine is made.
The wine made by the peasants is treated nearly in the
same manner on the Moselle as on the Rhine. The grapes
are not allowed to hang so long as in the choice vine-
yards, and after they are trodden or stamped with a
AGRICULTURE ON THE RHINE.
185
■wooden mallet in small vats, are abandoned to nature for
the process of fermentation. As soon as all fermentation
subsides, the wine is drawn oft’ into casks, and is again
racked off into other casks in the spring and autumn of
the following year, or allowed to remain undisturbed ac-
cording to the circumstances and diligence of the grower.
The wine-merchant generally makes his purchases after
the spring racking, when the quality can be ascertained,
and undertakes the further management. The light
wines may be drunk in the second year ; the heavier sorts
require from three to five years to ripen. During this time
the wine is kept in casks holding one or two pipes, as the
quantity best suited to the convenience of the cellarman,
and to bring the liquor to maturity. The immense tuns
that were formerly in use have gone quite out of fashion.
Once in every year, at least, the wine must be racked off
as long as it shows signs of fermentation at the close of
the spring, and before these symptoms cease it is not fit
to bottle. There is great similarity in all the light wines
made on the Moselle and on the Rhine below Bingen.
The wines of Caub and Lorch are distinguished amongst
them by a very delicate aroma, but possess too little body
to bear exportation. In the hot summer of that part of
the Rhine they afford a very pleasing beverage when they
can be had pure. At Bingen the direction of the bed of
the Rhine is suddenly changed from a course lying N.
and S. to one bearing E. and W. In consequence of
this change the whole of the right bank, stretching as far
as the Maine, has a southern aspect. This bank is lined
by the Taunus range, which at Riidesheim advances with
a rocky mass to the river's bank, but whose heights gra-
dually recede, forming an acute angle with the river to