ITALIAN WINES. Alost of the wine of North ern Italy. being carelessly made from neglected vineyards, is light, neutral, coarse, and of bad keeping quality, hut, owing to the natural advan tages of the country, well-colored wines of high alcohol and tannin content can he produced with reasonable care. Though rough and astringent when new, they are fully equal to the Bordeaux type when properly aged, and are highly prized for their pleasant flavor and for blending with the neutral wines of Southern France. The wines of Asti and Montferrat are among the most famous. The wines of Southern Italy are rich in alcohol, but have less tannin and acid than the northern type. Tho, of Tuscany are highly prized. and a red wine made at Chianti finds a ready market. 'Among the grapes used are Refosco, Margemino, Barbera Fresa, Lagrain, ,Nehbliolo, and Mosea tell() Fino. The first two are remarkable for their rdaptability, being among the most valuable wine grapes of Austria and California. The wines of Sardinia and Sicily are famous, the Alarsala of Sicii especially-.
PoRTECEESE WINES. The soil and climate of Portugal are especially favorable to the grape, and some of the wines, whieli include red and white, sweet and dry, are among the world's most famous. Port. made in the mountains near Oporto. is said to have been first exported in 167S,
and by 1750 to have reached a volume of 2,000, 000 gallons. From 1757 to 1833 and from 1843 to 1867 it was controlled by a monopoly which raised the price, but lowered the quality to such an extent that the demand decreased. New port is ordinarily fortified with alcohol to hasten the ripening and prolong fermentation, and is made to appear aged by the addition of jcropigu. a so lution of elderberries, raisins, molasses, and alco hol. Grapes were introduced into the island of Madeira early in the fifteenth century, since when Madeira vintages have been in great demand. An outbreak of `oidiune early in the nineteenth cen tury reduced the output from 2.770,000 gallons in 1813 to 3780 gallons in 1855. and induced ex tensive immigration to the West Indies. Since the latter date production has increased, a suc cessful remedy for oidium having been found. A light, sweet, aromatic Madeira wine called Malmsey from Napoli di Alalvasia, an island in the Grecian Archipelago, the wines of which are widely known by this name, is made from fully ripe grapes partially dried on the vines and is produced in the Azores, the Canaries, Sardinia, Sicily. and Provence. as well as Madeira.