Volume 72: Macarthur family correspondence relating to wine, 1846-1900: No. 025
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[Page 25]
bearing, amongst others Dr Kelley, confirm Bailey's statement about Palomino & Sweet water being apparently identical. Belperrond author of a Geelong prize essay calls the Sweet water "Royal Chasselas" – I do not find it by either name in Busbys catalogue – Can you tell me where came from, to Sydney (we had it from your parts) – I mix it in the proportion of 1/3 Sweetwater to Verdelho; being a tolerably active fermenter it answers the purpose pointed out by you of Gouais, & assists the Verdeilho in its fermentation. I think myself that the Sweet water is a good white wine grape; the specific gravity with me is as high as that of my sherry grapes or in fact higher (for instance the last vintage it stood at 111.6) and the wine I have made from it confirms me in this idea, provided it is not fermented on the skins, a process I eschew altogether with my white wines –
I have lately got a large number of cuttings from Bailey of your "Sherry" imported I believe by yourself from Spain – Can you tell me what its Spanish name is - Bailey says that it nearly resembles the Belas blanco