Volume 72: Macarthur family correspondence relating to wine, 1846-1900: No. 106
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[Page 106]
with such perfect purity that one cannot distinguish them from English who have been some time resident abroad. The evening passed pleasantly, and I am to go to the town house of business at 2 P.M. (alas) to arrange about going down to the Medoc. I am losing my time sadly. Good night. Madame Guestier was a Miss Johnstone who & I conclude was born in the United Kingdom.
Thursday, 11th Octr.
Another idle day but I have some hopes of being able to break ground effectively tomorrow in another direction. It is beautiful weather & quite as warm as in the end of April with us.
Friday 12th
Was out of luck all yesterday. Coud'nt do nothing so went to the grand Theatre in the evening (close by) very good Performance "Fille du Regiment" and capital, Ballet dancing, all but as good as at the Grand Opera Paris. This morning before breakfast I was more lucky in finding at home Monsr. Banchercau a gentleman of large landed property with great extent of vineyard round his country seat at the "Chateau de Carbonnieux" [possibly Carbonneau] six miles S.W. of Bordeaux. He there cultivated an immense collection of vines and is considered to be the best authority in the S. of France on vine culture. His land is of the "Graves" chiefly where are made white wines a wholly different cultivation & management both of vineyard & wine from the Medoc where only red wine is made. I had never seen him before although he had sent me an invitation. The only difficulty was to fix the how & when. All is however now arranged. First I go by Steamer to day to Mr. Guestiers Chateau de Beychevelle in the lower Medoc where the grape gathering will finish tomorrow. One of the sons accompanies me. I am to stay until Tuesday or Wednesday and as soon as I return to go to Carbonnieux where the operations are later. I now hope to see the two distinct processes and to have the opportunity of seeing every known sort of vine in the south bearing under its proper names and to have [indecipherable] of tasting their richness in sugar. Next week I shall have another turn at the cellars here and learn what I can. The weather is still beautiful. We start today at 2 P.M. and shall have light enough I hope to see something this evening.