Volume 72: Macarthur family correspondence relating to wine, 1846-1900: No. 110
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[Page 110]
each pair of irons carry in the tubs in the pole stuck through them. They pour a tub full into each Hogshead [indecipherable] they [indecipherable] to fill until each has had one; then begin again. [indecipherable] present delay to each set of new [indecipherable] several large rudely striped funnels of stones, so that there is always an empty one ready to put into the Hhd next to receive a tub full. In this way they draw off about 2000 gallons in 3 hours with 4 pairs of men carrying, two men [indecipherable] into the tubs, and two [indecipherable] the coopers to [indecipherable] doing the fitting of the [indecipherable] & shifting the funnels from Hhd to Hhd. The operation is quite simple & primitive. I think the tubs they carry in an improvement upon any bucket. After a quite substantial breakfast Charles Barton drove me through & by several celebrated vineyards and several of 2nd 3rd & 4th [indecipherable], about 8 or 9 miles out & as much home vineyard all the way. We past La Tour a 1st and called at Chateau La Fitte, to the managers of which, Monsr. Gondal, I had a particular letter from the proprietor Sir S. Scott. La Fitte now [indecipherable] at the heart of all in common estimation, the wine most kindly received. I had everything shewn to us & the vintage being in full progress. There were about 70 or 80 gathering grapes all with a kind of scissors furnished by the [proprietor ?] & evidently saving time. Only the Carbernet such as we have is grown. They cut the grapes, convey them to the cart & bring them to the wine House, much as we do in principle, only they press them into the two large tubs which form the "Charge" on 2 [indecipherable] load. As the load arrives at the wine House it is backed against a window opening and each tub tilted from the edge of the cart upon the window [indecipherable] & its contents discharges. Upon the bottom of a trough say 12 or 13 feet square just against the window inside, it is paved at the bottom with ordinary flag stones roughly dressed & jointed. This identical trough has been in use Mr. Gondal told us since the year 1720! (135 years). Several men at once begin to rake the bunches with very long [indecipherable] rakes, upon removing all the stalks one or two nearly raked little boys [indecipherable] with the hands. The grapes deprived of their stalks are then thrust through a [indecipherable] opening into similar tubs with poles through them.