It is affirmed, that the first requisite to make good wine seems to be a peculiar quality in the soil in which the fruit is grown, more than in the species of vine itself; the second requisite to good wine is the species of plant, aided by a judicious mode of training and cultivation. It would naturally be supposed that the wine is excellent in proportion to the size and luxuriance of the plant, but such is not the case, on the contrary, good rich soils invigorating the growth of the tree never produce even tolerable wine, but it is best as the soil is lighter and drier;—sandy, calcareous, stony and porous soils are found to be most friendly to the growth of the vine. The chalky soils particularly produce wines of great freshness and lightness.
Hence we may in a great degree account for the superiority of many of the vinous productions of the neighbourhood of Tours; on both sides of the vale of the Loire, the denudated or furrowed elevations naturally afford many genial sites, whose southern aspects are always exposed to the direct rays of the sun and which favoured situations are perhaps more prevalent on the northern banks of the river; where, as on the opposite slopes, the rather lofty chalky elevations, are mostly covered by deep accumulations of adventitious and heterogeneous materials, principally constituted of the debris of that cretaceous formation, and partly composing the extensive deposit termed the argile et poudinge.
It moreover appears, that the species of plant which is a favourite in one district is discarded in another; and also that very celebrated wines are produced in vineyards where the species of plant is by no means held in high repute; but the most inexplicable circumstance respecting the culture of the vine, is the fact, that the most delicious wine is sometimes grown on one little spot only, in the midst of vineyards which produce no others but of the ordinary quality: while in another place the product of a vineyard, in proportion to its surface, shall be incredibly small, yet of exquisite quality, at the same time, in the soil, aspect, treatment as to culture, and species of plant, there shall be no perceptible difference to the eye of the most experienced wine grower. Possibly this may in some measure be accounted for by the peculiar nature of the substratum which the roots of the respective vines may chance to penetrate.
The grape called caux or cos, common on the banks of the Cher, imparts colour and body to the red wines.
The best vines for the more valuable white wines, are the species denominated sauvignon, semilion, rochalin, blanc doux, pruneras, muscade, and blanc auba. The semilion should form two-thirds of a vineyard consisting of these seven species of plants.
Red Hermitage is produced from two varieties of plants named the little and great Scyras. White Hermitage is produced from the greater and lesser Rousanne grape.
The esteemed red wines of Saumur, are made from the pineau plant. The Haut Rhin is classed under the generic title of the gentil. Some excellent black wines are produced from a grape named côte-rouge, as also from auxerrois, or pied de perdrix grape, so called because its stalk is red.
The best Bordeaux wine de côtes is made with the grape called noir de pressac, the bochet, and the merlot.
The first class Burgundies, called les têtes de cuves, are from the choicest vines, namely; the noirien and pineau, grown on the best spots of the vineyards having the finest aspect.
The black grape called the «golden plant» (plant doré,) is cultivated in all the most distinguished vineyards of Champagne, and from which is produced the finest of those celebrated wines.