Occupations > British wine-maker, and domestic brewer

18
INTRODUCTION TO
home-made wine until I informed him of the
fact. Surely after this, no one will now be found
to bring forward the question, Is it possible, or is
it not possible, to make a good wine in this coun¬
try? Such men as those who dined with my
friend might be deceived as to whether the wine
was foreign or home-made, but we can scarcely
imagine they would be mistaken as to whether it
was good or bad.
Nor do I find this a singular case. Other
judges have been deceived with wines made in
this country, when drunk at the tables of their
friends, as those were who dined with my friend.
In a work published by Sir Edward Barry, 1775,
he relates the manner in which the Honourable
Charles Hamilton rears his grapes and manufac¬
tures his wines; after which description he adds:
“ It would be endless to mention how many good
judges of wine were deceived by my wine, and
thought it superior to the best Champagne they
ever drank! Even the Duke de Mire Pois pre¬
ferred it to any other wine; but such is the pre¬
judice of most people to any thing of English
growth, I generally found it prudent not to de¬
clare where it grew, till after they had passed
their verdict upon it.
“ The surest proof which I can give of its ex¬
cellence is, that I sold it to wine merchants for
fifty guineas a hogshead; and one wine merchant,