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vintage is delayed as long as poflible; generally to the feaft of Saint Simon and Saint Jude, whichis the 28th of Odtober;. and if the weather is fine, the later, the better, on account of having the greater quantity of the half-dried lufcious grapes, or, as they are here, called, Troken-beers; which are abfolutely neceflary to form. the, Aufbruche, that kind of Tokay wine which is fo much efteemed, and, which is called by us Tokay. As foon as the grapes begin to grow. ripe, guards are placed in the vineyards, not only to prevent the grapes from being ftolen, but to drive away the birds from them. At laft the feafon of rejoicing comes, the. vintage. In every, country this is a time of mirth and gaiety; but particularly fo about Tokay. Many of the great nobility, though they have no -eftate here, and live in diftant parts of Hungary, have a vineyard here, and bufinefs as well as pleafure brings many of them at this feafon 3. and the dealers in this article come likewile to make their contra&ts, and the friends ef all concerned, from a tacit invitation, come to join in the general feftivity: the vintage is preceded by- fairs, fo that during this feafon all is life and buftle, Tothe Troöken-beers, or half-dried lufcious grapes, Tokay, that is, the Tokay Au/bruche, is indebted for all its richnefs: but thefe de+ pend greatly on the weather ; every year does not prodtice them either in the fame quamtity or (quality ; in fome years they fail altogethen If the frofty mornings fet in too foon, and, before the grapes are M m . ripe, 13
