The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1856-01-22
gR1EF HISTORY OF THE CATAWBA
WINE


gR1EF HISTORY OF THE cATAwBA
WINE.
Whoever lived in the city of Washington
thirty years ago, says Mr.. Cozzens IN lns
IV7ne press. will probably remember an old
gentleman by the name of Adlum-MGJ0r
John Album He was then quite sixty years
of age, brisk and lively in his department.
full of revolutionary anccdOtes-in fact, lac
had served in the revolutionary war-a
pleasant companion, n warm friend, ana an
honest man. His residence was few miles
from Georgetown, d. c., where he had a
small vineyard. Here lac cultivated the
social virtues and the Catawba grape, and
made wine for his friends and friends for his
wine. He was poor and patriotic; but, as
he sat in the shadow of his own vine, ate his
own grapes, and drank his own wine, he was
contentcd Before this time the merits of
the Catawba, either rs Il wine, or table
grape, were unknown. The Swiss settlers
ut Vcvay, Ia, in "l625,' established a
VINEYARD. and made red wine from the
Schuylkill Muscadel, or Cape grape" as
1t Is now commonly called. Earlier than
that, according to Redding, a vineyard had
been established on the Kentucky river in
1913. This was unsuccessful. Still earlier
we hear of wine being made at GallipoliS,
Ohio, in I796. We have Volncy'S authority
for the truth of this; he tasted the wine, bat
did not express any great qualification from
4l,aff hoo r,f4 u
az Louisiana; and Sir John Hawkins, one
of the heroes of t!Ie Armada, and the origi-
nator of the slave trade, drank wine made
from a native grape in Florida, in the year
1854.
None of these wines. however, obtained
much reputation; the American wines, des-
fined to bc JsImoUS, do not date beyond
lS26. The Cutawba grape was FIRST dis
covered in Bmcombc Co, y. c., in 1902
-lIuncomhc since celebrated for orators.
1t was then known simply as species of
wild grape, and not esteemed for any pccu-
liar properties. Nearly quarter of II
century aftcrward, Major Album found this
grape in the garden ola German, near Wash
ington. At this time he was experimenting
with the wild grapes in the vicinity, and
taking some slips of the CatawEa also, dis
covered tn his surprise and JOY, what he had
30 earnestly desired, Il native grape that
would produce an excellent wine. In n
letter, written shortly before his death, to
iir. LongwOrth, Of Cincinnati, he says: Il
have done my country n greater benefit in
Introducing this grape to public notice, than
/ would have done if ! had paid the national
debt" The future will verify the truth of
these simple words.
The littL vineyard near Georgetown was
patch of wild and scraggy looking vines,
the soil was artificially prepared, not with
rich compost, bat with pebbles and pounded
oyster shells. But the most generous
grapes thrive in mcagrc soil, and yield a
rich and abundant return for scanty nour-
ishmcnt. The vine is the poet of the vcge-
table world.
Meanwhile, Mr.. Longworth was expert
menting on larger scale near Cincinnati.
With uncxampled patience he persevered
IN his object. Not only native, but foreign
grapes, were tried and abandoned. Thou
sands of roots from Madeira, the finest
grapes from Bordeaux and Burgundy, from
different parts of Germany, and lastly from
the JuTa, five thousand vines,) were pro-
cured only to be rejected and cast aside.
MIR. I,ongworth visited Washington, and
there became acquainted with Major Album.
From him he procured some slips of the
Catawba, and the result after many years,
was u pure natural wine, Of great body and
flavor, delicate in aroma, and equally valua
Die as n still or n sparkling wine. The
value of these wines can scarcely be esti-
mated. The wine crop i'm the United States
will soon he counted by millions of dollars.
And not only are they important Us source
of domestic wealth, but the evils of intern
pcrance viii never surely be cradicatcd
until this is vincgrowing country. The
wines made by Major Album were sweet
and pleasant; certain quantity of sugar
vas added to the must-an adulteratioll
always injurious to any wine of real merit
Mr.. Longworth corrected this mistake. and
the Catawba wines are the pure fermented
juice of the grape, totally free from any
spirit or sugar. The fresh, natural, grapey
taste is evident at once; they produce
checrfulness without intoHication, comfort
ing the mind as well as the body, without
depraving either the morals or the appetite
---~$~~~-
NATIVE WINE.-'The Southern Cultiva.
4nr sfot Inf
wine from a native grape has been success
fully tried by Mr.. A. Lcary of Monroe Co.
(Ga.) The grape is known as the WAR.
ronton," and the produce is at the rate o
eight hundred gallons nor moro