New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-12-29
TIN METllODs or sAhI.AG CALIFOR
w MAN VINES

nnds s,ood Inv our psnn,e To contribute our sbsE.to
tbe 'generA information we have heretofore published
sS'sfay prepared stcle consuming tege S' ,ron
Sigin AL sources IN regard 10 the best methods oil cur
Systtug the vine in California, and in regard 20 .do
general sassntages of State for wiDe-sTown.n
sysr IN tkose countries which have hitherto SuPP"o"
He vine markets Of the world. M NTH
We propose to follow these ariSss w. MO-, NO.
rs%asis IN the III pIsse1 sTS.s apS Wine Es
% be noted, that method "I cuis t .,o
evhe difiers greatly from thoS prevocne ,nS ''
Atlantic States and Europe, 90 also dc D "a
,vasn; - Considered thatwe make wines very similar
30 the Hook, Claret burgundy, roi' cru ~. IN
vince all from one species OF grape grown IN the
same VINEYARD. whereas in other countries Out one
N;rd of vine \, pr,dueed in any given district.
IsE CALIFORsItS GRAPE
The CRANE used in California for making wine Is o!
ssuan;sb cock and was introduced by Che Spanish
,tsioosries when they established their missions, be-
trees the years 1863 and $780, The berry, when
yipe has dark reddish-brown color, varying to
Ssrpish- brown in the northern part OF the State;
fhe vine il hardy and healthy the grape s juicy and
strong. An acre is expected to produce ordinarily
Loco gallons of wine per year, and never less than
30, though 400 gallons Is considered good yeid IN
Chic, France, Germany, Spain, or Greece.
THE GRAPE HARVEST.
The California grape begins TO rpen about the middle
Of September, and is gathered from that tune unii me
scd OF the year. there beng no irost ana little ram
q the southern part of the State which is the chief
seat of the vine culture TO interfere with the harvest
The berry is considered 10 be ripe when the heart has
taken n tinge resembling the darkness OF the SKIN,
vhen the berry il sweet and may be picked easily and
bsves no ;uice upon is stem, and when, on holding
bunch 10 the sun the fbres running from the stem into
ihe grape nearly or quite invisible The punches
sre cut OF with knife after o'clock in the morning,
when the dew has disappeared, nut into basket and
carried to the press.
SPANISH MODE OF tAKGSG WINE.
The old mode of making wine, still used by some of
She old Caifornans 10 erect four posts four feet
high and forming a square about two feet and hall
IN size Upon the tops of these posts the corners OF
raw cow-hde are fastened, hair down, the middle of
the hide bagging down in the centre. This bag Is
nearly filed with grapes; an Indian gets in. mashes
abe grapes with his feet by rampng about; the juice
"a then dipped out, poured into barrel, left lew
weeks to ierment, and the wine is ready for use.
MASKING THE GRAPE.
There are various methods of MASKING the grape
sow used by the careful winenakers. Previous
80 the mashing, however, when rs-rae wine is to be
made the lunches carefully examined, and all
unrpe and rotten berries plucked off and thrown
evay. Then the grapes are thrown into a tub, and
mashed by tramping with the feet or bruised with
club or crushed by passing between two large wooden
rollers which far enough apart tn allow the SEEDS
nass without being broken. The seeds, if mashed
would give better taste to the WINE.
PRESSING THE GRAPE.
The pressing Of the mashed berries is simple pro-
sess ike the pressing of cheese or apples fOr cider
The erapepress II usually made 10 hold ABOUT iJo
rounds OF grapes at each pressing. If white wine IS
20 be made, the grapes are pressed az soon as inase
but il red wine is vented the whole mass Is eit 10
Sarment for six or seven days in which time the uice
takes the dark color Of the skin.
FERMENTATION.
The Juice for white wne as IT comes nom tne press,
N nut into pipes measuring l40 gallons, about ll5
gallons of Juice being put into each cask leaving one
fourth of Il empty. The bung-hoe is left open, ana
IN tsyo or three DAYS the fermentation begins, and It's
<orce is in three four days. The wine-maker
then proceeds 10 III up the casks, gradually pouring
IN eight gallons at time, so thai the essks are
flied in the of three or four days more The
easks should be filed up before the strength OF the
fermentation is over that the dirt or scum may be
borne up to the buDg-hoe and there thrown ont.
RACkISG.
The Vgor oil the movement being over, the bung-
hole IL closed and the wine is left for period varying
from fDur weeks three months. Ii is then drawn
eff through cock placed couple of inches above |
the bottom of the pine, taking not 10 disturb the
sesment at the bottom The clearer wine is poured
into clean cask that filed with sediment is filtered
through doubled cotton CLOTH and is then mixed |
again into the first drawings or 1t Is used without hi
trstiop in making brandy. About one twentieth of |
the juice it from the press falls down az sedi
ment. The process of transferring Wine from one |
sssk to another is termed cracking of:
After the first rackng, the new cask is filled full,
tho bung closed and the wine is not disturbed till
March April when it begins to feel more lively
fermentation, for that process never ceases entirely
When the vine sprouts in March or April and when
blossoms in June. and the grape ripens i'll Septem-
Der, the new wine iernents and at those times the
bpngs must be raised, and must he taken not to
disturb the barrels. Between times, when there is no
fermentation, the wue should be racked off two or
three times in year. and at the end of year and
half it is clear and good, but it continues To
grow better with age. The red wine is treated IN
precisely the same manner except that Is al0WedtO
ferment before pressure Immediately after the pres
surs the wine should be placed i'll a. cool cellar as
ean be obtained in the country, and should be kept
there always. This cellar should have moldy
matter about IT, vegetables salt meat III It, nor
anything that corrupt the natural sweetness OF the
air.
DWFsREyT SPECIES OF WINE.
AL the white wine made in this manner resembles
Hock OF Sauterne; the red wine may be made to re-
scmbe Claret, Burgundy, or Port. When the berries
are picked early the red wine is like care., but has
more body Il the grapes are left upon the stem until
tAey are nearly dry they give less juice; but the wine
has much stronger body, and rivals Port in strength
ANGELICA.
The native CaiiOTnans have wine which they call
Angelica pronounced AR-kel -i-c0) which they make
by mixing one gallon of grape brandy with three of
grspe.juce, fresh from the press, and adding some
sugar 1t il thick, sweet and strong drink.
Messrs. Froehling and Koher, and probably others,
have another way of making Angeles. They reduce
khe pure fresh juice about fourth one fifth
by boiling then pace il in barrels and rack il off
twice til ii gets clear. Neither kind OF Angelica
ferments, the branay and the boiling serving as pre-
ventives, though, no doubt, the Angelica made by
the latter method would fennent if long exposed to the
air ina warm place.
.r SPARKLING CALIFORNIA.
Aessrs Sainsevan Brothers proprietors the LARGE
vineyard OF Aisal, at los Angeles have commenced
the manufacture of Sparkling californian Wine which
Is hoped will equal champagne'n its taste and liveli-
mess, and finally drive II entirely from market.
Don Pedro SainseVain made tour kst wear through
the wine districts Of France purpose to study the
business and he brought with him an experienced and
skillful wine-maker from the champagne districts.
The firm have filled % coo bottles Of the vintage Of
last year and they intend 10 make 80 600 bottles OF
the vintage of this year, but Of their SPARKLING
Californian Wine is yet ready for maket. They
white wine and Ink with it about fourth of old
white wine of previous years. The method Of making
champagne is held as a secret and we shall not at
do. h. n tut he mn t,lcts hot