The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1866-07-03
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A correspondent of the New-York Tribune
oives the following account of planting, and
cultiyating the grape, and the process OF
manufacturing wine in the golden State OF
California. Speaking of the second termen,
tation in the close of the article 1t should
state that the new wine about the time when
the vine is in full bloom, or when the grow,
ing season is well opened, new casks should
be procured, and after having been thorouSn-
ly cleansed, should be filled with sulphur
smoke, displacing the air within, ana the
wine racked by means of siphon INTO tne
sulphured cask, leaving all the lees Dehlno,
This prevents any danger OF the second
acetic fermentation, and the VINE is a11er-
wards bottled and sent to market.
The whole process of planting ana takihS
care of one of these vineyards until 1t matu-
roc info a n,rfect state is one of the simplest
THINGS in the world. Nor need the cost OF
labor deter any one from undertaking the
task. The labor of the very largest VINE
ward in Sonoma is carried on entirely by
Chinese, who can be hired at cheaper rates
than almost any of the laborers OF the east:
The only obstinate element in the way OF
raising a vineyard in California is that OF
time, and this it must be confessed, goes
against the grain of the people amazingly:
than to level mountain in sarch OF gold, to
drain a river, or build a city, or overcome
any other obstacle that could be overcome,
the face of the whole country might now be
dotted with vines But here nature will
have her own way, and she has declared IN
the most peremptory manner that II you Will
have one of her choicest gifts you have got
to learn to labor and to wait at least five or
six wears. With only this drawback, the
production of perfect vineyard is within
the reach of the most ordinary craft and in
dustry.
At the proper season, which is any time
from December to March, the cuttings are
set out in parallel rows, about eight feet
apart. and the ground between them Is
ploughed in the same way, and with tine
same kind ofinstrument, as corn IS plough
ed in Kentucky and Illinois. The art OF
"pruning" is attended with no more diff
Guilty; and when this is done any one who
wants to set out new vineyard can obtain
all the cuttings of the EMISSION grape -"
he wishes for the asking. As to g training"
the usual practice is to fasten the vines to
stakes four or five feet high, and many per-
SONS let these stakes remain for an indefinite
period. But the best plan Is to remove
them entirely after the vines begin to bear,
and let the grapes hang as near the ground
as possible. They rpen better in this con-
dition, and are said to produce the best
wine.
Far more interesting however, than any of
these methods of culture, to both the specta-
tor and the owner of the vineyard, is the
season of the vintage. This taken place
about the latter part of October. As the
weather is always delightful, old and young
OF both sexes flock together to join in the
gathering. There is no fear of rain or of in
tense heat, and there is scarcely breeze
enough to stir the broad leaves of the vines,
which now beg in to put on their russell coat,
to be changed soon for one in which the
pink and crimson will predominant. MINI
BILE fingers are seen everywhere clipping the
ripe punches and throwing them into clus-
tering heaps. The ring OF merry laughteris
heard over all parts of the vineyard. The
luscious loads, heaped into baskets and box
es, are taken in wagons to the wine-press.
Now commences in sober earnest the real
business of making the wine, and this also
consists of the simplest contrivances. The
fruit, thoroughly ripe (none other should be
use0 is first subjected to the operation of
"mashing." This is done by one or two
hands, (the feet are never used for this pur-
pose in Sonoma as in most of the countries
in Europe,) sometimes in wooden tub or
barrel, with a long-handled stamper, but
most usually with two parallel rollers, be-
tween which the " berries :" are crushed in
nels. Some persons strip the berries from
the "combs " or stems before "maslling," be-
cause they say the tannin extracted from the
stems impart a harsh taste to the wine; but
others prefer crushing the grapes on the
stems; and these claim that the tGn1ain acts
as preservative of the wine, and rather i'm
proves than Injuries its flavor. Whatever the
difference of opinion on this point, they all
agree that the pressing" should be COM
or MASKING" is over; for nothing Injuries
the juice so much as exposure to the atmos-
phere.
As soon as the juice, or must, as it is cal
led, comes from the press, it is collected in
large watts or casks to undergo fermenta-
tion," which takes place usually within "a
hours afterward. This sight to stranger
for the first time is an interesting one. He
sees the agitated and steaming mass whirl-
ing around with much violence, and it re-
minds him of nothing so much as the boil
ing and bubbling of the witches caldron in
Macbeth. But let him not approach too
near, or stand too long over one of these
seething watts; for out of it escapes in great
quantities the deadly carbonic acid. which
disengaged from the heated fluid, takes its
flight in clouds of vapor The most careful
wine-makers guard against any evil effects
from this cause by keeping the fermenting
vessels covered, ana allowing the gas to be
conducted through tubes or pipes into ba-
sins of water. This also obviates the evil
tendencies of contact with the air, to which
the young mine is extremely sensitive, and
from which, if too much exposed, it imbibes
the most hurttul properties
When the first fermentation, called the
Dinous, because it generates ''spirits of wine,"
or alcohol, is ended, the wine is placed in
the cellar, in pipes, which are kept full and
tightly bunged, so as to exclude the atmos-
phere. Some allow it to remain in these, on
the 'lees." until the second or spring fermen-
tation sets in, while others draw it off once
or twice before this period.
1t is curious fact that this second fer
mentation always takes place about the time
the young buds begin to put forth on the
vines the following spring, which has led
some to suppose that there is some sort of
sympathy between the new vine and the new
shoot, as if the former wanted to rescue it.
self from its unnatural bondage and be a
bud again." or, as if it meant to make pro-
test, by this internal struggle, against the
harsh decree by which its vegetable life is
extinguished, and it is made to pass, Pro-
teus-hke, into new form, where, by the
subtle law of its being, it assists in vitaiizing
and renewing the energies of man fit ont,