The Placer herald., 1868-11-28
THE VINTAGE OF SON0MA.

The following is communication on thu
subject from A. Haraszthy to the alta:
OF all the months in the year, those o
October and November are probably the
most interesting for visit to Sonoma val.
ley. 1t is then the vintage takes place, and
the dull, quiet stiffness of other parts OF tn G
year is replaced BY life and ACTIVITY; even
the Plaza a-tbat standing joke for all new
comers- seems TO loli into a new existence
and allow busy people to bury around IT.
have just returned from Il three days trip
and quite relief it MAS to escape from the
daily routine of city life, even for shor
time. did not escape earthquake, though
as there was quite a distinct shock at about
J six o'clock on Sunday morning; but then il
was no great shakes, after aIl-only a slight
imit9tion Of the things We get up in the city
OF course the wine cellars became the
points Of attraction for me, and immediate
y set out upon my arrival, to visit my old
friends. AT Major Snyder's l found the fin
est of old wines, from the vintage Of 1864
down to our present one. The Major has
made it rule not to sell any wine until j,
has accomplished ls fourth year; the result
is evident the Major having the finest and
cleanest tasting wines Of Soooma Valley. 1t
would be well for the wiue1 interest Of the
State it there were more people ike the
Major; aud still he went into the pursuit en-
trely ignorant Of its torluous way-but then
some men learn and many don't.
A. F. Haraszthy is making wine in two
different places for himself and for the es
late of General Williams. Betaeen The three
cellars he is kept pretty busy. His new red
wine is excellent
DR.. Faure makes wine from the Lacbryma
Months vineyard.
Aguilon waa in full blast, crushing the
grapes aud pressing out the juice, which
however, did not prevent him from giving
US glass of good one-year old wine. lie
has lease OF The Quiquiriqui Vineyard. be.
longing to General Frisbe. aud hiss besides
bought very considerable quantities Of grapes.
as is his custom every year, from various
smaller vineyards.
Craig has also bought quite an amour. of
grapes from various viney yards, which, with
his own CROP will run his number of gallons
to high figure. 1t was here WAS given
delightful sweet red wine, r,uch resembling
the Hungarian Menesi. He has called this
wine the "Nonesuch," not only appropriate,
but quite original. also visited En gler; he
has finished his vintage, and l only staid a
moment TO see his new hydraulic wine press.
AS the visitor nears the cellars he is struck
by the universal activity and by the decided
business air that every face assumes. There
are people hauling, people weighing. and
people crushing grapes. and still other people
guiding the flow OF the "pure juice" into
reservoirs and casks. OF course, the uuin-
itia'ed Immediately 60 to the press, cup in
hand, and quatf a goblet of the unad utter.
ated; those of more experience resist the
temptation. aud much prefer glass Of the
older vintage. Lucky man if bis host has it,
for though there is always much erumbiing
going on concerning dull sales, there really
are but few people in the valley who have
any old wine nor yet of the preceding vint.
age.
As the grapes rpens the rejoicing begins
every year, but the JOY was uow double
On the old viues there was an abundant crop
OF fine grapes, and most Of the young vines
bore fruit for The first time. There was cause
for rejoicing and cause for activity. Those
vines close to the ground were literally GOV,
cred and almost hid by the beautiful clusters
Of blue grapes, while those vines raised from
the ground bent under the weight they bore
1t is the most abundant vintage the valley
of Sonoma has ever had This abundance
is to be only attributed to the good setting
OF the punches at the Towering of the vines,
this year there being no high winds duriug
this important period, and every flower is a
grape. Contrary TO all fears, these being
based chiefly on the abundance of the grapes
the wines of this vintage will be generally of
superior quality; this We know from what
We have in hand. Those vineyards having
their vines stalked will hardly yield their
grapes enough color to warrant their being
made into red wine, but those vines lying
on the ground have ample color and to
spare. These facts are important, for, this
year, larger quantities of red wine will be
partly TO the increased demand for this class
of wine, but mostly to the high reputation
genuine Sonoma red wines have earned
amongst conneiseurs. Gradually, but surely,
they are everywhere replacing imported
clarets; consumers. be they experts, or other
wise, generally preferring these pure, fruity
wines to the foreign article, which, by polite
ness, is termed claret, but which | should
call French ink. 1t requires considerable
more skill to make good red 4 he than to
produce good white wine, and it is this
which brings red wine higher than white
wine. The vintage here began about two
weeks later this year, which now causes the
vine growers to push forward their opera
tions with greater vgor, in order to have
their crops gathered before the frosts come
and the rains set in.
The crop, which have already said is
large, has been variously estimated, the most
moderate estimate being 100000 gallons Of
wine. Of this amount there will probably
be made into angelica and port wine, 80, 900
gallons; red wine, 10000 gallons; white
wine, 42O, 900 gallons, From the refuse of
the wine there will be made about 10000