The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-08-30
A SPARKLING REPORT.
>~~~>~~>~-~~~~~~-~~-~~-~
THE CHAMPAGNE REGIOT OF AMERICA
->N~o~>o~-~~~~~~~~~~~~>~~
The Vineyards OF Western
New York.
TWENTY THOUSAND ACRES or GRAPES.
Millions OF Gallons OF
Wines.
Grape Growing and Wine Making in SteubeH,
Yates, Schuyler, CanaldaiguG, Chau.
tauqua and Ontario Counties
RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE BUSINESS.

There are probably thousands OF residents In the
city of New YORK who are not aware that within a
days ride OF their homes there is region OF country
devoted to grape culture and wine making that has
scarcely rival ror those purposes in the world We
refer particularly TO the counties OF Steuben,
Schuyler, Yates and ontario ana TO the borders Of
Lakes Keuka, Seneca, Cayuga and Canandaigua.
or course grape culture Is largely carried on in
other parts Of the State and the metropolis,
especially by stephen W. Underhil, at Croon Point,
n. Y. but our object at present Is to show the eX
tent OF the business carried on within the extern
sive but compact region named. For this purpose
we shall enter at once into familiar description
thereof, asking our readers TO accompany a HERALD
representative he proceeded to make his lnvest-
cations
HOW TO GET THERE.
Selecting Pleasant Valley as the objective point,
with Hammondsport situated on Keuka (the pretty
indian name for the honey Saxon one OF Crooked
Lake. the reader VIII take the Erie Railroad cars at
nine O'Clock A. M, Tor Bath, N. Y, via Corning.
Arriving at Bath about six In the evening, he can
take either the regular stage conveyance a prl.
vate team for Hammondsport, eight miles distant,
through most lovely valley, or tarry overnight In
Bath where there is good hotel. Hammondsport
Is not very well supplied with hotels, but citizens
and the adjacent grape gently are very hospitabe,
ana look after the comfort Of visitors WITH fuzzy as
much cordially as could ever be expected in the
And now, If the reader VIII take short rde with
the HERALD representative, he will find himself in
the elegant reception room Of the extensive WINE
cellar OF the
PLEASANT VALLEY WINE COMPANY.
Hon. ID. G. Howell, President and in COM
pany with Directors q. ID. Champin, Secretary
and Treasurer, and Younglove and d. Rose
superintendent julie Mason, recognized as among
the first in a knowledge of the art of cham
Oapn NAH in m nh viii anin win
the genial and intelligent companionsnip OF Dr. E.
Van Keuren and several other gentlemen some
natives OF the city of New York, let gather few
particulars about the
ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF VINE AND WINE CULTURE
IN AMERICA.
This culture in Western New York is Of modern
origin. at the time 1t has been rapid develop.
ment and emineuty successful in results. Many OF
readers may be familiar with the fact that dur.
ting our colonial and early subsequent history
American vine and wine culture was undertaken at
various points within then limited Union of
States. and in every instance failed. The cause Of
this failure was found TO be owing the fact
every variety of grape planted such as were
grown in Continental Europe and utterly refused
acclimation adaptation or healthy producing growth
In this country.
In the march OF tine and In the course OF events
the rims ciRUerd, OF European species, aban-
doned ana the discovery made that we had growing
wild in ourforests grapes excellent the Catawba
and Isabella, that could be successfully grown, and
from which wine could be made OF such excellence
as 10 justify the hope that time and events would
reveal TO realization the possibility find Gull
mlnating.
THE FAILURE AT CINCINNATI.
With these varieties grape culture and wine max
ing were undertaken aud carried for few years
with promise OF continued success, at Cincinnati,
Ohio; but after few years disease made Its appear
ance there, as In Southern Europe, and the CtgRe-
ro1as abandoned without a struggle for mastery OF
the malaly, their vines and the wine merchant
being unable TO supply himself with material for
manufacture. and trade saw disaster sklrting the
rosy tinted horizon OF their hopeful enterprise,
ana grape-grower ana wine-maker alike looked to
OTHER REGIONS COUNTRY
for success in their pursuits. This failure az Gin.
clnnau occurred some fifteen years since, when,
II In obedience 10 an immutabe decree that
failure any thing should be the lot OF any
wisely directed effort in these United States it
found that besides the early culture OF the Mission
grape by the Jesuis in Southern California, from
whence
OUR SHERRY WINES ARE TO COME,
we say beyond this and the failures have limited
at there yet remained localities peculiarly adapted
to the growth of the vine In health and its fruit In
the highest excellence. American enterprise, that
knows no rest for attanab.e object or purpose,
wrought wonders IN vine culture by producing by
HYBRrDIzATIoN, OR CROSSING,
and discoveries OF other varieties OF grapes
wondrous change for the better IN this culture. As
II under the direction of destiny new paintings Of
vines of the older and these new kinds were made
simultaneously, so to speak, along what has since
been found TO be the
MOST HEALTHFUL HOME OF THE VINE
the more northern border Of Ohio and Western New
York. TODAY, while the borders of Lake Erie
produce their hook wines, and the grapes from
which sparkling champagne is made TO some ex-
tent, the great champagne district
THE EPERSAY OF AMERICA,
is In Western New YORK. and the great head centre
there Is Pleasant Valley, steuben county, al the
head OF Crooked, or, we have already said Keuka
Lake. Here vine and wine growing has attained 10
degree OF perfection and height OF success, little
lfany short OF full and complete. Year after year.
for more than decade, the best and most delicate
Favored wine grapes OF American origin have been
planted here, and grown and rlpened IN perfection;
and year alter year, for the same period OF time
has the planting OF them increased and extended
until now there are in this valley and about TINS
lake alone 1t Is estimated somewhere between
FIVE AND SEVEN THOUSAND ACRES IN VINES.
II may be interesting to some TO know that the
location OF thus place but little than three
hundred and twenty-five miles from New York by
the New YORK and Erie Railroad, and about the
same distance, nearly Que north from the city OF
Washington ID. G., or 80 degrees west OF It's mer
dian and latitude north AZ degrees, 30 minutes
The altitude OF Keuka Lake ana Pleasant valley is
some us feet above tide water.
KEUKA LAKE
is one OF a chain OF lakes, heading southwark, run.
ming through the central portion Of Western New
YORK about most OF which grapes grown sue.
cessfully 10 greater or less extent Is the case
with some OF the table lands near Lockpor, Niagara
county ana Fredonia ana BrOcton, Chautauqua
county. Those conversant with
EUROPEAN WINE CULTURE
need not he reminded OF the fact that Rheims,
Epernay, Ay Cote-dOr, well as Johannesburg,
are Oh the northern bouler al EuroDean wine cu-