Daily Los Angeles herald., 1878-08-13
OUR WINES, BRANDIES AND Or
AKGES.
A Chat With Some Heavy Wine Manufacturers
The Growing Favor Of California Wines and
Braniies in the East-oalifornia Staples
and European Labels Tho Orange Trade.

| OuiihS Jul iuto Nisit 10 San II rail-
cisco we took occasion to interview
a number of the leading manufac-
turers of California wines and
brandies. Our first visit was to Mr..
Benjamin Dreyfus. who is largely
In the trade, and who has exten.
sivs vineyards near Anaheim. Mr..
Dreyfus is almost universally
known In Los Angeles, he Is
practical and sagacious man and
his opinions will be received with
Difference by all persons interested
In the trade and In QUE of the prin-
cipal industries Of this county.
To the remark that we under.
stood that he had been lately over
the Anaheim and Los Angeles
vineyards, aud to an inquiry as TO
their probable yield, Mr.. Dreyfus
replied that the grape crop would
be light this year. The grapes had
not filled out. He did not know
whether to ascribs this fact TO the
drouth OF last year or to tue exces-
sive rains of the present. The one
patent fact was that the two sea-
sons taken together were excep-
tional and the result was as lie
said.
We asked Mr.. Dreyfus whether
the status of the California wine
and brandy trade was enco nraging.
He replied that 1t was hig hly so.
Our staples were coming largely
Into demand in the East and large
quantities of California wines and
brandies were bsins sold there and
in California with foreign labels.
He himself frequently received
large orders for California wines so
labeled. both from the trade and
from private patrons, the latter say
Ing that their guests relished 1t
highly If they supposed that 1t was
manufactured in Europe.
We asked Mr.. Dfeyfus's opinion
as a wine m1ker whether we could
make wines in California up to the
standard of the light wines of the
Rhine.
Mr.. Deeyfus replied that we GER
tain'y could ii We planted the prop
er kind of grapes. Many of the light
wines now made in California
were quite as good rs good Rhine
wine, and many of them were
much better than the average
grade Of fair Rhine wines. The
Reisling, for instance, was such u
wine, and many Rhine wines were
amazingly improved by admixture
with the native California wines.
We here said that many persons
complained of headache as con.
sequence Of drinking California |
wines.
Mr.. Dreyfus rejoined that a
headache would undoubtedly fol.
low the drinking of improperly
made wine, whether mauufac-
tured in Europa or America. Wine
should be fully fermented before
being drank, and if it was not 1t
would ferment in the stomach of
the drinker, or in whatever warm
place into which it should be In
troduced. an | a lisa lache was the
natural result to the drinker of
such misplaced and iIl.timed fer
mentation. Universally satisfac-
tory results hal not been accom-.
plished in the manipulation Of
California wines simply through
the ignorance of the maker aud
the general prevalence of the "Mis-
sion" grape, which, owing to the
large quantity saccharine matter
it contained, was too heavily al
coholic. Excellent results had,
however, been obtained in the
manufature of port wine by using
the Mission grape, and, and as q
brandy making staple, it was un.
rivaled.
| We asked If we could make as
COED brandy In California as
they manufacture in France.
The reply was, every whit as good,
or as good as was made in the
world, the single condition being
that the correct process should be
followed In the manufacture, and
that our brandies should be allowed
to acquire the proper age, which
last was sine qua non to its mar
ketable value.
| Thanking Mr.. Dreyfus for his
politeness and communicative dis
position, we next interviewed Mr..
Landsbcrger, another celebrated
manufacturer OF California wines
and brandies. His opinions
were In the main similar
to those expressed by Mr..
Dreyfus, but he took occasion
to invsigh bitterly against what he
termed the proscriptivs policy to.
wards California wine and brandy
makers pursued by the National
Government. Mr.. Laudsberger as
serted that, owing to our internal
revenue laws, 1t was almost impos-
sible for the California dlstiller to
make any money. We can't even
distill whiskey from corn profitably
in this State owing to specially
rigorous restrictions from which