Daily Los Angeles herald., 1879-12-13

the poorest table grape as yet tried
by me, of all the foreign grapes. 1t
is vigorous grower, and the leaves
are large with white cotton down
on the under side. l believe it to
be the heaviest bearer of all the
grapes and think it doubles the pro-
duction of the Mission. 1t Is, how
ever, a matter of doubt with me
whether it would do on low locsli-
ties: for, the punches being so COM
pact, In wet places it would be al
most sure to rot and mildew. 1t
makes, to my mind, the most
pleasant light table wine in Cali
fornia, being more of the character
of German Sauterne than any
other wine. This wine is used one
third, and two-thlrds Zinfandel, to
make the best of Haraszthy's
champagne. 1 believe it especially
adapted for this county, for our ta-
BILE lands. 1t was introduced to
Anaheim from Germany and
Berger is the German name. l am
inclined to the belief that it is the
same grape as that known in
France as Fole Blanche, for it is
Identical with the description of
that grape there. The Fole Blanche
Is used in France almost entirely
as a brandy grape, making the cell
ebrated Cognacs. 1t has too much
acidity there; and makes, in conse-
quence, an inferior wine; whereas,
with our perpetual sunshine, the
grape attains a fuller maturity and
makes o wine that, for light wine
for daily drinking, has no equal, to
my taste. This shows that we can
only find by experimenting what
grape is best for our locality, for
what may be worthless in a wet,
cold locality, in our dry and warm
climate will give entirely different
results.
BURGUNDY.
Gen. Naglee, Of San Jose, intro
duced from France the Charlton
neux and Trousseau. These are
mixed together and both belong to
the Pinean family of grapes Here
in California they have acquired
the general name of Burgundy,
probably from the fact that they
come from that district, and are
used to make that celebrated wine.
The two varieties of grapes are so
much alike in wood, foliage and
fiuit that / for long time believed
them to be one variety, until, some
years ago, the bees taught me the
difference between them, for they
would make their attack on one
vine and another vine by its side
they would not touch. then
found, by tasting, one much sweeter
than the other. The grapes OF
either are small, very black, small
punches, the leaf but little lobed or
serrated, and round, much like
some of our wild grapes, grown in
this neighborhood. 1t has a great
many punches and is a heavy bear
er. Gen. Naglee assured me that
the year was there they had av-
eraged thirty-three pounds to the
vine, and it is from this grape that
he makes his best brandy. He also
told me 1t made very superior
black (he named iU wine. l have
not tried it sufficiently here to
speak with certainly about the
quality of the wine, but l know it
is heavy bearer and believe it will
make the best heavy red wine
Burgundy in the State. As yet II
is not generally introduced in this
State. it being confined to San Jose
and Santa Clara county, but such
wine as has reached the San Fran
cisco market has been pronounced
the best red wine in the State.
have not had it long enough, or il
sufficient quantity to make wins
from 1t, except in an experimental
way. l believe in it. 1t is fail
eating grape.
could add Muscat of Alexan'
dria, which, I am inclined td
think, will make a very popular
brandy, and West st. Peters
which is said to be the best sherry
grape as yet tried in California
However, this paper is already
much longer than l intended and
will close for the present.