Ashtabula weekly telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1880-1886, 1880-09-10
THE WINE WE DRINK.
PROSPECT OF THE 1Akr ISLANDS GRAPE cRor


other day, just as he was raising glass Of
Catawba to his lips, with the remark of his
vis-a-vis that there is a concern on Central
avenue manufacturing an article Of Cstaw-
ba wine out Of tanic acid and grape sugar
with as much Ohio River Sewerage rs the
compound will bear. The remark was
productive Of meditation, as it were. II
provoked mental questions. Forexample.
Why is this thus? We have fine wines
and an abundance Of them in Ohio. What
need TO manufacture wine2 But then they
manufacture butter, and plenty Of il at
that. and what was the use of putting any
cOnundrums about il or about manuiactur-
ing wine2 The possibility Of smearing the
matitutina biscuit with the one, and wash
ing down the midday edibles with the
other, in spite OF ones nose and palate.
was something too much for hasty dis.
missal, and little investigation followed.
This is the very time, by the way, when
the wine makers bespeak their grapes, and
it was known among wine drinkers that
Louis Hoffman had just returned from the
Lake Erie islands after securing his guam
tity Of grapes for the fall pressing. Mr..
Hoffman enjoys local celebrity for deal
ing in honest wine. He is intelligent
about grape culture aud wine making.
He is one Of the few dealers who make the
native wine they sell. He went direct TO
Ottawa, or CatHwaba Island, and inspected
the crop there. The ordinary yield is two
tons to the acre, but no such quantity will
| be realized this year on account Of the
rot.
At Put-in-Bay the acreage is divided be-
tween Delaware, Catawba and Concord
grapes. OF the Delaware variety there is a
| full crop, butt is not ripening evenly, be-
cause part Of the leaves have dried up,
which let's the sun strike the punches most
| exposed. The grape needs shade and heat, &,
not the direct rays Of the sun. The leaves
are the lungs Of the grape, and when they
are gone the fruit dries up.
The Catawba variety shows full crop,
but the excessive rains and hot weather
brought on rot, So that good deal Of the
crop is already ruined Another bad ef-
feet is the necessity for extra labor in pick
ing out the sound grapes. In this respect
there is great difference between last wear
and the present season.
Last May the promise for a fine large
Catawba crop was good. The crop real.
ly appeared abundant and healthy, but
the season proved backward and chilly
and the grape became sickly. When the
weather is cold in blossom time there will
be neither a large nor a sound crop OF
grapes This was the case with the Ca.
tawba this year.
The Concord variety looks well, and ii
nearly ready for market. AS a table
grape it finds market in Michigan.
The crops at Kelly Island and Middle
Bass are about in the same condition az
in the former places.
Reporte do you think about
the island grapes, anyhow, Mr.. HoG
manY
Answer-Well, they are good wine
grapes when taken ripe and in good con
dition; but my belief is that the vine
growers pick the grapes too soon. by
this bad practice the grower wins on the
quantity or weight, but loses on the quail
ity, because the ripper the grapes the more
sugar they get. Catawbas and Delawares
especially, and the more sugar the better
the wine.
Question-What is the standards
Answer-The grage juice or "must
ought to be over eighty per cent. specific
gravity. Anything under that makes nc
good, pure wine. The "must" of good
ripe grapes is between 80 and 100.
GLOW is the deficiency supplied?
A.-Woll, they supply it.
Reporter-What is the price of grapes
this year?
A.-Catawbas four cents a pound, Della
wares, six cents.
Q.-How much do you payY
Al buy the picked grapes only
grapes for the table, the pick of the crop
and pay one to two cents pound more
than the wine companies rates.
| Ranprfar Toll mo { ,,,,, { ,
is fact that they manufacture wineY
Mr.. Hoffman-Yes, sir 1t is fact.
Reporter-Tell me something about It.
for observe that there is Catawba wine
in the market sold by the bottle or gallon
cheaper than the cost of grapes and labor
would seem 10 allow2
Mr.. HOifman--Yes, sir, that Is fact
They take between 40 and 50per cent OF
grapes or grape juice, and the balance OF
sugar, cologne spirits, glycerine and wa.
ter. Dealers buy this stuff by the barrel
bottle, label and sell it for pure Ohio
wine. You will find it in bar.rooms, at
hotel tables, in restaurants, and even at
the tables Of people who should know
better than to drink such stuff
RepOrter-But how is a fellow to know
the difference
Answer-Ifyou have ever drank a glass
of genuine pure wine, you can never af-
terwards be imposed upon by bogus
wine.
Reporter.--Go on, please.
Mr.. Hoffman. Well, don't know as
there is much else to say. You see the
Catawba sell for ten cents a glass? 1t is
made Of island grapes, but they were pick.
ed table grapes, fully ripe and contained a
good deal Of sugar. That made it rich,
The Delaware was also made OF the island
grapes. You can judge for yourself
There Is none better or purer. That isthe
reason these wine-drlnksrs-men who
know what good wine is--come here to
drink it. The profit on 1t is not large-in
fact it is small, but il wouldn't pay me to
keep any other l select my own grapes
from tho grower and engage them in ad-
vance at contract price; then when get
them delivered herein baskets press them
myself, and | know what l have. can
sell all make, and make all I can when
the crsp is good. II 1t is not don't want
it.
Q. Have'you engaged this yearG
A. Yes, but can't tell how the crop
will turn out yet. The prospect, a. said
before, is not good.
2. What are the prices this year?
A, The wine companies promise six
cents for Delaware and four cents for Ca
tawba. | have 10 pay half cent more
for choice by contract.
2. Have not other dealers contracted
this year?
A. Not that know Of They 20 on
the plan OF paying market price when the
grapes come in.
@ You don't appear to believe in the