The Sunday herald., 1881-03-06
California wines.

Mr.. Charles A. Wetmore, in his report as
member OF the California Board OF state Vicultural
Commissioners, tells some things which ought TO he
known to all wine-drlnkers. Mr.. Wetinore knows
more about wines than any man in America, for he
has studied them in both Europe and America and
with the thorouehuess he puts into every subject he
takes up. Promising that know he Is telling the
simple truth, we quote what MIR. Wotmore says about
''tho worst enemies Of California Wines -
hnd that Of all theinquiring world those who take
the least interest in discovering and making known
the excellencles Of our hest vntages are AiNeticau
hotel keepers, resaurateurs and other retailers oi
nne wines and liquors. 80 During the past summer
have met, visiting this State for the putpose OF In
vesugating and reporting upon tho merits OF our
yltculturc, Professor dc Savignon and Mons. do
Iacretelle representing the ftenoh government, Nh.
John Clay, representing the British government, Mr..
Forester, of London, whose vineyards are III the
Douro, Portugal, Mr. Ncdccsky, proprietor OF
great vineyard in Hungary aud gentleman whose
uatrc have unfortunately forgotten. correspondent
pf Herr Babo's celebrated lietnldubc ot uetmany
All OF these gentlemen came here, previously con-
WINGED that good wines were being produced In
california, with TIM pto'nse OF grand vlntages In
fhtuie, have seen fOut orders nom leading London
wine houses, addressed TO their agents In san Franz
cisco inQuiting concerning the ptactlcahility ot
importing our hest wines into England With very
few exceptions. however, couN any ot these gentle
men, oi thct representatives, obtain any reliable n
formation concerning native wines at hotels, restau-
rants, or other places of entertainments where the
and honestly labeled. Mr. Nedccsfy' rtst NpeilenCe
IN New York, as he teiatod 1t to me, was only
sample rf the experience generally OF all travellers
He asked fur boto of good American wine. The
answer was. 1--WE never keep American winc there
IL none Mt to drink Each Of the visitors named,
however, assured me that they found. after being
pUted hy guide In this state, that We were produc
ing many wines not only Int to be drunk, but Mt
10, any gentemans table In England or Europe,
Others who have not Investigated closely as they
have done, have failed to discover thc tte reasons
FOR the appatrn, prejudice ol tetaicrs against Ancr-
can brands
The state OF California exports to the Atlantic coast
as much wine as Is imported into the whole country
from France, and consumes herself OF native pro-
duCton thrcefouiths as much as Is imported ino the
entire United states from all countries somewhere
this wine is drunk; where Is the trinng importation
people know all about false labels by this time.
The county of Napa produces as much wine and good
wine too, rs Is imported into the United states IRON
France. vet recently told AT tho Palace Hotel.
In Napa city, that they had no California wines, and
was offered spurious Imitation Of Chateau Mat
gauN, when called for Yinfande. I had the s,me
experience In lStaluma at leading hotel In another
Of our leading wine districts. few days ago I
asked alta city restaurants llaye ycnany Ga'itoinla
under French labels
There are several reasons for this American hostility
10 American brands!
rirSt Tho consumer. either from snobhishness,
preferring anything foreign to anything American,
on Ignorant because his wine. drinking has been CON
fined to public hostecs where he has been taught TO
believe that all the good wine and brandy Is foreign,
does not Insist upon being served with good native
wine.
Second Because the usual practice OF demanding
high prices for cheap wines, covered with celebrated
foreign labels which returns SO much iilImelitea
restaurateuri he prcfesscd to furnish native wine
which are known to I've cheap.
Tbifd. Because, encouraging the free use Of good
cheap wine at the table would materially reduce the
profits of the bar room which Is an important adjunct
of nearly every hotel and ot the cocktails and todues
served at small restaurant counters.
Fourth because few even of the hotel keepers,
restaurateurs, and saloon keepers have any. true
knowledge OF the best California vintages, and take
little pains to learn prefeiiing with stclid stubborn
ness and rretense of being "rosted.'' to pay I'M
porter's prcest iobbers and travelling agents fof
supposed foreign wines and brandics rather than 10
purchase the same goods as native productions, at
reasonable rates. Few of such retailers are willing to
trust their own raates In selecting wines, bnt rely
upon foreign names and high prices To Insure them
the fine wines and liquors" which they advertise to
sell.
The consumer may overcome his snobbishness and
| ignorance and learn to know good wine without q
label and poor wine with onc the retailer may also
in time " he does not drink too much whisky, learn
how not to I've imposed upon, and how not to impose
upon himself; but the selfish interest of those who try
Ia maintain fancy prices hy means of false labels, OF
the profits OF the barroom by keeping wine too expen'
sive for table usc must lie overcome by either the
active complaint and rebellion of their customers.
OF the active competition OF honestly dealing retailers
Wine drinkers-those who prefer to use wine in pre-
ference to other table drinks, and to avoid cocktails as
appetizers and punches digesters have good rca-
complain at any hotel in this state II they
not treated fairly the coffee OF tea drinkers
pint of good wine can he furnished at any restaurant
with profit at the price of cup of Coffee or tea
twelve and half cents; and at the hotel without eN-
ira charge, TO those who erfer wine TO other drinks.
lne people KNOW tndt tie tdhe IhNt VI Hoou
ordinary clarets and white wines at which hotels can
he furnished Ia from forty TO sixty cents per gallon
ten ''pint bottles to the gallon, at from four to
six cents EACH Bottles only first cost, because
they refed from the cask and the cost and labor
| of serving wine is not great as that of attend
Ing TO the coffee and tea pots, milk cans, cups, sugar
bowls spoons, and gobles. pint of claIet may he
served at the price of cocktail the cocktail dis
pensed with and the bar converted Into cafe.
There is nothing wanting, except determination or
the part of consumers to insist fair treatment t.
effect great social reform, and discrimination that
,F 1tn
pecaly those of the Mission grape to he sent to the
distillery