The news., 1882-10-17
A SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

1t was the mature vintage season
now in the country around San Jose.
Santa Clara county, Of which San
Jose is the county seat, boasts of
number Of acres of grape vines under
cultivation (SomethiDg under eleven
thousand) larger than any but one
other in the State, that of Sonoma.
Napa, however, also to the north and
Los Angeles to the south, greatly sur
pass it in the number of gallons of
wine and brandy made.
We visited the LIE Franc vineyard,
which dates from 1851, and was the
pioneer in the way of making wine-
growing business venture. Here
there are about one hundred and
seyenty-five thousand vines set out
a thousand perhaps to the acre. The
large cheerful farm buildings are
upon gentle rise of ground above
the area Of the vines, which is nearly
level. An Alsacian foreman shows
us through the wine-cellars. A SER
vant-maid busting about the yard is
thorough French peasant, only lack
the wooden shoes. The long tables
set for the forty hands employed in
the v.ntage-season, are spread with
viands in the French fashion. Scar
eslJ word of English is spoken.
At other places the surroundings are
as exclusively Italian. One feels
very much abroad in the scenes of
this new Industry on American soil.
A certain romantic interest attaches
to it wherever found. The great
tuns in the wine-cellars, and all the
processes seem delightfully."- clean. 1t
is reassuring to see the pure juice of
the grape poured out in such floods,
and to know that at this source of
supply there is to be no need, founded
in scarcity at least, Of adulteration.
Heavy loads of green grapes are
driven up, across a weighing scale,
and lifted to an upper story, and put
into hopper, where the stems come
off, and the fruit falls through into a
crusher. 1t is lightly crushed at
first. 1t is something of discovery
to find that the first product Of grapes
of every variety is white wine. Red
takes its hue from the coloring mat
ter in the skins, which are utilized
in subsequent rougher treatment.
It is not necessary to describe all the
various processes of the work, the
racking off, clarifying, and the like,
though, having been favored with SO
much Of the company of persons who
spoke with authority on these mat
tiers, and were continually holding up
little glasses to the light with gusto,
|.like the figures in certain popular
ehromos, I consider myself to yield
in knowledge Of the subject to bat
few. Immense upright casks con-
tanning warm and audibly ferment-
ing mass, and others lying down.
neatly vanished, and with concsye
ends, are the most salient features in
the dimly lighted wine-cellars.
They are not cellars, properly SO
called. They are wholly above
ground, and the casks rest on wood
stills upheld by short brick posts.
Those of General Naglee, success
full maker of excellent brandy on a
large scale, are really charming from
an artistic point of view. The cob
webs have been allowed to Increase
till they hang like tattered banners.
The vines, short, thick and need
ing no stakes for support, bears at the
head of its stalwart stock, an incred-
ible number of purple clusters, all
growing from the same point. They
quantity suggest those uncouth little
men of Hendrick Hudson'S "Half-
Moon, who stagger up the mount
aims in the play of Rip Van Wrinkle,
each with his keg Of spirits. No
especial attention is given to frost
now, but that occurring in the carly
spring is the object Of many precau-
tions. The most effectual of these is