Daily Los Angeles herald., 1884-06-21
rAcrs ABOUT TINE WINE TRADE.
Fanciful Theories Exposed The
Facts in the Cause.-The Market In
Solid Condition and the Coun-
try Prosperous.

The San Francisco Merchant, which
is one Of the best informed journals in
regard to the wine trade in the State,
has very valuable criticism ON loose
statement in the Examiner about the ex.
poriation of wines. The Examiner wild.
ly says:
ut is singular that our wine mer-
chants do not more extensively try the
experiment Of shipping our wines to the
great wine entrepot of the world-Bor-
deaux. Bordeaux receives from abroad
about q, ,0O0, 900 gallons Of wine per an.
mum, of which over half comes from
Spain and quarter from Portugal. OF
the total receipts, ouly 10000 gallons
were received in 1888 from all countries
exclusive of Spain, Portugal, Italy and
Austria. What our proportion of this
small lot was we have no means of
knowing. Mr.. Haraszthy stated in re-
cent address to the viticulturists that TO
ship to Bordeaux we should have TO lay
the wines down there at Is cents. Per-
haps he was mistaken; at all events the
spread of the phylloxera in Spain and
France ought to make the experiment
worth trying. California could spare
say 6,000. 900 gallons year of pure wine
If the price suited--and the smart wine
merchants Of Bordeaux would blend and
adulterate this and ship 1t TO New York
and Paris rs fine old Chateau DE Rose
and Haute Sauterne.
To which the Merchant, with facts
and figures. convincingly replies as fol-
lows:
Six millions Of gallons Of wine the
Examiner supposes us to have to spare
(from our crop Of nine millioDs) and adj
vises us to send them right away to
Bordeaux. Now the young man thinks
it singular that our wine merchants ares
not wide awake enough to do 30 with
out being urged by him.
Have we any wine to spare? Let the
Erami,,er Try to get half million gal
Ions for export, and he will have hard
lines to accomplish the task. As TO
price, he may make his calculation by
the following quotations at Paris Of the
10th Of May, and he may learn at
the same time that 1t is not Bordeaux,
but Cette and Paris, and the lions share
Of what arrives at Cette is ior
Paris account, where he will have TO
find his customers tor the six millions Of
gallons, or whatever he will ascertain
we can spare. Placed in Paris, per
hectolitre of 26.4l7 gallons, Riposto
dark wine fetched then the price Of 30
to 35 francs, and deep Rioja wines ~
to A francs. Deducting the freights
and expenses say francs, this would
be for the latter, representing about the
finest Immensely dark colored wines "a
to 3S francs per gallon, the franc at 20
cents OF doliar-255 to 293 cents, and
second grade wines Of Riposto, 20 to 22l
cents; while third grades of good color
would fetch about the price mentioned
as stated by Mr.. Harsszshy.
Prior to venturing to compete with
the countries Spain, Italy and Portugal,
VIII rs the French wine merchant can
lind the qualities he needs, the Eram.
iner will have to ascertain If, of cur sap
posed surplus. there is any kind that the
frenchman can make use of for his
purposes, wines that as first condition,
own wines. The little there is Of wines
Of really superior color in California we
need our elves greatly, and as to other
requirements for the French markets,
people of greater experience in the wine
trade would not assert that the French
trade wonld pay us to sell, to raise
their wine in beauty.
We may have in some years qualities
the French trade may desire, but not
before we have a large product from
grapes different from the old standards.
We may at an early date have wines of
high qualities, chiefly from the noble va.
rieiies France has supplied to our intel
ligent planters of late, but then we want
every drop of really good qualities our
selves, aud then other countries having
abundance Of wines are nearer for the
French to suit themselves from. The
Eramncr. must not forget that we have
nine, tell or twelve millions only against
above 5000. .0O0, 900 of gallons Of wine in
Europe, phylloxera Notwithstanding"
These great commercial facts are what
our great wine growers need. Los An
geles is now the leading making
county in the State, and it is to their
interest 10 get at all the facts they can
in the prosecution of their business.
We must furnish what people want. and
not expect to sell to customers what
they do not want. The trade is steady,
healthy, profitable and always increas.
ing, but a sky-rocket demand for 6,00O,-
900 gallons would be of no benefit to US.
1t would. if practicable and profitable.
turn the heads of the people. and half
the State would turn wine-makers. and
the consequence would be great deal of
very poor wine. The trade is in good
hands. and all the wine that is fit for
market sells at good price. The de-
mand is equal to the supply, and there
is no stock in first hands, while the
wine-makers are offering to contract for
the growing grape crop at last years
prices, which were very profitable to the
vineyasdists. We appear to be doing
well enough at present, and all is fair
M a. ~ heal