Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-07-11
THE WINE IADUSTRY.
What is Being Done in That Line in This
City-The Eagle Winery.

City-The Eagle Winery.
One of the leading industries in Califor-
| MIA is the growing of grapes and the manu-
facture OF wine. In nearly every portion
of the State these two go together, and
where you find an extensive vineyard,
there you also find immense wine cellars.
In this county are some mammoth vine
yards, that of the Natoma Company alone
containing upwards of $500 acres of bear
| ing vines. Until last season the grapes of
this immense vineyard were sold TO outside
| parties, hundreds of carloads of table grapes
| going to the Eastern market, while the re-
mainder of the crop was shipped to local
wineries and distilleries, where it was made
into wine and brandy.
| In March, 1880, NJ S. Nevis built the
Eagle Winery, on the south half of the
block bounded by and 2, Eighteenth and
| Nineteenth streets. The main structure,
which is two-story brick with basement,
faces on Eighteenth street, and in size is
| 66xl20 feet. 1t is a fine structure covered
with corrugated iron roof and fitted up
quite extensively South of the main
| building is his sherry room, with brick
| floors, cemented ceiling and walls, and
fitted up with steam pipes throughout
| Those who have visited the premises say it
is one of the most complete and convenient
| wineries on the coast, and to make it so the
proprietor has not taken into consideration
time nor expense.
A call at the Eagle Winery yesterday
| found Mr.. Nevis engaged in bottling claret
and Riesling wine for export He makes
over twenty different kinds of wines, and
so far has found good market both at the
East and in San Francisco. He owns no
vineyard. but purchases all the wine grapes
raised in this vicinity and in some parts of
| Yolo and FL Dorado counties, with the ex-
ception of what is bought by the winery
near Guthrie's station. He says since start
ing up this winery he has made the fol-
lowing amounts annually: In 1880, 81, 900
| gallons 1881, 10000; 1882, 10000; 1883,
| 100000; 1884, 1900; 1885, 100000; 1886,
100000; 1887, 10000.
Last year the grape crop was not so heavy
as the year before, but this season the crop
will be fully as large, if not larger, than
! that OF 1856. He expects to make this
| year III his two wineries over 100000 gal
Ions of sherry, white wines, ports and
| clarets.
Last season he purchased the block
| bounded by Twenty-fir aud Twenty-sec-
ond, and S streets, and has erected one
of the most extensive wineries on the
| Coast. The structure is brick. two-story
/ eillN Od1CLhCllA. ain III ElLt IIVAlfU. n Sue
| track from the railroad comes directly into
| the cellar so that grapes coming in and
wines and brandies going out can be
handled with the least expense. He has
| here larger sherry rooms than in the
| Eighteenth street place, two large stills,
and the entire place is filled with latest
and most complete machinery known to
| the trade.
Mr.. Nevis says that twelve years ago
! there was but little wine trade. There was
scarcely any home consumption, and the
Eastern market amounted to but little.
| During the past eight years the demand for
wine has increased over 200 per cent, and
! there is market for all that can be pro-
| duced, though the prices at this time are so
low that there is very little profit to the
| manufacturer. He attributes the dull mar
ket and low prices in large degree to the
| vine growers. For some years they received
| from the wine makers professionals who
understood their business-from $40 to $25
per ton for their grapes. This was a hand
some profit, good vineyard yielding
profit ranging all the way from $3.50 to 500
| per acre. However, the vineyardist was not
satisfied. He wanted to make it all He
built his cellar, bought his watts, crushed
| his grapes and made his wine. The next
season he had his watts all full and another
| crop to be crushed. The wine must be
sold to make room for the new crushing.
1t was thrown upon the market, shipped
East, was inferior in quality, sold for what
it would bring and, of course, damaged the
reputation of the State and brought down
the price of the good article. Mr.. Nevis
says he is not one of those who believe in
over-production, but at the present time he
thinks the acreage of vines is all that can
be handled at this time with profit. He,
| however, saws that the wine trade of this
State must continue to increase annually.
and al no distant day the wines of France
Italy and Spain will not be found in the
American market. Il don't say this be-
cause we can sell them cheaper but because
we make a better article. There is no
country in the world to-day that can make
or does made as fine sherry and port as
California, and as to clarets and white
wines they cannot compare with us"