Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-06-14

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champagnes of various brands, 10000
gallons of French and other foreign dry
red and white wines, and not enough
sweet wines to mention, while only few
years ago Californians drank 100000 gal
Ions of dry and sweet European wines and
from 1900 to 10000 cases of foreign-made
champagnes annually.
About one-eighth of the 19,S00,000 gal
Ions of wine made in 1886 has been trans
formed into brandy, and as the increased
demand for dry wines-the proportion of
reds and whites being about as two to one
enters largely into every business mans
mind, the production of sweet wines gen.
orally is considerably restricted, and ports
and sherries will be hereafter less plenti-
fully made-that is, for two or three years
to come; those on hand will be satisfactor
lily aged, and fine selections will be here
after stifiy held.
ATMOSPHERIC INFLUENCES.
Some years, as in France, California pro-
duces exceptionally fine wines, and experts
cannot fully comprehend the cause. 1t
may be the result of combination of at
mospheric circumstances, such as an entire
absence of elemental disturbances, ETC.,
which no mind can fully penetrate or di-
agnose. Thus 1876 1878, 1880 and 1884
were exceptionally God years, and the
wines produced during those years were
pre-eminently excellent-so much so that
the abundant crop of light wines of the
latter year gradually found its way into
the hands of the trade and was well appre-
ciated. The wines of 1885 and 1886, how
ever, are rich and full in body and color,
but they are developing slowly, and will
be late, therefore, in entering the market
for general consumption.
Some ten or twelve years ago great
numbers of grape growers tore up their
vines and planted their vineyards in fruits,
etc. There was no sale of or demand for
California wines at home or abroad, COM
paratively speaking. Since then, partly
on account of the increasing excellence of
and demand for California wines and partly
on account of the prevalence Of so much
phylloxera in France as to compel the
winemakers of that country to send out
all sorts of made-over and adulterated
California, Spanish and Greek wines and
musts and other spurious limitations of
Bordeaux productions, all fears of over
production have passed away. To make
himself sure of this he wrote to a wine
making friend who tore up forty acres of
vines in 1875, and he replied: "Great
fear and apprehension have heretofore
been entertained Of overproduction. The
steady increase of our vineyards, product
iYeness of soil and climate, threatened to
overbalance the healthy equilibrium of
supply and demand But in spite of pro-
l. L
ton in some of our States and the reluct-
ance of Congress to protect pure wines
against limitations and authorizations, we are
making progress in every direction-we
carry ne surplus of accumulated stocks
our yineyardists are as active and stirring
as ever, and we are confident of continued
success. Lower prices, cheaper rates Of
freight, very noticeable change for the
better in the average quality of our wines,
and, above all, their indisputable purity
all these facts will act as powerful agents
toward rapid extension of our market and
the general distribution and introduction
Of California wines"
THE SCIENCE OF BLENDING.
Careful examination convinces him that
all parts of California make or can make
good dry and sweet wines, and that even
the Mission (Which has been so severely
maiigned) and the Zinfandel (which is not
so much a favorite at present as it was 20
years ago. are capable of producing clarets
OF good quality, especially if used in
blending and properly handled and aged.
The coming clarets will be blended ones,
10. It is the sI1illful blending of choice
wines, each one of which in itself possesses
some valuable quality, which produces a
beverage containing body, color, tannin,
aroma and bouquet. Again. these blends
must be adapted to the different conditions
of soil and climate, and often to peculiari-
ties of vintages. For example, 80 per
cent of Zinfandel grown upon the hillsides
cent of Mataro, 30 of Tannat and 10 of
NerJot, all grown at different elevations
from that of the Zinfandel, constitutes
splendid claret, aggregating body, color,
astringency, aroma and bouquet. In Napa
certain per cent. of Cabernet Sauvignon
to three or four other choice wines would
give beverage that, with proper age and
manipulation, would closely crowd Chateau
Latour for general excellence.
There are many pure wines" said Mr..
Haraszthy few days ago, and especially
ciarets, that are often harsh to the taste
and uniuviting to the eye. Hence arises the
necessity of blending The first considera-
ton in making claret is the color. 4 deep
ruby tinge is desirable, and to obtain it
dishonest dealers stop ut no adulteration
short Of out-and-out poison. If 10 one
cared for color, which is really Of no true
consequence, the greatest temptation to
resort to anime dyes and other adultera-
tions would cease to exist. \ light-colored
claret would not sell in New Orleans at
all; and as the people there want cheap
wines they get them from houses that buy
up new wines from single grape and dose
them to suit the Creole eye for color alone.
1t requires either AGE or blending, or both,
to make perfect ciaret Of acceptable color.
delicate flavor requisite body, a good
amount of natural tannin and a proper
absence Of sugar. In Il word, perfect
ciaret should go between II and II per
cent. strong, of good color, good amount Of
natural astringency, and have an odor, 4
perfume SAVIOR. flavor and aroma, aud pos
sess durable qualities. Without resorting
20 blending even great aceing would fail
20 produce such wine. There is no rea-
son to doubt that In course of time our
wines will no; only be known rs purer and
better than anything imported, but that
they viii become as famous and command
as good prices rs those of the most cele-
hrated vineyard, OF Germany and of
France"
No IRRIGATION NEEDED.
these remarks are especially pertinent
to the subject in hand, because in Capay
valley no artificial irrigation is necessary,
which is one Of the reasons for the dryness
and exquisite aroma of the wines produced
there. Every known variety of grape can
lie grown there in perfection without irri-
cation, this giving the most ample oppor-
tunity for blending without sending the
wines to some large city to be blended with
the products of other localities, during
which process they may be adulterated
The winemaker Of Capay valley viii be
able TO send out wines, under his own
label, with the certainty that they have not
been tempered with, and can guarantee
their absolute purity. This will give them
a standing in the markets of the world,
and he will reap rich reward. 1t is be-
cause of this opportunity that certain
brands of French wines have acquired
reputation upon which the wine merchants
of the world will buy them almost with
ont examination of the goods.