Sacramento daily record-union., 1889-10-02
California Wines Refeive the Best Re-
wards at the Exposition.


California Wines Receive the Best Re-
wards at the Exposition.
SAN Francisco, October fst-@Fthe dis
patches yesterday brought news that was
received with qualification by all Californi-
ans interested in the wine industry of this
State. 1t was the announcement of prizes
gained by exhibitors at the Paris Exhibit
ton, telling of the award of three gold
medals and of one grand prize for Califor-
mia products. There are many facts that
tend to make these awards of special in
terest and value to California viticulturists.
At the exposition held in Paris in 1873 at
time when the outlook for the California
wine industry was evidently more encour-
aging than at present an effort was made
to gain even silver medal for the Califor-
mia product, but the French judges would
scarcely recognize the California display.
Colonel George f. Hooper, OF the Sobre
Vista vineyard, Sonoma county. was then
the chief exhibitor, but his enterprise
proved of no apparent avail, although it is
possible that the opinion of California
wines created then and since was not with
out its value in securing the recent awards.
There were thirty-three exhibits of wines
and brandies sent to Paris from California,
and the rest of the United States sent
twenty more, making fifty-three exhibits
in all in this class So far as known, ac-
cording to the dispatches, the only high
awards, viz, grand prizes and gold medals,
were given to products from this State.
The lucky exhibitors were Charles A. Wet
more, President of the State Viticultural
omnlissioners, whose "Cresta Blanca"
vineyard is at Livermo-e; A. G. Cbauche
of the Mont Rouge vineyard, of Liver
more; G. Megliavecci. wine maker of
Napa, and the State Viticultural Commits
sion, which makes small amount of wine
each year for experimental purposes. The
grand prize went to Mr.. Wetmore and gold
medals TO the other three. Livermore
wine growers are so elated over the result
which gives grand prize and gold medal
to their district O general jubilation meet
ing is in prospect. The competition is
believed TO have been as fair as possible.
No one Was at Paris in behalf of the Cali
fornia wine interest, especially, and the
vintages were Judged by French experts,
who were compelled to judge the California
wines directly with the products of the
famous French vineyards. 1t is because of
this direct competition with the noted
Chateau 9quem sauternes, with the Bor-
deau wines and with French clarets of well
known brands, that the recognition i'm
piled in the awards are so satisfactory.
The exhibit sent by Mr.. Wetmore that
obtained the grand prize consisted of three
cases. One was of 'S6 sauterne, made
from the Semillou, Muscatel, Bordelaise
and Sauvignon Blanc, the blend that in
France goes to make up the Chateau
Yquem. Another case was of Medoc, the
Bordeaux type of wine, made of blending
of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc,
Verdot and Merlot. II is this blend that
produces the Chauteau Laitte and Chateau
MargauX brands. The third case was Bur-
eundy made of Trousseau grapes. Both
the Medoc and the Burgundy were of the
vintage OF '84. 1t was this same Medoc
that brought SIS case at the recent wine
auction
The display of Mr. Chauche, winning
gold medal, consisted of sauternes and
clarets, the latter from the Zinfandel and
sent clarets, chiefly of Zinfandel product.
He is not grower, but maker of wine in
Napa City.
The State Yiticultursl Commissions ex-
hibit was from its experimental cellar. 1t
consisted of thirty varieties of wines and
brandies. Two bottles of each sort were
sent. The lot comprised Zinfandel, Ma
taro, Carignan, Nondeuse, Petit Syrah,
Cabernet tblind), Burgundy, Petit Pinot,
Johannisoerg Reisling, Franken Reisling,
Sauvignon Vert, Sauterne from Column
bari, Semillon, Chauche Girls, Sauterne (of
Yquem yarieties), Burgundy from Munier
and Chablis), Frontignan, Port petit Pi-
mott. There were three samples of brandy.
One was Folle Blanche blend made at
the Commission headquarters The others
came from George West & Son, of Stock
ton, and from l. DeTurk, of Santa Rosa.
Many of the wines above named came
from cellars in different parts of the State
so that districts are recognized in the gen.
eral award. 1t has been the prsctice of the
Commission for some years to purchase
choice yintages from careful producers for
purposes of experiment and comparison.
The grand prize, it should be noted in
judging of this honor to California, is the
highest award given at the exposition
For the entire Exposition there was pro-
vided for distribution only 903 grand prizes
1t is understood that only five grand
prizes, of the thirty-six distributed among
various classes of products shown by
Americon exhibitors, went to individual
exhibitors. Naturally it is considered that
an award for wines from Jury of French
experts is greater honor than any award
for any other product could be. A num-
Der of kilograms of a congratulatory nature
have been received from Eastern friends at
viticultural headquarters in this city.
Among the American competitors against
California wine producers were companies
dealing in the wines of the Lake Erie
Islands; the Andaulsia vineyards of Florida
the Cast Wine Company of ST. Louis, max
ing Reisling specially; the New Urbana
Wine Company of Hsmmondsport, N. Y,
dealing in Port and Catawba, and the
Pleasant Valley Wine Company of Rheims,
n. Y, which makes Catawba and Della
ware wines its spscialties. 1t is reported
that the jury of experts were very severe
on American labels initiating French
products, and the Pleasant Valley Wine
Company came in for condemnation, be-
cause its labels said Rheims" until some
one explained that the Rheims" meant
was located in New York State and not in
France.
Los ANGELES.