The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-04-15
THE WINE MEN ORGANIZING.

The organization Of the vine-growers in
the Saratoga District OF the Santa Clara
Valley was a forced conclusion from the
predieament in which the vitieultural indus
try now finds itself No department in
France is better suited to the production of
fine wine than parts of California; the vine
yields an abundant crop, and the juice is
unsurpassed in ii .vor and strength. Yet
experience is proving that, small as are the
rewards of wheat-growing in this State,
thev are as a rule larger than those of the
landowner who sets out his fields in vines.
The viHe-grower must either sell his crop
MS raisins, or as table grapes, or as wine
grapes. In Fresno, the people are deyoting
their whole energy to the production of raj
sins; other vines are being torn up to make
room for 6utanas, Flame Tokays and other
grapes; and it is said that there is money in
the business. As the county yielded
nearly a million twenty pound boxes in
1890, that may be assumed TO be the case.
The industry would not have been so gen.
orally followed if it had not been profitable.
Where the grapes grown can be sold as
table grapes, there is clear profit in grow
ing them. Fine table grapes find a market
here at cents or cents pound, and Mus
catels grown in the san Joaquin Valley,
which are not easily distinguished from the
table grapes OF Malaga, command steady
market in tho East AT about $50 ton. There
is money in growing such fruit, especially
as it is non-periShable, if the grapes are
carefully packed and kept dry, they will last
several months.
But the proportion which table and raisin
grapes bear to the whole grape crop OF tine
State is small. The great bulk of the
grapes grown in California are wine grapes.
These may either be sold in bulk to wine
makers, or they may be converted into wine
at or near the vineyard. or the juice may be
distilled into brandy. At one time there
was quite an industry, in mail way
which was conducted mainly by Italians
and Portuguese; these latter went from
vineyard to vineyard picking up grapes at
about an average price of S15 a ton, and
making the juice into wine. The industry
has Iangushed, as the wine made was poor,
and when it did sell, which was not always
the case, it sold for low figures.
At the present time the wine-grape grower
must either sell his crop to one of the big
wineries, as is done in Napa and SOnoma,
or he must Iress his own grapes, build his
cellars. purchase watts and barrels and make
his own wine, as is done in Santa Clara and
Santa Cruz. The trouble is that the wine
ries viii not pay him enough for his grapes
to recoup him for his outlay in growing
them. 1t is doubtful if any grape requiring
care and attention can be grown at less
cost than SO a ton, and that is as much as
most OF the wineries will agree to pay.
AS to wine made on the vineyard, it is
now offered at 10 cents a gallon, as against
ID cents and 10 cents a couple Of years ago.
There are just six or seven buyers, all of
them dealers in wine in this city. They
have formed a sort Of wine trust and will
not bid against each other. The grower is
at their mercy. When they are accused of
establishing monopoly which is detri-
mental to the interest with which their own
prosperity Is linked, they reply that they
have tried for years to make money as mid
dlemen in wine and lave not succeeded, and
that really appears to be the case. They
have ground the vine-growerS to the earth,
but they seem to have made no money for
themselves.
The Santa Clara growers now propose to
emancipate the industry from the control Of
these m0nopolists by forming an asSocia-
ton TO handle their wine. The idea is good,
but its success will depend on its applica-
ton. To be Of any use, the association will
have to command capital enough to carry
the new wine while it ripens and when it
is ripe the association will have to employ
agents who can place it in Eastern markets.