The morning call., 1893-10-13
WINES AND VINES.
Results of Commissioner
Cos Trip.
The French Expert Gives His I'm
pressions After Spending Three
Days in the Vineyards.

Commissioner Francois Cos, who is in
specting the California vineyards in the
interest of the French Government and
preparing report to be made when he re-
turns to Europe. has met with some sur
prises in the last few days.
He has been down in the "bay district I"
since Monday. travelling with Arthur P.
Hayne of the Vticultural Department at
Berkeley. and they were in the city for an
hour last night, on their way to the vine
yards farther north.
Tuesday we spent at Menlo Park and
in that vicinity" said Mr.. Cos, land
made very thorough examination of the
vines in the various plats at the university
and in the neighboring vineyards, and 1
also went through John T. Doyle's cellar.
and | can only say to you that / am
amazed, and the wonder which was excited
in me by what l saw the first day has only
be en- increased at the things / have since
seen and learned.
THE people OF France and of Europe
have not the slightest conception of the
magnitude of the wins industry in Cali
fornia nor of the rapid progress you have
made in the quality OF your wines. Such
methods as you have developed here |
never saw before. and while your wines
have not yet all the characte ristics of
grand viD,' yet you have accomplished SO
much in that direction that l am positive
you will soon be making as fine wines as
the world can boast"
Mr.. Cos, in addition to being the head of
the vitlcuitural college at Autibes, France.
is recogn Zed as one of the first men of
Europe in this line of study. and there is
probably but one other man on the COuti-
IN ~ ind IN w of ttarc 10
taken as quickly as Cos. The Commits
sioner looks at everything from scientific
standpoint, and his opinions are all on
that basis.
Next we visited Cupertino and San
Jose, continued Mr.. Cos. ''At the latter
place l went through Paul Masson's cham
pagne factory, and observed the processes
there very carefully. We paid trip to El
Quito farm and saw the Goodrich olive
orchard and his oil mill, and found that
they had adopted the right methods for
the manufacture of the finest qualities of
oil.
Next we came to Los Gatos. and then to
Mission San Jose, and let me say that /
am wonderfully impressed with the way |
find the orchards kept. Your 0rganlZa-
slon of the work seems well nigh perfect.
Your methods of cultivation and manage
meDt Of the wineries are in advance of
anything have ever seen. and we think
we know great deal about winemaking
in France.
prises me, too. OF course that is part of
my business. to study the products as well
as the vines, and the samples that have
tasted indicate that We Europeans have not
given you credit for what you could do.
Now, to-day we visited among other
places Gallagos' winery, where 160 tons
are being pressed daily. and l could only
ms nc 10 IN mn
pected to find viticulture in California con-
Quoted with so much method, nor on such
scale. AS l say, the wines that have
tasted, while they give evidence OF having
been made with care. have not all the quail
ties for grand Win, but this is probably
due to difficulty in adapting California
climate and conditions to European
methods. But. from the spirit manifested,
i have no doubt but that you will soon be
able to produce what is known in Europe
as grand vim
"Our methods are the results of Gen.
turies of experience. while your success
Is that of few years only. Your prog
ress has been remarkable.
One of the affects of my visit was 10
see If you have really the same vines here
that we have in France. | am making
very careful study OF the leaves and every
part OF the vine, ana must say that ain
more than pleased with what l have
found. and when my examination is COM
pleted, l shall be able to tell the people OF
France some startling news"
When Mr.. Cos returns to Europe. he ex-
poets to publish the results of his investi-
cation in bookform. and also in all the
viticulturaI journals of the Continent. By
this means European consumers will
learn of our wines through man whose
reputation is we'll known, and whose opin-
ions will be taken without question.
The commissioner passed last night with
Professor Hilgard at Berkeley, and goes
this morning to Napa and Son0ma valleys.