The morning call., 1894-08-10
WINE SYNDICATE.
Now Up Goes the Price of
Wine.
Henry Epstein's Plan to Bring About
New Era in the Wine Indus
try of California.

Something that looks very much like trust
has been formed among the wine-dealers.
This information was received at meeting
OF the wine-makers' committee at the rooms OF
the Vttculture Bureau yesterday.
Henry Epstein, president OF the Wine-dea-
ers' Association, presented an informal report
TO the effect that seven of the wine merchants
had signed articles of Incorporation, and that
they had sent them TO the Secretary Of State at
Sacramento.
Mr.. Epstein further stated to the commit e
that the new syndicate would soon be ready TO
treat with the wine-makers committee for the
options given them on the grape crop OF the
State.
The move is a hi ghy important one. in that
it affects over $50, OO0. 600 of invested capital
and over 5000 people therein interested.
The object of the new syndicate is to over
come the feeling of discomfort now existing be-
tween the growers and the dealers. 1t Will be
necessary, however, Tor the success of tie plan
10 have a great majority Of the growers inter
ested sufficiently 10 cooperate with the deal
eTs. With this enc IN view Mr.. Epstein. accom-
panied by member Of the wine-makerS COM
mittee, will 20 down into the State to secure
names.
It is asserted by the dealers and agreed to by
the growers that the wine Industry was about
on its last legs. and that something must be
done.
The dealers cut each other to such an extent
thai the grower cannot get anything out OF his
price down so low that they cannot pay what
the crop is worth.
The Eastern dealer complains that California
wine IS 100 cheap. and that the people in the
East won't buy because The quality has given
way TO the quantity. He. the Eastern dealer
Gays that he could sell great deal more wine
II The price were advanced little and the ad-
YancemenT was put into the quality.
All of these evils and their solutions were
the topic OF an interview with Mr. Epstein, the
father of the present plan, yesterday.
YES" said he, 81 am afraid that we are in a
rather bad tx as far as our wines and vine
yards are concerned.
''All through the State among all OF the grow
ers there is dissatisfacl ion, and Tell you they
are not TO be blamed either. IL a man is get
ting So or Sc ton for grapes when be should
| be getting So 50 or $40, why shouldn't he feel
a little YeXed?
The whole fault lies in the fact that there is
growers. Both dealers and growers should first
unite to improve the wine OF this State first,
then get the price at the right figure, then see
that IL is consumed. Only concerted action on
| the part of both dealers and growers can do
! this
What we ought to do is to see that every
quart of poor wine is carefully culled out of all
! cellars and distilled into brandy. Then we can
! keep the price up little higher and a differ
/ ence Of two or three cents on bottle OF wine
! to The consumer makes difference OF SO TO
/ 81 ton on grapes to the producer"
Other dealers were seen and the sentiment
4 prevailing seemed TO be very much the same as
! Mr.. Epsiein's, all being of the opinion that the
/ success of the new syndicate would insure a
new era in the wine industry OF California.