The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-12-25

In this State we have had our expert
mental period and our foods of Wine of a
doubtful character, but we have attained
comparative excellence in an incredibly
short time.
In all cases it is the art that precedes the
science. In the case of vitjculture this has
proved TO be true. During the infancy Of
the industry it was tn hammer-and-
tongs, go-as-you-please rule that pre-
vailed. There was a demand for wine,
and wine was made regardless OF quality
in many cases by people who had not the
slightest elementary knowledge. So long
as it was quantity regardless of quality
that was wanted all went well; but from
one cause or another quality took a more
important place, and quantity gradually
was forced into position somewhat near
its proper one. Ii is to be noted with re-
greet that even now there is not sufficient
premium offered for quality. This is
one OF the greatest drawbacks that the
wine industry has to contend with. The
growing demand for better wine caused
science to be invoked. At first science,
sneeringly called book-learning by the
self-styled practical men" could do but
little, SO firmly had irrational practices
fixed themselves in the minds OF the peo-
pie.
The few intelligent winem akers who first
realized the Importance of improving
made such progress by the application Of
scientific methods that slowly the mass of
the plodders began to fall into line.
| There was hard struggle between the So
called practical men" who had made
wine in the good old go-as-you-please way
and those who advocated reform. Indeed,
there is still large number of the old
timers who insist that what was good
enough twenty-five years ago is good
enough to-day. Their voices are from
time to time heard in the land lamenting
the ignorance of buyers who will not have
their wines. / suppose that it will take
another quarter of century to rid the
State of this class. They are certainly
doomed to be forced out of business, for so
long as good, sound wine is to be had buy
ers will not give them prices that will en-
able them to exist. 1t is the old story of
the survival of the fittest over again.
To illustrate the progress made in wine
making let me call attention to the subject
of fermentation. This was at first sup
posed to be mysterious, spontaneous, I'M
controllable process-a sort of providential
affair that could be regulated in no way
whatever. Ideas on the subject were of
the crudest sort. Disregarding the prac-
tices of the brewers, who had been con-
trolling, with more or less success. the
fermentation Of beers for centuries, the
winemakers trusted to luck, and were not
always lucky. To-day they know that
fermentation is due to microscopic yeast
plants, functioning according to general
laws governing plant growth; that as we
can control the growth and development
or modification of plants, Just so can we
regulate that of yeast. These yeasts have
been studied and classified. There are
probably as many varieties OF microscopic
yeasts as there arc varieties of vines, if not
more. Each has its special characteristics,
and produces results that differ from those
OF other varieties as radically as the grape
of Zinfandel differs from that OF a Muscat.
Science has taught the winemaker to Sc.
Iect the best varieties of these yeasts and
give them the conditions most suited for
their maximum development and func-
tioning. With the rational use of selected
ferments the Algerians have improved the
quality Of their wines from 5 to so per cent,
as shown by the prices obtained on the
market. In California this has been al
ready recognized by some OF the most pro-
gressive, who have obtained through the
Agricultural Experiment Station of the
University of California various of the best
selections made abroad. The reports thus
received from those who have tried them
are most encouraging.
Temperature, in the good old days Of