The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-06-05
W|HE-GROWERS SANGU|NE
Prospects Made Bright by In
crease of Demand and
Price.
ductive of Good, Says Mr..
EggerS.

According to Herman Eggers, the
Fresno yiticulturist, California wines are
just now having quite boom. He ac-
credits the exertions OF the wine producers
of the State with the result, as having
been in the right direction. He explained
how yesterday.
1.-THE increased demand and conse-
quently increased value of our wines"
said he, "have followed logically. Then,
too, we are sending our wines to districts
that never asked for them before. Orders
from the old centers are so much larger
that the output each month for some time
past has been over a third more than for
the corresponding months of last year.
"Then you do not think Editor Dana s
structures on California wines were hurt
full ?" was asked.
"On the contrary, Mr.. Eggers responded.
directly called attention to the fact that
California produces some glorious wines.
[ have no doubt that Mr.. Dana had i'm
bibed some that were bad, but his criti-
cisms aroused the winemakerS to the
necessity of showing that such were not
representative products.
at is true that some inferior wines are
disposed of in the East-mostly the prod
ucts of small vineyards whose proprietors
do not yet know how to make good wine.
These growers, finding the market here
closed to them, send them away whenever
they can secure buyers.
cit is also true that as high as Is and 16
cents gallon is realized for inferior wines
there which is about what dry wines could
easily command in the cellar here. 1t
practically means that the net price there
is from to cents, because the freight is
from to III cents, and the cooperage costs
about AZ cents more. The cheapest sal
able wine here brings Is cents gallon
clear at home.
"The present good prices are due largely
to shortage of last years crop. There
are many things that have assisted, how
ever. The growers are better organized
and are branching out so as to supply
the trade that formerly purchased
from the wholesale merchants who
owned no vines. Poor wines are being
sent to the distillery instead of being put
on the market to pull down prices. The
| growers are no longer cutting each others
| Threats financially by trying to underbid.
They have found that if they hold for a
reasonable figure they can get it now they
| have combined.
'But the best reason of all, perhaps, is
that we have ripper wines on hand and
make better wines every year. Experience
has taught most of the vineyardists many
valuable, though costly, lessons.
Everything is promising for the coming
year. The weather SO far has given the
growers of Fresno reason to expect heavy
crop of grapes"
Mr.. Eggers elaborated upon the many
advantages OF Fresno, particularly in the
matter of climate. ''There is a phenom
email proportion of saccharine matter" he
! continued, Gin the Fresno grapes. In the
muscats, for instance, there has to be 9;
per cent before they are considered ripe
enough to pick. Sometimes 80 and ever
course, wine produced from such woulc
contain maximum of strength and alco
hol-producing qualities.
''As to bouquet I think it would be hare
to find anything superior to our finest mus
cats and tokays. Our sherries and an
gelicas are also of splendid quality. None
OF these wines are the kinds which Edito
Dana criticized"