The San Francisco call., 1896-04-04
Mr., DEPEW ON
CALIFORNIA WINE.
He Says It Is to Evolve
the Great Californian
Fortune.
ADVICE ON CHAMPAGNE
Percentage of Alcohol Must Be
Reduced but the Fizz
Retained.
STILL WINES ALL RIGHT.
Was Rather Disappointed in China
town and Does Not Think
Well of the Chinaman.
STILL WINES ALL RIGHT.

1--WE are a nation of wine-drinkers-
champagne-drinkers. The Californian
wko makes light dry wine such as will
meet the prevailing and rapidly growing
demand will make the greatest Californian
fortune, a greater fortune than anv vet
made and limited only by the resources of
his vineyards"
So said Chauncey NJ. Depew last even
ing, only just returned from an inspection
of the wineries of Napa Valley. He was
standing under the blazing chandelier n
his room at the Palace dressed for dinner
full dress, shining silk hat, Immaculate.
The journey to-day up the Napa Val
ley has been very interesting one. l
have seen the vineyards and wineries of
France and l know that California has it
in her to stop the import trade in French
wines TO very marked degree.
The demand, " as | say, ''is for light
wines. The habit of temperance is grow
ing. / can remember the time when the
drunken man on the street was so fre-
quent as TO b e not noteworthy. Now
he is an unusual sight. To drink and
get tipsy at dinner was quite the fashion.
The man who would be guilty of such
a thing at this day would lose caste en-
tirely. We drink champagne as no other
nation does. Nor is it the special beverage
OF the rich. No fire brigade has reunion
without the opening of champagne. When
a baby is christened he is toasted in cham
pagne. No prodigal returns except to tell
the story OF his i'll fortunes over small bot
tie. Everybody drinks champagne, but
they insist upon it being light. Stipulat-
ing as TO the sparkle and tizz, yet the per-
centage ot alcohol must be low.
Now that is what's the matter with
California wine. There is too much alco-
hol in il. The soil IS so rich that it makes
sugar in the grapes and the sugar makes
alcohol. The earlier shipments of wine
were especially faulty in this regard.
NOW this man whom speak of, who is
to make the greatest California fortune,
will go little higher up on the hillsdes
than the vineyards of the present are to be
found; he will not cultivate so deeply, and
he will not be in such a hurry to get his
wine upon the market-he will give It
time. When he does this his name will,
after while, be known everywhere, and
only the capacity of his vineyards will
set TO the limit to his income. This is ex-
actly what believe. l have made study
of these things. l go about with my eyes
open, and l have been brought in touch
with more wihe-drinkers and wine-drink-
ing than most men. l am hail fellow we'll
met as we'll on the Bowery as in the up
town clubs. and l know something about
these things. 1t is not because a wine is
made IL France that it is called for, but be-
cause the French wines are what the Cali
fornIa wines might be made. The French
wines with their heavy duty cost S32
case and thereabouts. As good wines
can be set down in New Iork-with the
treatment l speak of-for $40 case, can be
sold for SIS case and manufacturer and
dealer make as much money as in hand
ling the French wines.
I'VE have champagne in the New York
market at that price, but everybody knows
what ii IS. 1t is made within the borders
OF the State out OF white wine and car
bonic acid gas. Claret and white wine are
made in California fully equal to that
brought from Germany and France. l ex-
pect TO be able to say the same of Cali
fornia champagne before many years and
witness the supplanting of the foreign
article by the home product"
And so saying Mr.. Depew took the
elevator and joined the others of his party
at dinner-the fact that they were waiting
having been announced.
The distinguished visitors, under the
ciceronage of Colonel c. F. Crocker went
up the Napa Valley as far as Calistoga YES
terday. They left the hotel shortly after
10 o'clock and in Colonel Crocker's car,
and accompanied also by A D. Wilder,
made the run first to Vallejo Junction.
There they boarded the steamer Amador
and were carried up the bay as far as Mare
Island. No landing was made, the time
being so limited, but the steamer ran on
up past all the historic ships in the har-
Dor. Returning TO South Vallejo
the journey by rail was re-
sumed and the more notable of the
vineyards and wineries of the beautiful
Napa Valley were visited. They stopped
at st. Helena, and in carriages rode to the
Greystone winery and distillery, the larg-
est in the State. Afterward they went to
Beringer Brothers winery and storage
tunnels.
Leaving the Beringers they drove to the
famous 1nglenook winery at Rutherford,
where their special train awaited them for
To-day there is long programme, to
begin with a 5oat-ride round the bay,
visiting all the points of special interest
the Union Iron Works, Fort Point, Sausa-
Tito, Alcatraz, Angel Island and the forts.
Later there will probably be visit to the
Cliff House, and in the evening the banquet
at the Union League Club. DR.. Depew
alone of the party will be the guest here,
as Mr.. Vanderbilt and the others had
previous engagements.
The banquet will be held in the Maple
room of the Palace Hotel The number of
plates had not been determined last
evening.
Colonel Stone, speaking of the arrange
ments, said: There will be few speeches.
The dinner is dated at s, to continue to
Il. That is not long enough for the 800
members of the club who can talk well
and who would each of them like to make
a speech. Mr.. Depew would not sit at
table after midnight Saturday. So the
speakers will be few"
Colonel Stone will be master of cere.
m onies and toast master. The guests will