The record-union., 1898-03-08
An Interview With One Of the Most
Prominent viticultuIiStS
Relative to The Recent Sale Of a Large
Quantity Of Wine.
Theodore Fige1 Acquitted by the
Jury on the Charge of Murder
ing His Former Employer, Isaac
Hoffman.

SAN FRANCISCO, March "A
widespread interest III the present con-
dition of the wine industry in Callfor-
mia has been developed through the
announcement by the Associated Press
of the sale of a large quantity OF Wliie
at eight cents per gallon.
In en- interview to-day with Chafles
A Wetmore. one of the most prominent
of the California Viticulturists, whose
reputation as an expert wine man IS
We'll known. and whose products nave
received the highest awards both IN
this country and in Europe, Mr.. Wet
more said:
The sale of 100000 gallons at from
eight to nine cents per gallon TO the
California Wine Association, syndi-
cate of wholesale dealers, was only
forced sale of property sold under eX-
ecution to a bank, and does not lndl-
cate that the market is permanently
broken This sale has been made use
of by brokers of wholesale wine specu-
lators to break the prices of large lots
of wines of the last vintage, some OF
which, by reason of the financial DIS
tresses of producers. have to be sold
before they are fit for consumption. A
union Of the country WinemakerS has
been formed to prevent any long con
tinued depression, and it is safe TO say
that not more than 10 per cent. of the
last vintage will be suffered to go off
at a sacrifice of cost of production.
Nearly all the choice wines of the
State are in country cellars and Will
not be sold until remunerative prices
are restored Efforts are now being
made 10 bring distant consumers and
dealers into direct communication with
country producers. who are also dis
tributors. and with city merchants who
deal in straight goods. The old style
OF mixing the products of all wine dis
tricts in San Francisco cellars and
cheapening compounds by utilizing in
such mixtures material which is only
fit for distilations will continue only
as long as the trade encourages rum
Gus competition in prices and consum-
ers fail to demand better grades, which
can always be supplied at fair prices
at fair rates if they insist upon being
supplied with better goods.
Quotations Of prices for large cellars
of new wines are misleading to he
public. if it is not understood that only
the cheap ST common wines are so quot
ed. and that before they offered for
distribution considerable additional eX-
penses of removal storage, treatment
and COOP erage must be incurred. Such
prices are available only to a few spec
ulators who have large storage facil-
ities, capital and expensive distributing
agencies Fine wines are never quoted
in bulk, but are subject to private ne
gctiations, according to quality, age ana
condition. The wine districts vary in
quality and style of products as they
do in Europe. and their distinctive
qualities Will not be generally known
until the trade is supplied directly from
the distributors in the districts which
have peculiar characteristics The best
illustration of the present confusion in
handling the new wines which can now
be bought is the present loading of a
ship with wines for Hamburg. The
agent who came here fer this purpose
is paying for new wines without coop
erage from II to 12lA cents per gallon,
while city spectators are refusing to
take them at eight cents.
The impression that there is an
overproGuction or unmanageable sup
ply is proved to the contrary by a
months hard work Of careful investi-
CATION. There is an actual deficit IN
wine supply. The annual consumption
of California wines is now about -
600. 900 gallons There is not more
than 100000 gallons of wines one
year old in the hands of the wholesale
dealers, and not more than 60D.OOO
gallons in the hands of the producers.
The last vintage was large one but
when ready for market ii viii have
been reduced by distillation of poor
material and evaporation so that it
win scarcely supply one years demand,
and the next vintage Will without :he
slightest doubt. be far short of the
necessary demand. II is reported that
some wholesale dealers are even al
ready shipping East the new wines
which are unwholesome rather than
to purchase the older wines at fair
prices. 1t is in the power Of consum-
ers to prevent this kind OF warfare for
cheap prices by demanding better
qualities and showing their Willingness
to pay fair prices"