The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-12-06
WIN A PLACE IN GERMANY.
CALIFORNIA WINES TO DE ExTEN
sTvELY IMPORTED.
Southern Vineya rsis-Supertortty
at American Product Recognised
In Europe-Cheap Liquor Wanted.

The seIHctigeness Of California wines
haa az last won them a place among the
inhabitants Of Germany. and the demand.
which was created during their forced M
portatson while the Spanish-American war
maA or, has developed permanent appe-
lite.
Probably the first wholesale importers q
wine wh0 have made a business visit 10
the United States from Germany In sew
erai years afe Paul and Wilhelm Lehment,
who have come from k!el and are on Their
say 20 California. They are In the United
States for the principal purpose Of ascer-
tain!ng by personal observation the quality.
quantity ana price Of the liquors OF the
Golden state. with the view Of putting
them on the German market 70 a greater
extent than has yet been done.
Pau Lehment said a. the Rainier-Grand
hotel yesterday thar the main question as
70 the successful importation OF California
wines into Germany was their cost. The
German people used cheap liquors. and
were partial To- wines that cost them no
more than Is cents bottle in United
States money. If the American product
could be imported and probably used al
that figure there was no question that il
would at once take a leading place and
largely supersede the use Of wines OF other
countries.
Spanish wine has always been favor.te
Hlth the Teutons. but the war practically
way concerned. and those jovial. drinking
people were forced To go 20 France and
the United States for their drinking bever-
age. They were not previously familiar
with what Caiifornsans were doing In that
lire, and the quality at once appealed to
their fasidious tastes; An earnest inquiry
was begun. and now the Lehments are mere
investigating
Under the present German tariff law
duty of 70 marks or Sass. Is levied on
every twenty k i0grasnnes or forty-four
pouffis, Of the cheaper American and
Erencn wines Imported, and "a marks or
S.2, on an equal quantity of the Spanish
product. IT is not believed that this law
NIL he changed. az, In the opinion Of Mr.
i.etnent, 1t Is giving general satisfaction.
our journey Ia the United States" said
mo importer This is our first visit 20
your country. and have been only TO
New York and from there across the con-
UHent 10 Seattle. We 10 from here 10
San Francisco. and later TO Mexico and
back 10 New York after vis ting Southern
aIll Eastern cities. and home.
W nile in California we intend 10 look
into the wine~ineking Industry thoroughly.
81 course, we know in a general way the
quality or tneir Liquors, bat there l. moth
Ing me personal observation when one Is
conducting an Investigation with a view to
wholesale importation. | do not think
the people Of cur country know much
about California wine. for il has been used
among them too short n time. ana has not
Reisllng and Sauterue varieties that have
been imported. but | do not think we have
mad the best Of those.
the main question with Us. now that a
demand Is opening, s the cos. and II We
can have California goods laid down n,
Germany they VIII retail al Il cents a
bottle there u 70 reason 10 believe that
cur mission VIII not be a Success