Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-11-02
JOTTINGs ON WINE.

Two years ago the wine-trade papers OF
New York and other cities published an ar
ticle. of which the following is an excerpt:
1.-THE position enjoyed by the wholesale
liquor firm of Christian Xander in Wash
ington ID. c.. in the public estimation is
All enviable one. and the name of Chris
Xander has, by thirty-fve years of honest
and fair dealing, come TO be regarded as
synonymous with deserved confidence. 1T
may not be known generally that seventeen
years ago Chris Xander became the mi
tiator of the industry of sweet wine of the
character of Port from the Norton. Va,
grape. This wine was first made tand is
continued to be made) in the winery in the
rear Of Handlers warehouse
The name of the wine after maturing,
during at least five years keeping, is
Chris. Handlers Pride OF Va. Port. AS
such the Paris 1900 Exposition jury ac-
knOwledged its merits by the award of
medal.
The Norton seeding grown in iron oxide
soil in Virginia is exclusively the grape
utilized for his Port by Mr. Xander. None
grown in other soils and no other Ameri-
can variety are adapted TO producing such
wine. No European vinifera is as rich in
soluble iron our Norton. Oporto eN-
pOrters who tasted the Pride of Va. Port
confess that none as fruity and dilutaby
yinous could be produced in Portugal OF
juicy grapes in that country, in Spain and
California 13Ia pounds make one gallon of
port. For Pride of Va Port 80 pounds of
the small berried Norton which is scant in
Juice, are required for each gallon. But
this wine, the very essence of that pre-
cious grape, is endowed with three times
more fruit elements
There are six vintages in Chris. Nander'S
stock. That of 1895 is now on sale. De-
mand for the wine is spontaneous and con-
stantly growing, not only in this city, but
from many states Sooner than now an
tcipated. the 80 vintage may have to give
place to the SO crop
To provide for the future 1t was re-
quisite to press this season threefold the
ordinary quantity of Norton grapes. AS
these have to be of the choicest quality
considerable difficulty was experienced to
procure a sufficiency of them from the best
cultivated Virginia vineyards The quality
of Chris. Handlers 1901 output of port re-
suits of unprecedented beauty.
To have wine at hand for the family,
that remains wine even after saturating 1t
on drinking with 80 to I5 per cent of water
addition, is surely boom To the founder
of the industry of such wine it must af
ford true qualification to see his efforts and
the application of his experience crowned
with success. Many an expression of
telling him how his Pride of Va. Port has
diffused fresh blood into their veins. given
them rosy cheeks and restored strength to
their rundown constitution. Many ply
sician tells him that that wine is the stand
by for reaching that result. And it is in
tereSting to know that young Mr.. Henry
Xander, who in few years has mastered
all the details of his fathers vast business,
has also been practically initiated into the
art of making and caring for the develop
ment of the Pride of Va. Port. and thus the
continuance of this wine is guaranteed, let
us hope, for many years
POINnORFE