New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-11-30

by season, the work progressed each showing dis
tinct Improvement until the vast stretch of vine
yards lining the beautiful hinsides along old Lake
Keuka are burdened every fail with the richest
fruitage Of the worlds vines. No grapes grown
are now superior for wtnemaking-no one who
knows pretends otherwise
The first American champagne that was put on
. the market Enthusiastically bad-that is bad
n as compared with the excellent brands imported
from France. It was foxy: il was sold greatly
under and II was, in a sense experimental
Then, too. in other fields Of opportunity the
fakir made an early appearance, and by carbonat-
ing cheap still wine and selling II for champagne
added disrepute 10 the industry that distinct
" unfair TO the legitimate winemaker. Gradually
the capacity Of the wine cellars was largely IN
creased. the most experienced winemakers were
brought here from the French district processes
were brought up TO date. the faklr disposed Of
by an exposure that should have resulted in law
prohibit his traffic the champagne began to &C
cumulate the cellars acquire ge and the indus
try assumed bright. fairly prosperous and very
promising outlook II is commended after a careful
and most exacting investigation, that the wine
growers CT the champagne district of the United
States produce pure and true wine the
best vintage Of the renowned wine growers Of
Franco. Il is insisted, further. that downright
fact large majority Of American wine drinkers
who still adhere to the imported champagne, il
they viii only be fair enough themselves and
their native products 10 give the best brands of
American champagnes a reasonable trial will here
after prefer the latter
Has it ever occurred to any to compare the
champagne districts Of America and France? Both
subject 10 precisely the climatic condi-
tions; both physically similar. The
valuable French grape districts in the
easements of Epernay and Rheims in the De-
partment Of Marine. Province Of Champagne,
IN which the wine trade is principally
tired The greater part of the districts consists OF
Cndulating plains. broken here and there by clus-
of gently swelling hills. The eastern portion has
the greatest elevation. and the whole surface has
general slope to the west Just the similarity.
The most valuable American grape district is in
the counties Of Steuben and Yates, in the State of
New-York, in which wine trade is very largely
centred The greater part of the county consists
OF undUlating plains, with and then a ridge
OF graceful hills broken by fertile valleys In the
French district Epernay and Rheims are seques-
tered at the extremity Of the beautiful valley lined
with handsome villas. inhabited chiefly by the
rich wine growers. In the American district Ham
mondspoTt and Rheims nestle at the extremity of
the valley lined with the handsome villas of the
are the American wineries those in the French
district 50 splendid are the villas For that
comparison wait few years longer;
but given the same fair show and considerable
treatment that are accorded the other of
greater industries one may look to see the beauzi
Rheims 10 Penn Yam and Branchport dotted with
the palatial homes of the American champagne
accommodate 100000 to 2O.6D0000 bottles.
THE VINEYARDS.
The growing of grapes the slopes of Lake
heuka began in le41. when William Hastings
citizen OF HammondspOrt. raised some sabellas
on a small terrace garden overlooking the lake
and sent about nifty pounds to NeW-York civ
HIS success induced of his neghbors 10
plant a few vines, but the growing of grapes did
not reach any great amount tin 1857 when the
hrst naturally rpened grapes were offered in the
markets. Mr. J. Prentice. of Pultney scored
The FIRST success and 50 encoura ged other growers
the lake that in 1850 there were planted and
producing two hundred acres of Ayinevard
About this time interest In winemaking heean
10 develop The oldest wine cellar In the district
built in that year. and a number Of nersone
engaged in the business in a small Uav The
increase in the vineyards and in Crane cult,tre
from 1866 TO 1890 very considerable The cen,
bulletin OF riticulture. issued in 1850 shows
that there then 1850 acres of vinevards ia
the Lake Keuka district The average Weld he
ing about two tons of grapes 20 the acre the
product averaged at that time 5000 tons a saa
son. OF this quantity about two-thirds was sent
n winemaking- Nearly twelve hundred acres
now approximately 5000 Of land on Lake
Aeuka are devoted 10 the culture of grapes Yet
THIS Ia merely good beginning; the wnemak-
ing INDUSTRY grows, IL surely will and very
rapidly, the vineyards will immensely increase
az 70 varieties OF grapes, fixed rule has been
IoIoweo- Those that would thrive best and pro
once the best fruit have been utilized and almost
every known kind can be found The Isabella was
tne nrst 10 be cultivated. and IS still popular
variety put Delawares. concords and catawbas