The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-01-25

Chicago. New Orleans, San. Francisco and
many smaller places have their Italian
quarters. but those natives Of sunny Italy
who have chosen Indianapolis as their home
have never elected to gather together in a
certain locality OF the town. The Italian
fruit dealers are more clannish than those
OF their countrymen engaged in other oc-
Equations for the banana and orange
sellers are, for the most part, assembled
in the same quarter. but there are Italian
musicians and italian tradesmen scattered
all over Indianapolis. and the house or
Rosaseo is situated just where you would
least expect 10 find II. For Rosasco and
his family and his wine cellar are within
a stone throw of fashionable Morton
Place
a big frame structure in little lane just
of Sixteenth street, between Alabama and
New Jersey streets-that is the house Of
Angelo Rosasco, the wine-maker. II Is
residence, a winery and a barroom all in
one. There Is beer on draught in the bar
room. but the customer who drops into the
place for liquid refreshment win not drink
any OF 1t IL either Rosasco or his little wife
have anything to say on the subject When
the signor is away from home the signora
looks after the business. and IL there is one
thing that both the head of the house and
his better half hold in great contempt that
thing is beer. They are obliged to sell it,
for Indianapolis is a beer-drinklng town.
and barroom without beer in this city
would be like a railroad lunch counter
without pie.
PRAISES THE WINE.
"Ah, hut II you would drink that which
g. oil
with her own peculiar accent, which can
not be illustrated IN print. "then will you
drink OF the wine my husban' make 1t is
like the red wine Of Italy-it is pure and
II is true" And she will produce from
big ice chest a bottle OF red wine and
hold 1t up where the sunlight falls upon
It to show its crystalline clearness.
The wine that Rosasco makes is sold in
large quantities to his fellow-Italians Of
the city, although his own countrymen are
not his only patrons by any means. Ev-
cry autumn. with only his wife and chill
dren TO assist him. he sets to work to make
wine OF kind that is seldom found outside
OF Italy. He learned the art of wine max
ing in his native land and possesses an
expert knowledge Of the grape and the
various kinds of wines to be made from it,
4nefe are lnOSe III ftOSdSCO
who object to his presence there; they say
a winery IS not the proper thing for the
residence portion of an American city-all
Of which causes the signor and his sig
nora to wonder. The Italian is accustomed
TO wine drinking from infancy and makes
no more question Of it's moderate use than
the American does OF his tea or coffee.
Many OF Rosasco's customers have WON
.dered that the Italian can produce such
wine from the grapes to be secured in this
vicinity. for Indiana grapes are not always
adapted to good wine making. But Rosas-
co only smiles when questioned upon this
subject, and replies that cit is a secret"
he does not need 10 advertise his wine at
all, for he cannot possibly make enough
of IL to supply the wants of his own coun-
trymen who live In the city. He likes to
assume a wise air when inquisitive people
inquire as to the grapes he secures and
the methods he employees, and doubtless if
he were acquainted with his Omar Khay-
yam. as one of his calling surely should be-
he would answer in the words Of the Per-
sian poet:
"And much wine has play'd the inidel,
And robb' d me of my robe of honour-well,
I wonder often what the winners buy
One half so precious as the stuff they SELL