Los Angeles herald., 1905-09-03
Many Thousands
of Acres i'm
Grapes

The wine industry of California is an
enterprise that is fostered AND encour-
aged by federal laws, granting tax eX-
emption to a certain extent in the
finished product of the vineyards. This
exemption has resulted in greatly in
creasing the number of acres under cul-
tivation and has given to the world
some of the finest wines to be had in
any market of the world.
In 1904 10,14S carloads Of wine and
brandy were shipped out Of the state
of which 667 carloads were sent from
Southern California WINERIES.
The sweet wine product is enormous
and Of the best quality. Producers
strive every year to increase the local
consumption, and consequently there Is
a noticeable increase in the demand In
the public places and in the homes Of
the people.
California Leads the World
Recently Andrew Sbarboro prepared
a paper on California Wines for All
u.
MANY are the productions in which
California excels. Its oranges and
lemons find favor throughout the
United States and other countries. Its
fruits Of diverse quantities are furnish
ed fresh, dried or in cans, to consumers
all over the world. In fact, California
seems to grow some of the products of
every land, and oftentimes in great
abundance. Among all the states of
the union, the grape, both for raisin
and wine purposes, is produced only in
California to the same perfection as in
France, Italy and Spain.
Already California is not only sup
plying the people Of the United States
with its delicious wine, but the peo-
pie of England, Germany, Switzerland,
Belgium, and the inhabitants of China,
Japan and the orient are purchasing
California wines, for which they pay
higher prices and which they prefer to
the wines OF Europe.
Climate Is Favorable
Nothing cheaper can be used in
making wine in California than the
pure Juice of the grape. Though in
ferior goods are dear at any price, yet
the statement is literally true, for the
grape in California yields a larger
tonnage per acre, and on account of
California's favorable climate and the
modern appliances used, it can be
turned into wine at minimum cost
Whilst the wines of Europe are gener-
ally made in small wineries and KEPT
in diminutive casks, California con-
tains the largest wineries in the wide
world and the wines are here stored in
cooperage of immense size.
while in Europe the special varie-
ties of grapes are only produced in GER
tain localities, it is surprising that in
many parts of California there may be
seen growing to perfection in rows
miles and miles in length and side by
side, the most diversified assortment
of many of the finest varieties of the
old world grapes-grapes of the excel
lence of generations. from which comes
most of the noted vintages of the earth
and which are in Europe found in re-
gions often far removed. The
Juicy grapes are turned into wines as
delicious and with the same bouquet
and flavor as those made in Europe.
Produced on Large Scale
"The large scale on which wine is
made in California is one of the reasons
for pure wine at a minimum cost
Rows Of hundreds of wine tanks hold
ing from $4,000 to $4,000 gallons each
are not uncommon in California. Cali
fornia boasts the largest wine cistern
in the world. This is the famous 500,00C
gallon wine tank in Sonoma county.
1t is built of solid masonry under a
hill. After it was first emptied one
hundred couples of prominent citizens
danced in it's capacious interior to the
music of military band. The remark
able celebration of a ball in a wine
tank was the most unique demonstra-
tion of the great scale on which wine
making Is HOW COHuuCleQ III Cdll'
fornia-
"The state has the climate, soil and
facilities for producing just as much
wine and of as good quality as that
produced in France, and when the de-
mand will warrant it California will
produce one billion gallons of wine
from which it will derive three hundred
million dollars per annum, the amount
that product now gives to France.
Increase in Acreage
at is stated that in the last five
years the number of acres in California
devoted to the sweet wine industry has
been increased by upward of 10000
acres. In 1901, according to the returns
Of the county assessors, there were in
California of bearing vines POP, 900 acres
and of non-bearing vines $4,000 acres, g
total of 231, 900 acres. This has beer
largely increased by heavy planting ir
the succeeding years so that the bear
ing acreage of 1906 and 1906 will reach
it is claimed, 250,0O0 acres A large
part of this area is devoted to the cul'