The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1915-08-17
new RECORD I'M
PRODUCTION OE
GERMAN WINES

Berlin, Augu. 17-Uhle5s 3ltes lstea
summer and autumn bring sorne ex-
traordinarily unfavoraabIe weather
the year 1915 promises to be remark
able for the production Of German
wines. Not for 20 years. have the
prospects along the Rhine, MoselIs.
and saar been 50 glowing, and it looks
as If the st1915er'' will come to dis
pute honors with the famous s'1se Ser
the best vintage Germany has had IN
many a decade.
The 1911 vintage was much above
the average. but with this exception
the years since 1893 have been called
thin and acidulous. Wines Of the 18Th
vintage are naturally scarce and dear
SO it is high time in the. interests OF
/ both the wine growers and Wne low
ers. that another banner vintage
should come along.
The long drouth this year in Ger
many was particularly favorable for
the vineyardfsts The dryness and
high temperatures not only furtfered
the development OF the grapes but
also presented conditions highly .unfa--
vorable to the development Of the va
rious diseases and insect enemies OF
the vine. The latter circumstance
| were particularly fortunate this year
| in view of the reduced force OF labor
ers available for the care of the vine
yards.
At this writing the crop ts nearly a.
month further advanced than. ordi=
narily. Hence, when the grapes be-
come ripe and the police ofncially
close the vineyards, even against HEIR
owners, to prevent gathering before
the crop becomes '.edelreifs CiteralTs
jssnoble-ripe,'0 the Berries viii have q
much longer frost-free period than
usual in which to develop those qua1i-
ties necessary for high-grade wines
One result will be that the 1915 vim
tage will produce an unusually high
percentage of so-ca11ed 'nature
wines,' that is, wines to which no su-
gar needs be added.
Not only does the. quality promise
to be the best since 1898, but the duan-
tity will be equally SATISFACTORY For
the gath ering OF this bumper crop
there are fortunately. available thou
sands of war prisoners from the wine
districts of France, skilled help -ofEeF-5
/ ing complete substitute for the Ger
man laborers at the front.
The war has caused much less dis
turbance of conditions in the wine
| trade than might have been expected.
In the first few weeks the consumption
fell off greatly but Conditions rapidly
improved and many of the leading vine
dealers declare that they are doing al
large & business as in normal years.
In only one respect are conditions
changed While the wine drinkers ara
drinking as much wine as usual, they
! are drinking cheaper DTanGS- me re-
suit is that the so-ca11ed small wines
are growing scare. There Is still fair
amount of Bordeaux on hand, but thSl
cheaper Rhines and MoselIes are near
exhaustion, and the German red wines.
are practicallyNan gone. As resdIe,
the prices of these cheaper wines arSa
/ just now beginning to rise
/ OF the better grade wines, -howeveE5
| there is no lack and the prices HAYS
not been raised. This is particulanI5
| true of Bordeaux, Of which, aceording
/ to competent. authorities Germany
possesses an adequate supply FOR ab
ileast two years There are also larEsl
supplies of port on hand. Compares
/ lively little italian wine Is drunk fu
! Germany. It's lack this year viii ba
chiefly felt in Austria and in certain
districts of Southern Germany, which7
! ordinarily imported considerable quans
| titles of italian cIarets for mixing With-
i domestic wines In view. however,
! of the promised big domestic yield. this
/ want of these imported wines Will not
! be seriously felt as would be TIE casa
In an average year.