Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-08-22
1915 GERMAN WINE CROP
MAY EQUAL FAMOUS 1888
Everything Points to Bumper Grape
Yield of the Finest Quality
and Flavor.


BERLIN. August 5.-Unless the late
summer and autumn bring some ex-
traordinari1y unfavorable weather, the
year 1915 promises to be remarkable
for the production of German wines.
Not for twenty years have the pros
poets along the Rhine, Moselle and Saar
been so glowing, and it looks as if the
"1915er'' will come to dispute honors
with the famous "1S93er." the best vim
tage Germany has had in many a dec
ade.
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 1911 vim
tage are naturally scarce and dear. so
1t is high time in the interests of both
the wine growers and wine lovers that
another banner vintage should come
along.
The long drought this year in Ger
many was particularly favorable for
the vineyardists. The dryness and high
Temperatures not only furthered the
development of the grapes, but also
presented conditions highly unfavorable
to the development of the various dis
eases and insect enemies of the vine.
The latter circumstances were particu-
larly fortunate this year in view of the
reduced force of laborers available for
the care of the vineyards.
At this writing the crop is nearly
month further advanced than ordina-
rily Hence, when the grapes become
ripe and the police officially close the
vineyards, even against their owners
to prevent. gathering before the crop
ripe") the berries will have much
longer frost-free period than usual in
which to develop those qualities neces-
sary for high grade wines. One result
will be that the 1915 vintage will pro-
duce an unusually high percentage of
so-called nature wines" that is, wines
to which no sugar need be added
To Use War Prisoners.
Not only does the quality promise to
he the best since 1898. but the quantity
will be equally satisfactory. For the
gathering of this bumper crop there
are, fortunately. available thousands of
war prisoners from the wine districts
of France. skilled help. offering COM
pIete substitute for the German labor
ers 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 weeks the consumption fell off
greatly, but conditions rapidly i'm
proved. and many of the leading wine
dealers declare that they are doing as
large a business as in normal years.
In only one respect are conditions
changed While the wine drinkers are
drinking as much wine as usual, they
are drinking cheaper brands. The re-
suit is that the so-called small wines"
are growing scarce. There is still fair
amount of Bordeaux on hand, but the
cheaper Rhines and Moselles are near
exhaustion, and the German red wines
are practically all gone. AS result,
the prices of these cheaper wines are
just now beginning to rise.
OF the better grade wines. however,
there is no lack, and the prices have
not been raised. This Is particularly
true of Bordeaux, of which, accordin g
to competent authorities, Germany pos
sesses an adequate supply for at least
two years. There are also large sup
plies of port on hand. Comparatively
little Italian wine is drunk in Germany.
It's lack this year will be chiefly Helt
in Austria and in certain districts of
southern Germany, which ordinarily
imported considerable quantities of
Italian clarets for mixing with domes-
tic wines. In view, however, of the
promised big domestic yield, the want
of these imported wines will not be so
seriously felt as would be the case in
an average year.