The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1952-07-19

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NEW YORK 0-Amexicans are
drinking about one fourth more
wine this year than last - thanks
in part 70 the tax collector who
makes hard liquor . expensive.
But while he Americas consum-
e il icing kind - de wine pres
sers, the weatherman has been
too kind 70 the eanfornza grape
growers ID recent years. Wine
shipments mound steadily, but 20
10 The inventories.
And 50 prices d bulk table wines
shipped BY tank % bottsers are
now down TO about Z third u what
they were \ year ago. American
vineyards have produced record
crops. and The big supply d wine
has weakened prices.
California, which sells about IS
per cent Of the wine consumed in
tho Un1ted States. has wine in
ventories running 50 per cent
above ! year ago, and ID excess
AZ the annual rate d sales 50 IL
though it, shipments % far this
year have run about = per cent
higher than last year.
France il having The same
trouble with high inventories but
It's trouble comes from different
circumstances: The French people
ere drinking less wine than for
merly, partly because prices over
there have risen.
! All m this refers 70 common
table wine The story Of high-qual-
ity wine Is different. The french
are having no trouble sailing that.
Most 81 it goes for export.
Many brands Of champagne are
practically unobtainable ID France.
according 70 Alfred Fromm, pres
ident of Paul Masson Vineyards,
Saratoga, CALI, who i just back
from there.
This Ii because II the French
concentration on export markets,
says another American wine mer-
chant just back from Europe -
Richard Z. Blum IT.. president Of
Julius Vile Sons 3 Co, American
wine importers. He thinks thGrell
be plenty Of the French quality
wines for the American market,
and that prices win hold fairly
steady.
Fromm says that America u
now competing in the world wine
markets. California quality wines
are going TO Brazil and other South
American countries, and 70 japan
and tie Philippine Islands. His
company also has small order
from Egypt.
And Fromm says he hopes y
Ut up afeneies a EnrIand and
Germany "a sell California wine
there. "as soon Is their curbs on
dollar spending make It possible.
As Of now. Europe frowns on its
nationals spending scarce Aimeri-
can dollars on wine.
Americans who first got their
vines from Europe - are export
Ing grape vines to Europe now,
Fromm says. He explains that the
American plants are nee 81 di-
seases plaguing ne European
grape grower, who srafts various
craps vine types on the healthy
California roots.
NEW YORK M-Proiits are
trailing II per cent behind last
year II first returns prove 10
Be typical.
Strikes. higher taxes. rising costs
81 doing business. and lie tight
clutch that customers are keeping
Uu SneN purse Slf1nE9 - Ill are
slowing down The prOlit train for
many corporations.
The first - companies 10 report
On their earnings fcr he first six
months are only ia Indication. IL
course - ! mars trickle preceding
the hundreds u earnings state
ments that viii food ID hefore
July ii over.
But only i've d these % show
higher profits This year than il
ths like SIX months IL 1851. And
= are down. None, however. was
hsing money. And ncne shows de.
eiines that we're unexpected.
he toll II TIE steel strike i
reflected IN The nrst reports nom
that Industry. None IL ths biz steel
producers has reported YET. hut
hvs companies that produce iron
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