338 l Hi: MONTHLY BULLETIN. 



THE FUTURE OF THE WINE GRAPE INDUSTRY. 



By E. M. Sheehan, Secretary State Board of Viticultural Commissioners, 

 Sacramento, Cal. 



My paper, dealing with the subject given me ; viz., ' ' The Future of the 

 Wine Grape Industry," is the individual opinion of the writer without 

 regard for his official connection with the State Boai-d of Viticulture 

 or his personal investment iu vineyard property or in the making of 

 wine. The conclusions are influenced as a matter of course by the 

 results of elections in recent years on the question of prohibition. 



Launching directly into the subject I would say that it is unfortunate 

 for the wine grape interests of California that the industry is linked, 

 not from choice, but, rather, by the influence of its enemies, with all 

 other elements of the liquor business, and it has had to stand or fall 

 under this alliance. To date it has been able to weather the load, and 

 taking its enforced position in the front of the battle line it has saved 

 itself and its weaker allies. By this statement I do not wish to infer 

 that other branches of the liquor traffic are not entitled to consideration, 

 but I do mean to make the positive statement that it is wrong to class 

 the vineyard interests with misconducted retail places and decree 

 that because one element is not managed properly, both should be 

 confiscated. 



Unfortunately for the wine grape interests, those demanding radical 

 prohibition have always been permitted to make the issue at elections 

 and have always classed the winery with the saloon. Then, selecting 

 the objectionable class of saloons as the object of attack (after having 

 placed the wineries in that class), the prohibitionists proceed to accuse 

 such saloons of hiding behind the grape industry for salvation. 



The issue has not been a fair one and it never will be until such time 

 as the wine grape interests propose their own alliances and proceed to 

 initiate constructive legislation looking toward placing the distribu- 

 tion of wines on a plane that may not excite adverse comment. Indeed, 

 the brewing interests might well join hands with the wine people in a 

 movement in this direction. Until this is done, I believe the wine grape 

 vineyards in California will be in constant jeopardy, and for action no 

 time is so good as the present. I mean by this to encourage the start 

 of an offensive campaign on the part of the wflne grape interests having 

 in view the enforcement of strict regulation and changes in the methods 

 of distributing wines and light alcoholic beverages that are really a 

 part of the daily diet of many of the nations of Europe. 



There is a much healthier tone to all three branches of viticulture in 

 the state at the present time than there was two years ago. At that 

 time the table grape growers were much depressed on account of poor 

 markets. The wine grape growers were also dissatisfied and the raisin 

 producers were the only ones able to report a stable market. 



Last year table and raisin grapes commanded remunerative figures, 

 while the wine grape producers were very much in a rut caused, 

 principally, by the imposition of an exorbitant Federal tax in the making 

 of wine. This year all three branches of the industry appear to be in 

 a flourishing condition. Growers of table grapes have netted excellent 

 returns. The raisin market is firm and promising and the growers 



