WINES FOR ALL THE WORLD— ANDREA SBARBORO 



certain 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 excellence of generations, from which 

 come the most noted vintages of the earth, and which are in Europe found 

 in regions often far removed. Take, for instance, Sonoma County, a region 

 with which I am particularly familiar, and, therefore, may not inappropri- 

 ately mention with a view of illustrating California's remarkable diversity 

 as a wine-producing State. I know that others can give the same convinc- 

 ing testimony in regard to other parts of California. Among the undulating 

 hills of Sonoma County, a beautiful region strangely like Italy, may be seen 

 in vast orchards and reaching perfection, the Chianti of Florence, the Barolo 

 and Barbera of Piedmont, Italy; the Reisling and Deidesheimer of the Rhine? 

 the Sauterne, the Cabernet and the Burgundy grape of France, and the 

 grape which produces the delicious port, sherry and Madera type in Spain 

 and Portugal. 



These juicy grapes are turned into wines as delicious and with the same 

 bouquet and flavor as those made in Europe. 



The large scale on which wine is made in California is one of the rea- 

 sons for pure wine at a minimum of cost. Rows of hundreds of wine tanks 

 holding from twenty-five thousand to fifty thousand gallons each are not 

 uncommon in California. California boasts the largest wine cistern in the 

 world. This is the famous 500,000 gallon wine tank in Sonoma County. 

 It is built of solid masonry under a hill. After it was first emptied one hun- 

 dred couples of prominent citizens danced in its capacious interior to the 

 music of a military band. The remarkable celebration of a ball in a wine 

 tank was the most unique demonstration of the great scale on which wine- 

 making is now conducted in California. It is a fact attested bv all trav- 

 elers that in those countries where wine is drunk nationally and wine- 

 drinking prevails among the people there is little or no drunkenness. In 

 Paris, for instance, wine is the workman's liquid meat and bread. In the 

 humblest home in France, where the table is often devoid of a single dish 

 of nourishing food, a liter bottle of excellent red wine can be found. A 

 gentleman who recently returned from Europe commented on the fact that 

 he had seen hundreds of men, women and children sipping their wine and 

 eating their bread on benches in the public parks. "But I saw no one of 

 them intoxicated," he added. "In all the time in Paris I saw only one 

 drunken man, and he had been drinking absynth." 



The fact is that wine as used by those who habitually drink it at meals 

 is not an intoxicant. 



Before beginning to take wine customarily, one should have some 

 notion how to enjoy it. No wine should be used at breakfast, but might 

 well be had to accompany luncheon and the evening repast. At first, 

 persons unaccustomed to using wine should commence by mixing their 

 claret with water — half and half. The whole pleasure of the beverage is 

 destroyed if one empties one's goblet at a single swallow; instead, it should 

 be sipped. Later, if desirable, the water may be diminished and of claret 

 increased. It is always proper, however, especially for women and children, 

 to drink wine mixed with water. 



The pure sweet wines of California, such as port, sherry and angelica, 

 should be used in dainty glasses before and after the repast. Dry white 

 wine is generally used at the commencement of the meal, with oysters and 

 fish. The roasts and entrees are greatly aided when accompanied by claret 

 or burgundy. With the dessert, for one who can afford it, one glass of 

 sparkling muscat or other brands of Cailfornia champagne will be found 

 very pleasant and finish off the meal with delightful satisfaction. 



But at present the wine industry in California is not being exercised 

 to its full possibility. The cause is largely that we are not in the habit of 

 drinking wine with the meals. One reason why our wines are not generally 

 used at table by persons living in hotels or accustomed to dine at restaurants 



