RED WINE GRAPES 29 



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being satisfactory, but it may do better on some hardy Vinifera- 

 American hybrid. 



Riesling Johannisberg. This is rather a shy bearer, and easily 

 fiosted in the spring. On a poor gravelly soil in the Santa Cruz 

 mountains it bears fairly well and makes a wine of fine quality. 

 This as well as any other Vinifera variety will undoubtedly do much 

 better on some hardy resistant than on Riparia or Rupestris or even 

 its own roots. 



Sylvaner or Franken Riesling. This is an immense bearer in 

 this locality, if pruned with long horizontal canes, but should be 

 planted only on dry gravelly soils, as its grapes are much subject 

 to rot. Its wine by itself is not best quality, but a good wine can 

 be made of it, by blending in the fermenting tank with the Johannis- 

 berg Riseling or Sauvignon blanc and in some places even with the 

 Red Veltliner. It starts growth late in the spring and is seldom 

 hurt by frost. 



Pinot Chardonay, from which the celebrated Chablis wines are 

 made in France. There are only a few vines of this variety planted 

 here, but which give promise of its value as a good bearer. 



Sauvignon vert. This is similar to the Franken Riseling, an 

 immense bearer, and its fruitfulness is not impaired by frost, as it 

 bears on canes from adventitious shoots, if its first growth is cut 

 down. It should also be planted on dry gravelly soils only, as on 

 rich ground it has not sufficient sugar and makes then a thin in- 

 sipid wine. For some more interior places, like Napa county, a 

 greater value is claimed for it. It does well on resistants. 



Green Hungarian. On dry gravelly soils with warm exposure 

 this makes a good, light, neutral wine, but does not ripen early 

 enough to be adapted to many coast locations. Different from the 

 other varieties mentioned, it can be stool-pruned and somewhat 

 short. It bears heavily. 



Red Wine Grapes. 



Petite Sirah. This and the Serine resemble one another some- 

 what, but have undoubtedly originated from two different seed- 

 lings, as the difference between the two varieties is too great to be 

 explainable any other way. The leaf of the Petite Sirah is somewhat 

 more deeply lobed and of a deeper green color than that of the 

 Serine. The first-named starts its growth later in the spring and its 

 leaves hang on later in the fall. It has also a larger bunch and sets 

 fruit much more profusely. 



As the Petite Sirah occurs here, there is another variety mixed 

 with it, which has a small, generally loose bunch and large leaves, 

 covered with a heavy, cottony down on the lower surface. Thib 

 variety is worthless. The Petite Sirah is a most valuable grape, as 

 it bears heavily and produces one of the best red wines in the state. 

 It does exceedingly well on all kinds of resistants. I have been 

 told lately that it is the same grape, that was known in former years 

 as Pfeffer's Cabernet. 



