REPORT OP COMMITTEE ON PUBLICATION 31 



days, which consisted of Charbonos, Malvoisies, along with Zinfandels, the 

 writer has never been able to find out, but in recent years this objectionable 

 taste seems to have disappeared and also some of those early varieties of 

 grapes. 



I don't believe that at any time we ever made a scientific investigation 

 into the varieties best suited to our climate and soil, nor had we paid much 

 attention to soil analysis and never to fertilizers. The early wine-maker 

 gained his experience in experimental work and watching his local condi- 

 tions. At one time the European wine merchant or the European wine 

 dealer, after studying our conditions, would tell us that our wines were 

 simply grape juice and only fit for immediate consumption and did not believe 

 they would mature. Occasionally we would find a few bottles that had been 

 set aside in a corner for ten or twelve years and which upon sampling we 

 found they had developed the fine taste shown by aged wines, and on many 

 occasions I have sampled properly matured wines against some of the finer 

 types in Europe and was convinced that wines properly selected, carefully 

 bottled and properly stored, would command the same praise as the finer 

 qualities we were always able to find in Europe and sold in our own country. 



It seems a pity that the old fashion of private cellars and setting aside 

 wines to mature has gone out of date. The trouble with California wine 

 heretofore has been due to the distribution end of it, that is, educating the 

 people to the collection of wines as they would stamps or coins, as there is 

 no line of merchandising that has as much infatuation as that of the 

 maturing of wines. 



I suppose one of the hard rows that the early California wine man had 

 to hoe was that the business was setting itself as a general wine introduction. 

 We did not have the white wine dealers such as you find in Germany, nor 

 did we have the man handling only Clarets, nor the man only introducing 

 Sherry, nor a Champagne line nor a Brandy line. The California wine dealer 

 was supposed to acquaint himself with all kinds of grape products and in 

 those days we were even turning out a Vermouth, and, as a consequence, 

 grapes that were suitable only for certain varieties were being used for all 

 kinds of wine making. 



The California wine business has not reached the stage to which it 

 properly belongs and we are unquestionably about ten years behind in the 

 marketing of our wines. We cannot understand why we have not had a 

 world market when we know our grapes are equal to any grapes grown. 

 Probably one of the reasons that can be advanced is lack of our shipping 

 commerce. 



Through scientific research and the present control of fermentation, as 

 well as the improved wine-making machinery and more care in the selection 

 of grapes, we have created a good general demand for all kinds of wines. 

 The improved Champagnes that are being put on the market to-day have 

 opened the eyes of many who thought California would never be able to 

 perfect this style of wines. We are still lacking, though, in producing a 

 brandy similar to the cognac type, and won't be able to do so until the 

 Government permits the blending of brandies in bond as done in France. 



There is no question in my mind but that taking the general average 

 of the entire output of our various wines throughout the States, from an 

 analytical test we can show a higher standard than will be found in most 



