WINE-MAKING IN CALIFORNIA. 239 



so large a winery, and planting so large a vineyard, 1 cannot 

 help but warn my readers against such a selection of varieties. 

 If they will examine, they will see that there are but twenty- 

 two acres of white wine varieties, ninety-three acres of other 

 red wine varieties, and 435 acres of Zinfandel. Only imagine 

 over three-fourths of the whole crop of one variety, ripening 

 at the same time, and as difficult a variety also as the 

 Zinfandel. I would not like to be wine maker there, and 

 think this is one of the examples " how not to do it" in the 

 selection of varieties. 



While these are, perhaps, the largest enterprises of their kind 

 in the State, there are hundreds, fully large enough, and 

 which were built up from small beginnings by the owners 

 themselves. Among these, Napa Valley may claim a promi- 

 nent part. Among those who have their own vineyards and 

 mainly work up their own grapes are Mr. G. Groezinger, at 

 Yountville, who has a vineyard of 450 acres, and made about 

 700,000 gallons of wine last year; Mr. H. W. Crabb at Oak- 

 ville, vineyard of 350 acres, and a vintage of half a million 

 gallons last year. Mr. Crabb is a living example of pluck and 

 enterprise. Commencing very small and in very unfavorable 

 times, he has now one of the most flourishing vineyards in 

 the State, his winery and distillery are a small village by 

 themselves; his wines have a reputation not confined to this 

 'coast, but widely spread over the Eastern States. He has a 

 collection of over 300 varieties of grapes, fruiting and growing 

 on his own premises, and is so familiar with them that he is 

 unquestionably the best authority on grapes in the State. 

 Public spirited in the best sense of the word, all the informa- 

 tion he has gained is at the service of everyone, and he is al- 

 ways prominent wherever the interests of the grape growers 

 can be served best. Such men are the benefactors of their race 

 and of their calling, and it affords me pleasure to acknowl- 

 edge the debt of gratitude we owe them. But I think I also 



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