USA > California > Napa County > History of Napa and Lake Counties, California : comprising their geography, geology, topography, climatography, springs and timber, together with a full and particular record of the Mexican Grants, also separate histories of all the townships and biographical sketches > Part 21
USA > California > Lake County > History of Napa and Lake Counties, California : comprising their geography, geology, topography, climatography, springs and timber, together with a full and particular record of the Mexican Grants, also separate histories of all the townships and biographical sketches > Part 21
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In considering the subject of viniculture, it will not be without interest to our readers to give a cursory glance at the general history and condition of the industry in the State of California. The first permanent settlers who came to California from civilized countries were the Jesuit Fathers, or padres. They came mostly from Spain, a great grape-growing and wine- making country, and nothing was more natural than for them to bring with them this favorite fruit, also the source from which came their favorite beverage, and engraft it into the California soil. Hence the term " Mission," as applied to the black common grape found growing in the vineyards of California when the Americans first came to the country. These old padres located upon the very cream of the land, selecting the most favored spots, both as to soil and water for the Missions. Here they planted the grape- vines they had borne over so many leagues of water and barren waste, and in a short time the fruit of the vine, both as grapes and wine, became quite common.
As a matter of interest we will describe the method of grape culture and wine-making in those primeval days. A choice spot of rich ground was selected, which could also be easily irrigated, for they had no idea that any- thing could be produced without the free use of water. The usual method of plowing of those days were pursued, which was as follows: The imple- ment called a plow, was as crude as those used by the Egyptians in the days of Moses, consisting of a forked stick of timber, one prong of which had a bit of iron fastened to it for a sort of share, while the other prong served as a beam. To this a yoke of oxen was attached by means of a stick lashed to their horns. When all was ready the cavalcade moved in the following
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History of Napa and Lake Counties-NAPA.
order : An Indian led the van as a guide for the oxen to follow, and also to be in front of them in case they should undertake to run away. Then came the oxen, flanked on either side by an Indian, who carried a sharpened stick, with which they prodded the poor beasts continually, and last of all came the poor excuse of a plow, guided by another Indian. And so they worked days and days to accomplish what is now done by a man with a gang plow in a few hours. But the world moved slowly in those old days.
The glebe being thus upturned, a heavy brush was dragged over it to serve the purpose of a harrow. The vines were then planted and the water turned on. They grew rapidly and strongly, and in the course of about three years began to bear quite thriftily. As in the days of Solomon so then, they literally trod the wine press. The grapes were put into troughs made for the purpose, and the Indians then trod upon them with their bare feet, until the whole mass was a pumace. This was then removed and placed in cow skins, so suspended that they would retain the greatest possible amount of it. These were their fermenting tanks, and here the pumace remained during that process. When this was accomplished a hole was cut in the skin, and they drew the wine off and put it into casks to await further processes.
And that is the way they made what they called wine in those days It was sour, unpalatable and dreggy stuff, yet it answered the purpose, and was relished by those accustomed to its use from youth to old age. In these days of advancement, when the soils best adapted to the growth of the grape is sought out, when the ground is as thoroughly tilled as it is possible to have it, when the crushing is done by steam power with a patented machine, when the process of fermentation is conducted in pure, sweet casks holding hundreds of gallons, when the entire process of wine- making is conducted in the best light of the age, we who live now look back upon the primitive wine-makers of our State with feelings almost akin to pity, thinking how great the opportunity and how meagerly it was embraced. And again, when we are enjoying a glass of Mr. Krug's sherry, Mr. Crabb's angelica, Mr. Schram's hock or claret, or in fact the pure, delicious wines that are produced at any of the cellars in Napa County, we are constrained to glide our thoughts back to those older days, and to wonder how men could be induced to imbibe the wretched stuff then called wine. And above all, the thought of wonderment arises, that those old Spaniards were content to do as their fathers did through all the ages past, and not seek for improvements in manufacturing their wine.
When the first Americans came to the country they followed much in the steps of the Spaniards in regard to wine-making. It was something entirely new to them, and they had no information on the subject at all. Rich lands were sought in which to plant the vines, and much water was
183
Viticulture in Napa. County.
applied to make them grow. The Mission variety, with its large seeds and but little juice or pulp, was still in vogue. Finally, in 1856, a new era in wine-making in California began to dawn. All the old settlers will remember Col. Agoston Haraszthy, the founder of the Buena Vista vine- yard in Sonoma County. He was a Hungarian noble, of court lineage, who was expatriated for taking a prominent part in a political crisis in his native land. After residing in Wisconsin for a while, he came to California in 1849, and to Sonoma County in 1856, and from that time on he devoted his entire attention to the advancement of the wine and vine interests of his adopted State. Up to that time there were no foreign vines in Cali- fornia. He founded a horticultural society, and began the importation of foreign varieties at once. He believed that vines would thrive without irrigation, and carried out his faith by planting a large vineyard. He thus at once put himself at the head of the wine industry in California, and may with propriety be denominated the father of Viniculture in this State.
It will probably always remain a mooted question as to who brought the first foreign varieties of vines into California. It is known that a Mr. Stock, of San José, had several varieties growing on his place as early as 1858 or 1859, which he had received from his father, who resided in Germany. In 1861 Dr. Crane of St. Helena purchased cuttings from the Stock vineyard at the rate of forty dollars per thousand. There was one variety which had no label, and Mr. Stock sold the cuttings at half price, and they proved to be the now celebrated Riesling, and these cuttings were the first of that variety ever planted in Napa.
In 1861 Col. Haraszthy was appointed by the Governor of the State as a Commissioner, to visit the wine-growing countries of Europe, in the interests of that industry of California. The result of this visit to the old countries, was the importation of some three hundred different varieties of vines, many of which are yet great favorites with the vineyardists of the State, and from which are made the most valuable wines now produced. Upon the return of Col. Haraszthy from Europe, in 1862, he was chosen President of the State Agricultural Society. In 1863 he organized the Buena Vista Vinicultural Society, to which he conveyed his four hundred acres of land in Sonoma.
About this time, he wrote a treatise on the culture of the vine and the manufacture of wine, which was published by the State for gratuitous distribution. This publication, thus generally circulated, called the attention not only of the citizens of the State, but the people of the World to Cali- fornia, as a wine producing country, and gave to that interest its first impulse. He had now given the matter a thorough test, and had proved beyond a doubt that wine making could and would be made a success, and
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History of Napa and Lake Counties-NAPA.
had demonstrated that he knew more than any other citizen of the county about the subject, and took more interest in it than anyone.
In 1868 he went to Nicaragua, where he engaged in other pursuits. July 6, 1869, he mysteriously disappeared, and was never heard from since. On that day he left his house to go to a saw mill he was having erected. His foot-steps were traced to the river, which it is supposed he attempted to cross, but falling into the water was devoured by an alligator.
But to return to the matter in hand : In the winter of 1858, Col. Haraszthy planted about eighty thousand vines in a high tract of land east of the town of Sonoma, since known as the Buena Vista Vineyard, and the growth and progress of this venture, was very closely watched by all inter- ested in viniculture. The experiment succeeded beyond the most sanguine expectations of all, and was the beginning of a new epoch in the culture of grapes in California. About this period the securing of a wine finer in flavor, by means of the introduction of foreign varieties of grapes, began to be seriously canvassed. Connoisseurs had given their dictum, that the native wines had not the excellence of the article produced abroad. Stating that it was either too earthy or too fiery, or too sour or too sweet and insipid. This was doubtless owing in a great measure to the rich quality of the soil, and the irrigation of the vine, to which may be added the lack of experience of the manufacturers, and the crude manner in which it was made.
In 1861, Messrs. Haraszthy, Schell and Col. Warren were appointed a committee, to inquire and report upon the best means of promoting and improving the growth of the vine in this State. The former visited Europe, as has been stated above, the latter reported upon the condition of the interest in California, while Mr. Schell gave a statement of the culture of the vine in the South American States. It is a noticeable fact, that the European varieties, introduced by Col. Haraszthy at that time, all held their peculiar characteristics after being introduced here, losing nothing in any particular by the process of transplanting.
Having thus given a cursory history of the rise of this great industry in the State, we will now append some items of interest concerning it, which we have gleaned from Mr. T. Hart Hyatt's work, "Grape Culture," and other sources. Among several inducements set forth by Mr. Hyatt for men to engage in the industry are the following : California has the best soil and climate in the United States, if not the world, for the growth of the grape. The grape crop never fails; at least has not in the past century. The vines need no irrigation. It is the most sure, profitable, pleasant and healthful of all rural employments. There is no danger of over-stocking the wine market. Vines do not, like most fruit trees, deteriorate by age, but grow better with added years. Raisins as well as wine can be produced from the choicest varieties of foreign grapes.
-
185
Viticulture in Napa County.
Some idea of the immense progress of this industry may be had, when it is stated that in 1866 the estimated wine product of the whole State was only two million gallons, while last year, 1880, the product of Napa County alone was, by actual count, two million, eight hundred and thirty thousand, seven hundred and fifty gallons. The total vines of the State in 1866 were estimated at forty millions, while those in Napa County at the present time are about eleven millions. Of the two million gallons made in 1866, per- haps not one-half found its way to a foreign (Eastern) market, while now trains go loaded to New York, Boston and elsewhere. France and the Ger- man wine districts are said to produce one hundred and seventy-five gallons to the acre, and Italy, under the best circumstances, about four hundred, while in California it is double that, and not uncommonly reaches one thousand gallons to the acre. There are twenty million acres of grape land in Cali- fornia, which, if producing the maximum amount, would yield annually twenty billion gallons. That this yield will never be reached is doubtless true, but it will be very great indeed.
It is a very simple process to start a vineyard, and no great amount of capital is required. The land once purchased the vines may be planted, and half of the time for the first three years will suffice to care for them, while the remainder of the time may be spent on the outside earning current ex- penses. At the end of three years a small return comes in from the vine- yard, and at the end of six years the man has a property that is yielding from $100 to $200 per acre, and worth from $350 to $500 per acre.
The influence of climate is very great on the wine crop, and that climate which is the most even, dryest during the summer season, and especially free from frost during the summer months, is the most desirable. The average rainfall of Napa County is not far from twenty-four inches, while that of Malaga, Spain, is twenty-three inches. The mean temperature of Sacramento is about 67 degrees, while that of Malaga is about 68 degrees, Madeira is 65 degrees, and Bordeaux is 57 degrees. It will thus be seen * that the climate of California is very similar to the best wine-producing sections of the world.
As stated above, the prevailing idea among the padres was that vines must be planted in rich soil, and the Americans followed in their footsteps ; but it has since been demonstrated beyond a peradventure that rich soil does not produce the quality of wine that lighter grades do. True the vines are thriftier and the clusters larger and the yield of juice more, and now, when the wines are not graded very closely, it all sells for about the same price; hence it is an object to have the best yield possible. But the time will come when the line of distinction will be carefully drawn between mountain and valley productions, the preference being in favor of the former.
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History of Napa and Lake Counties-NAPA.
To give the reader, who may have a desire to test the soil of a place he is about to purchase, an idea of what it should contain to best adapt it to the growing of grapes, we append the following analysis of the wild grape vine, made by Prof. Emmons :
Wood.
Bark.
Potash
20.84
1.77
Soda
2.06
0.27
Chloride
0.02
0.40
Sulphuric Acid.
0.23
Trace.
Phosphate of Lime
15.40
5.04
Phosphate of Peroxyd of Iron
1.20
5.04
Carbonic Acid.
34.83
32.22
Lime.
16.33
39.32
Magnesia
4.40
0.80
Silex .
2.80
14.00
Soluble Silica
0.00
0.30
Coal and organic matter
2.10
1.70
100.21
100.86
It is, however, not always possible for a man to make a close quantitive analysis of the soil, hence we append the following simple method of testing the adaptability of soil to the culture of the wine grape, which is within the reach of all, and is practiced in Germany. Take about five pounds of the soil you intend to select for your vineyard, put it into a clean vessel, pour boiling water over it, stir it with a clean piece of wood and let it stand covered for two days. Then carefully pour off the clean water; and if, upon tasting it, you do not detect a salty or mouldy taste in it, it will prove good for a vineyard; for what would give a bad taste to the water would effect the wine made from grapes grown in the soil.
On the subject of soils, Col. Haraszthy says : "When the planter re- solves to plant a vineyard, he should determine whether he is planting to produce grapes for wine or for the market. If for the former he must look for soil which is made by volcanic eruptions, containing red clay and soft rocks, which will decay by exposure to the air .. The more magnesia, lime or chalk the soil contains the better. This kind of soil never cracks and keeps the moisture during the summer admirably. Such soil will produce a wine that will keep good for fifty or one hundred years and improve annually ; is not liable to get sour or when exposed to the air, after one year old, to get turbid and change color in the bottle or glass. For marketable table grapes rich, black, gravelly or sandy loam, exceedingly rich and well manured is the best."
In choosing a location for a vineyard, attention should be given to the
187
Viticulture in Napa County.
location and the exposure it will have to the sun. All men of experience agree that a preference should be given to a southerly-either south-eastern or south-western. In any locality where the damp, fog-laden trade winds of the coast blow in, it is preferable to have a south-eastern exposure. Still, in all the valleys of the interior of California, there is no great amount of difference to be observed. It is of far more importance that there be depth of soil, and locations free from frosts must be considered.
The question of close or wide planting enters very largely into the cal- culation of a man who is just starting a vineyard. The variety of the vine planted is to be considered ; for heavy bearers, like the Rieslings, should be planted at least 7 x7 feet ; while light bearers, like the Pinot family, closer planting should be adopted.
To enable the reader to see at a glance how many vines to the acre will be required for the different modes of planting, the annexed table is given. There being forty-three thousand five hundred and sixty square feet in an acre of land, the following will be found as nearly correct as it is practicable to make the calculations. The land required for roads, borders, etc., will reduce the quantity of vines somewhat. Planting the vines
3 feet by 3 requires
4,840
3
"
4
3,630
4
4
2,722
4
5
1,815
4
7
1,556
5
5
1,742
5
66
6
1,452
6
6
1,210
6
7
1,037
6
8
907
7
7
889
7
8
780
8
8
680
Plants to the acre.
There are four ways of propagating grape-vines : by seeds, by cuttings, by rooting, and by layers, to which may be added grafting. The first four refer to planting new vineyards, while the last is practicable, of course, in changing the varieties in old vineyards, and for the fast propagation of choice varieties. For planting new vineyards, cuttings are now preferred above all the other plans. It is cheaper, more practicable, and has the ad- vantage of having the whole vineyard bearing at the same time. Planting by layers consists of trenching and rooting vines still attached to the parent stem.
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History of Napa and Lake Counties -- NAPA.
For the benefit of our readers who are not practical viniculturalists, yet who have an interest in the subject, we give below a list of the varieties of grapes best adapted to wine-making:
Beginning with the Rieslings, there are the Johannisberg, Franken, Gray or Dishia, Green, and Orleans; of the Sauvignonne, there are the Green and White; of Chasselas, there are the Golden (Gutedel), Fontain- blau, Purple, and Rose; the Berger, which makes an excellent light wine ; Muscatel ; Traminer. The above are all white grapes. Passing to the black varieties, we find the Zinfandel ; the Pinot family ; Black St. Peter; Matero, commonly known as Burgundy; Black Burgundy; Greenache; Charboneau; Malbic; Black Cluster, and Cabronet. From the Sauvignonne grapes are made the finest flavored white wines. They are trained high, like the Rieslings.
From the Riesling variety are made those wines so celebrated and well- known as Johannisberg, Steinberger Cabinet, Raunthaler, Berg, Liebfrau- milch and Marcobruner. It always commands a high price, and is a great favorite with the Napa Valley viniculturalists, and their wine made from it is now standing at the head of light white wines. The bunches of this grape are of medium size, compact; berries rather small, round; thin skin ; flesh tender and juicy, with sweet and sprightly pleasant flavor.
The Chasselas de Fontainbleau succeeds well and produces abundantly in California. Bunches rather small size, very close, the berries pressing each other almost out of shape, but rarely have any imperfect ones ; long for their diameter and shouldered lightly; berries of rather small size, round; skin thin, clear watery green, with a slight tinge of amber when exposed to the sun and fully ripe; flesh juicy, sweet and of a very good flavor ; ripens in California from early in July to late in October.
The Red Chasselas resembles the White Chasselas, except that the ber- ries are slightly colored with red, and sometimes, when over-ripe, they become a dark red. Bunches loose, not large; berries medium size, round ; thin skin, at first pale green, but when exposed to the sun they become red ; flesh tender, sweet and very good.
The Red Traminer is one of the celebrated table and wine grapes of the Rhine. Cluster small, compact ; berries small, roundish ; rose-color ; quality sub-acid, pleasant and excellent.
The Rose Chasselas is described as a beautiful and good variety, re- sembling the Royal Muscadine, except in color, which is a bright rose. Its bunches and berries are scarcely equal in size, but its beauty and flavor recommend it.
The Black Prince is an excellent variety, highly esteemed, with large and long bunches, partially shouldered. Berries large, rather thickly set, oval, black, covered with a thick blue bloom ; rather thick skin ; flavor sweet,
189
Viticulture in Napa County.
juicy, excellent. It is popular as a table grape and succeeds well in Cali- fornia.
Miller's Burgundy is a favorite variety, long known, and cultivated in all parts of the world, as a hardy grape for wine and table use. It is readily known by the dense covering of cotton down, which lines both sides of the leaves, whence the name, Miller's grape. Bunches short, thick, compact. Berries roundish oval, very closely set together ; skin thin, black, with a blue bloom ; flesh tender, abounding with a sweet, high-flavored jnice. A valuable wine grape.
The Zinfandel has bunches most generally divided into two long shoul- ders, making a large cluster. Berries medium, round, very black, covered with a thick bloom ; slightly acid, becoming good when fully ripe. In Cal- ifornia it makes a good wine grape, and is one of the favorites in Napa Valley.
Of California varieties we have the Mission, Los Angeles, and Sonoma. The Mission grape is generally divided into two classes, though it is doubt- ful if there is any difference between them. They are known as the Sonoma and Los Angeles. They are supposed to have been introduced into Califor- nia over a century ago by the Jesuit Missionaries. The Los Angeles variety has a somewhat heavier bloom than that known as the Sonoma. Bunches slightly shouldered, loose, divided in fact into many small, distinct, lateral clusters, from six to ten inches or more in length. Berries medium size, round, purple-black, heavy bloom, exceedingly sweet, juicy and delicious ; skin thin but seeds rather large.
The Mammoth grape does not derive its name so much from the enor- mous size of the fruit as of the vine which bears it. We append the follow- ing description of the famous Mammoth vine near Santa Barbara as a matter of interest in this connection. It is from a daily paper of that city :
" One of the celebrities of Spanish California is the immense and beau- tiful grapevine now growing at the Montecito, two or three miles below Santa Barbara. The planter of the vine was Donna Marcellina Feliz de Dominguez, of the earliest expedition to Sonora, before 1780. When she planted it it was nothing but a slip, which she had cut from the young vineyard at San Antonio Mission, in Monterey County, for a horsewhip. . Her husband had got permission to make a small garden near the warm springs of Montecito, and here she planted it on the ridge of a knoll. It immediately took root and began to bud and leaf, and from careful attention, before she died it was made to produce more than any grapevine in all America, North or South. Between 1850 and 1860 it had been trailed over eighty feet in circumference, with a trunk of twelve inches in diameter, rising clear fifteen feet from the ground. Some years it has borne over six thousand bunches of ripe and sound grapes, or close on to eight thousand
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History of Napa and Lake Counties-NAPA.
pounds ! It has become the wonder of every resident or sojourner in that part of California. And what is more, for the last thirty years of the Donna's life it principally maintained the old woman and her numerous family, she being nearly as prolific as her vine, having brought forth four- teen children, and having in all three hundred descendants when she died."
STATE VITICULTURAL SOCIETY .- An Act for the promotion of the Viti- cultural Industries of the State was approved, April 15, 1880, in which the State was divided into seven viticultural districts, in each of which it was provided that a Commissioner should be appointed, and also that two Com- missioners should be appointed for the State at large. His Excellency Geo. C. Perkins, appointed the following named gentlemen to act as such Commis- sioners : Arpad Haraszthy, for San Francisco District; Charles Krug, for Napa District; I. De Turk, for Sonoma District; R. B. Blowers, for Sacra- mento District; Geo. West, for San Joaquin District; L. J. Rose, for Los Angeles District; G. G. Blanchard, for El Dorado District ; Chas. A. Wet- more and J. De Barth Shorb, Commissioners for the State at large.
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