American Wines. Part 5
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This section is from "The American Cyclopaedia", by George Ripley And Charles A. Dana. Also available from Amazon: The New American Cyclopędia. 16 volumes complete..
American Wines. Part 5
It is rather too heavy in body, however, and lacks the sprightliness and ethereal qualities of the best imported French and German sparkling wines, as also of the sparkling Catawbas, Concords, and other varieties made in the Atlantic states. The prices of the California wines fluctuate a good deal, but it is perhaps the only country where wine at its place of production is cheaper than milk. In August, 1869, a gallon of ordinary wine brought 30 cts. at Anaheim and Los Angeles, while a gallon of milk cost 50 cts. - The wines of New Mexico resemble those of California very much in character, but are rarely in the market. This may partly be accounted for by the isolated position and inaccessibility of the country, partly by the indolence of the manufacturers. During the last few years grape culture has attracted a good deal of attention in Oregon, and it seems both native and foreign varieties thrive there equally well. - It is difficult to give even an approximate statement of the amount of the wine interest in the United States. There are hardly any trustworthy statistics to be gathered, as the manufacture is spread over so vast a territory, of which many portions are yet but thinly inhabited.
The following statistics are mostly derived from private sources, and should only be taken as approximate:
Gallons. | ||
California.................... | 5,000,000 | |
Ohio............... | 3,500,000 | |
New York................... | 3,000,000 | |
Missouri........... | 2,500,000 | |
Illinois............. | 2,500,000 | |
Pennsylvania...... | 2,000,000 | |
Iowa.............. | 400,000 | |
Kentucky................... | 300,000 | |
Kansas................... | 200,000 | |
Indiana............ | 150,000 | |
Indiana................... | 40,000 | |
Michigan.......... | 40,000 | |
West Virginia............. | 35,000 | |
Virginia........... | 30,000 | |
Texas............. | 30,000 | |
New Mexico....... | 30,000 | |
New Jersey................... | 25,000 | |
Total.................. | ||
Gallons. | |
Wisconsin......... | 25,000 |
Maryland..................... | 25,000 |
South Carolina........... | 25,000 |
Alabama ......... | 20,000 |
Connecticut........ | 20,000 |
Mississippi........ | 15,000 |
Tennessee ........ | 15,000 |
Arkansas.......... | 15,000 |
Georgia..................... | 15,000 |
Louisiana.................... | 10,000 |
Delaware.......... | 5,000 |
Dist. of Columbia....... | 5,000 |
Massachusetts............ | 5,000 |
Nebraska.......... | 5,000 |
Oregon........... | 5,000 |
Washington Ter......... | 5,000 |
Other States and Ter... | 5,000 |
................................... | 20,000,000 |
Of this amount 5,040,000 gallons would come from the Pacific and 14,060,000, from the Atlantic coast. The varieties of the Atlantic states, and their approximate value from the producer to the dealer, may be estimated as follows:
Gallons. | Price. | Value. | |
Catawba.................................... | 6.000,000 | $0 75 | $4,500,000 |
Concord.................................... | 4,000,000 | 0 50 | 2.000,000 |
Norton's Virginia.......... | 1,000,000 | 1 00 | 1.000,000 |
Delaware.................................. | 1.000,000 | 1 25 | 1,250,000 |
Clinton................................... | 1.000,000 | 0 75 | 750.000 |
Isabella................... | 500,000 | 0 50 | 250,000 |
Ives...................... | 600,000 | 0 75 | 375.000 |
Herbemont............... | 250,000 | 1 25 | 312.500 |
Scuppernong.............. | 100,000 | 1 00 | 100.000 |
Other varieties............ | 610,000 | 1 00 | 610,000 |
Total................ | .14,060,000 | $11,147,500 |
To this may be added:
For grapes consumed........................................................ | $5,000,000 |
For grape vines and grape wood................. | 5,000,000 |
For brandy distilled from grapes, husks, and lees......... | 1,000,000 |
Total product of vineyards of the Atlantic States............ | $22,147,500 |
If the fact is taken into account that grape culture has really assumed importance only within the last 10 years, it may safely be predicted that it will be trebled within the next 25 years, and become a vast source of national wealth.
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