UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 
 
 BULLETIN NO. 23. 
 
 [In order to render the results of investigations 
 and experiments conducted by the Agricultural De- 
 partment of the University of California more quick- 
 ly and more generally available than has heretofore 
 been done through the annual or biennial reports, 
 it is proposed to embody hereafter, in the form of 
 "Bulletins," to be issued as often as may seem de- 
 sirable, reports of results, as well as such other discus- 
 sions, information or answers to questions as may 
 be of general interest. It is intended to make these 
 bulletins, as a rule, short enough for insertion in the 
 daily or weekly papers of the State, and proof-slips 
 of the same will be regularly mailed to papers apply- 
 ing therefor. The substance of these bulletins are 
 ultimately be embodied in a more complete and con- 
 nected form, in the annual reports of the College ot 
 Agriculture.] 
 
 Vintage Work in the Viticultural La- 
 boratory, 1884. 
 
 As heretofore stated, the plan of work in the 
 viticultural laboratory is based upon the obvi- 
 ous facb that "among the first necessities of the 
 present situation of California wines in the 
 world's market, is the establishment of more 
 definite qualities and brands, resulting from a 
 definite knowledge of the qualities of each of 
 the prominent grape varieties, and of their in- 
 fluence upon the kind and quality of the wine, 
 in blending before, or as the case may be, after 
 fermentation; of the treatment required by 
 each in the cellar, during the time of ripening; 
 and finally, of the differences caused by differ- 
 ence of location, climate, etc., as well as by dif- 
 ferent treatment of the wines themselves." 
 
 "In the wine-producing countries of Europe 
 this knowledge has been acquired by long ex- 
 perience; and chemical investigation has sub- 
 sequently in a great measure ascertained the 
 natural conditions upon which the attainment 
 of certain results in wine-making depends. The 
 principles thus evolved can be applied to new 
 conditions, such as those existing in California, 
 and thus save to a great extent the laborious 
 and costly experimenting which has been gone 
 through heretofore, by formulating into gen- 
 erally intelligible rules the knowledge which 
 otherwise usually remains the trade secret of a 
 few experts." 
 
 "It should be fully understood and remember- 
 ed that while peculiarities and defects shown by 
 analysis are perfectly definite indications as to 
 the conditions that must be fulfilled in a sue 
 cessful blend, yet, analysis cannot as yet take 
 cognizance of the delicate and almost intangi- 
 ble flavors or "bouquets," which must like- 
 wise be made to harmonize, in order to satisfy 
 a cultivated palate. To that extent the de- 
 termination of the proper blends must always 
 remain with the expert wine taster; but the 
 work of the latter is immensely facilitated by 
 being informed, through the analysis, of the 
 prominent chemical peculiarities, which in any 
 
 case must be taken into consideration, and 
 which ordinarily are left to laborious and more 
 or less blind guessing and experimenting." 
 
 In conformity with these views, in past years 
 a number of the more prominent grape varieties 
 already cultivated in the State, have been 
 made into both red and white wines each,* and 
 each thereafter subjected to the test both of 
 chemical analysis and taste. S;>me of the re- 
 sults of this work, have been given to the pub- 
 lic in previous reports, as well as in the series 
 of bulletins begun this year; and the importance 
 of this method of determining in advance the 
 probable outcome of heavy pecuniary invest- 
 ments, has seemed so obvious as to induce not 
 only numerous individual requests for the ex- 
 amination of grapes from different localities, 
 I but also the oil er on the part of the Natoma 
 Water and Mining Co., at Folsom, to supply- 
 to the Laboratory experimental lots of each of a 
 large number of newly imported grape varieties, 
 now fruited for the first timi in this State, aq 1 
 also to furnish proper packages for treating 
 the s line; in order that definite results as to 
 the wine-making qualities of these varieties 
 might be elicited as quickly as possible, for the 
 public benefit as well as for that of the Com- 
 pany; a considerable share of whose vineyard 
 is yet to be planted, the choice of vines for the 
 same depending largely upon the outcom ; of 
 these experiments. 
 
 It may be nec;ssiry to allude here to a com- 
 mon prejudice on the part of vintners, to the 
 effect that small-scale experiments in wine 
 making can but remotely lead to a correct esti- 
 mate of the results to be expected on the 
 largo scale, and that they frequently mislead to 
 such an extent as to cause grave financial losses. 
 Were this true, of course there would be little 
 use for laboratory experiments on the small 
 scale of ours. 
 
 What is true, however, is that small scale 
 experiments do not lead to correct results when 
 made in l uge cellars alongside of the large 
 quantities there treat id. This cannot be other- 
 wise, from precisely the same causes whi h 
 have lead to the almost universal abandonment 
 of the immense tanks used in the older wirier 
 ies of the State, in favor of those not exceed- 
 ing much th^ capacity of 2.000 gallons. If the 
 10,000 gallon tank yielded poor results when 
 placed in the same conditions as the 2,000 gal 
 Ion ones', it is obvion3 that there must be a sim- 
 ilar differer.ee, at least, between the 2,000 gal- 
 lon tank on the one hand and the 5 or 10 gallon 
 experimental keg on the other. 
 
 These differences are due in the main to the 
 different temperatures under which the fer- 
 mentation takes place. When the ferment- 
 ing masses are large, the temperature will often 
 rise so high as to actually check fermentation, 
 making it difficult to revive it, and leading to 
 the ultimate settintr-in of abnormal fermenta- 
 tions, resulting in "milk-sour" wines. When 
 
 "In the case of White grapes, of course, "red" implies I 
 simply the mode of treatment, viz : Fermenting on' the 
 skins as in the making of reJ wines properly so called. I 
 
the masses are very small, on the contrary, the 
 regular course of the fermentation is liable to 
 be interfered with by such small variations of 
 temperature in the fermenting rooms as will 
 leave masses of proper amount — 3ay 1,000 to 
 2,000 gallons, almost unaffected. Hence, a 10- 
 gallon keg in a cellar and temperatur e adapted 
 to the proper fermentation of large packages, 
 can only accidentally furnish results correctly 
 representing large scale operations. 
 
 It is quite otherwise in a cellar of which the 
 temperature can be regulated at will, and with 
 special adaptation to small packages; when the 
 latter will furnish wines closely corresponding 
 to those that will be produced under correct 
 practice on the large scale. It need hardly be 
 said that the temperature must be kept higher 
 than would be admissable in a cellar containing 
 2,000 gallon packages, which would under such 
 circumstances be liable to the same incon- 
 veniences as those met with in the use of very 
 large tanks. 
 
 It would have been desirable to vary some- 
 what the cellar temperature for different wines 
 during their first fermentation ; but as there 
 was only a single room at command, an average 
 was struck in maintaining the thermometer, as 
 a rule, between 68 and 70 degrees, day and 
 night. It was found that under these con- 
 ditions the temperatures of the fermenting 
 musts were about the same as usually found in 
 the 2000-gallon tanks, and that the fermenta- 
 tions were completed within about the same 
 average times. 
 
 The size of the fermenting kegs varied from 
 one to ten gallons, in consequence of the im- 
 possibility of obtaining the same amount of 
 grapes in all cases. It would be desirable that 
 the quantity of must or murk should never fall 
 below five gallons, and not exceed ten, in any 
 one package. 
 
 In every case wine was made of each variety 
 of grapes separately, and each must was anal- 
 yzed on the day it was pressed; but whenever 
 
 Hed Whit? 
 
 Contributor. Grapes. G-upes. 
 
 Natoma \V. & M. Co., Folsom 22 22 
 
 O. W. Howard, Lower Lake 1 
 
 H A. Pellet, St. H lena 2 
 
 Wm. 8cheffler, St. Helena 1 
 
 J. L. Block, Livermore 1 1 
 
 P. w. Butler, Penvyn 1 1 
 
 E. B Smith, Martinez 1 
 
 J. T. Doyle, Mountain View 1 
 
 H. Mel, Glenwood 1 
 
 H. Hag-en, Napa 1 
 
 Stern & Kose, San Gabriel 1 1 
 
 H. Langenberger, Anaheim 1 
 
 Geo. West, Stojkton. 1 
 
 L. P. Berger, Lakeport 1 
 
 Wm Pfeffer, Gubsarville 3 
 
 H. W. Crahb, Oakville 2 
 
 K. Barton, Fresno 1 
 
 The wines made were: 
 
 Of Claret ami Burgundy types 36 
 
 Dry White, Sauterne, etc 19 
 
 Ports 6 
 
 Sh rries ' 
 
 Total Wines o! Single Varieties 67 
 
 Grape blends, viz.: 
 
 Red, Claret and B irgandy tjfpes IS 
 
 Dry White, Sauternes 2 
 
 Porta 8 
 
 Total Grape Blends 19 
 
 Total Wi"es made 86 
 
 As may well be supposed, the making of and 
 eating for these eighty-six win«s could not be 
 accomplished hy the single assistant usually 
 employed in the viticultural laboratory. For 
 several weeks Mr. Jaffa was constantly assisted 
 by the assistant in the general laboratory, Mr. 
 Morse, and by Mr. F. Pohndorff, Jr., as volun- 
 teer; besides a laborer for about two weeks. 
 For the management and supervision of the 
 work, and more especially in the determination 
 of the blends, Mr. F. Pohndorff, Sr., the dis- 
 tinguished wine expert, has given a generous 
 proportion of his time throughout the vintage 
 season; and the measure of success with which 
 so large a number of different wines and pack- 
 ages has been handled under the restrictions 
 
 feasible, blends of several kinds 'promising good i » posed by the limited means at our c .mmand, 
 results when so combined; were also made is largely due to his inte hgent direction. 
 
 Under the same, samples of all the wines made, 
 and of additional (wine) blends, are now being 
 prepared for inspection at the coming viti- 
 cultural convention; and the more important 
 
 prior to fermentation, since in that case the 
 union becomes more perfect and sometimes the 
 results differ materially from those obtained 
 when the wines, ready made, are blended. In 
 making these blends two points were kept in 
 view. One, the production of the best results 
 in accordance with the established de- 
 mands of the market, irrespective of the 
 grape varieties now existing in the vine 
 
 >ues are being analyzed as rapidly as possible, 
 with the aid of an additional temporary assis- 
 tant furnished by the Viticultural Commission 
 for the emergency. It will be found that among 
 the new varieties from the Folsom vineyard 
 
 yards of the State; second, the production there is a number of the highest merit ar.d 
 of the best blends on the basis of those promise, whether by themselves or for blending 
 varieties of which a large proportion has already purposes, maintaining precisely the position as- 
 been planted in our vineyards, and the conver- signed to them among European vintners, and 
 sion of which into marketable types adapted to proving conclusively that the attainment of 
 the established taste is a matter of grave in- high standards of quality in our wines is merely 
 terest to those concerned. Prominent among a question of a proper selection of varieties and 
 
 iuch varieties is the Zinfandel, which is be- 
 lieved to form nearly half of the planting done 
 in the State, and yet, unblended, does not 
 altogether meet the approval of the consumers 
 of clarets. Of this grape, therefore, quite a 
 
 of intelligent management. 
 
 The elaboration of the results of this season's 
 work will of necessity delay the publication of 
 the full report on the same beyond the usual 
 time; but it is hoped that for the coming sea- 
 
 number of blends have been tried, both before son, a more liberal provision of means and ap- 
 and after fermentation. pliances will be made by legislative appropria- 
 
 The following table shows in summary form | tions, as it is hardly to be expected that the 
 the amount and kind of the work done this same amount of voluntary assistance can be se- 
 season, and the contributions received from va- ; cured every season. E. W. Hilgard. 
 
 rious sources: | Berkeley, Nov. 20, 1884.