Look back to the future - Column

In the March, 1929 edition of the California Grape Grower (now W&V) we see that the lead article is about the "CVA" (California Vineyardists Association) program. Essentially this was a plan to get all segments of the grape industry to agree on ways to improve conditions for all vineyardists, the program(s) to be administered under one roof so that a program for one segment (e.g., raisin growers) will not hurt another branch (e.g., fresh shippers). This was quite an undertaking and I don't know if it worked. This was not an era in which cooperation was the watchword among farmers but rather secrecy and intense competition was. "Keep it under your hat" was not just a humorous saying.

As for the industry, it was suffering. As the depression worsened, my family started to worry "more than somewhat". It was to be a difficult three years.

The lead article for the March, 1949 W&V was about the newly proposed state (California) Wine Marketing Order.

The Wine Institute held its 15th Annual meeting in San Francisco and W&V printed a full-page of great fotos of the big wheels of that time. I don't know why but they do fascinate me. F'r instance, a shot of L. M. Martini and now his son is gone too. Another one of Digardi ('member him?) whose winery was more or less eliminated by a freeway interchange.

And then, flipping the page is an article on, "Hydrogen Sulfide in Wines" by Lou Martini (the Junior). A bit unsettling just after seeing his dad at the above W. I. meeting.

"Back to the Basket Press, by Al Huntsinger (Napa Valley Coop)". This was a discussion of the pros and cons of basket and continuous press operation. Much of it revolved around quality vs. costs - a big topic in those days.

"Better High Proof - Better Wine, by Sherman Nichols". Get the jarring note? The article presumes all wine has brandy added. But, of course, that was 80% true in those days, much to the chagrin of most industry people. Nonetheless, removing the aldehydes and fusel oils from hi-proof brandy was an enormous step in quality improvement. Right after this article (or one like it), I consulted with James Guyman, who met with me and recommended ol' buddy Elie Skofis as one most knowledgeable on this subject. I really would have liked to become a distilling expert but time simply did not permit.

This was the first of many quality improving techniques and processes that were to come to us (and the whole world and all industries, I must add) over the following decades. The next major improvement came, as I recall, in the application of cold fermentation.

A "yuppie" couple (yeah, I know, 1969 was years before the emergence of the word, but the "types" were already showing up) graces the cover of the March 1969 edition of W&V. They were tasting wine with note book in hand. This was a new phenomenon, and it was not an anomaly. It was beginning to happen all over North America. I believe one of the biggest promoters of the big public tastings was our pal Jerry Mead. As I looked upon it, these events did a tremendous amount of good for the promotion of wine and the sensible drinking thereof. Dry wine (a.k.a. table wine) that is. Congratulations, Jerry.

And speaking of Jerry, I had reason to call him the other day and he is really having continuing health problems. Send him a card. (P.O. Box 1598, Carson City, Nevada 89702.)

The March '89 of W&V is, one might say, the Maynard Amerine edition. His picture, and a great color shot it is, graces the cover. Hard to believe he is gone.

To kick off the 1989 issue of W&V, there is a quote from Terry Robards from the Wine Spectator, "I find that most California Chardonnay and...Cabs...lack character, flavor and complexity." I suppose that if we were to take a weighted average of all these two varietals (then being marketed), we, i.e., I, could agree. But why should a fine wine writer tend to distort the facts so badly? Or perhaps he really did believe that that statement was literally true. In which case I fully disagree.

Most of the wine tasted at the Orange County Fair, at least as I remember them, were pretty well of "proper" quality commiserate with the bottle price. As they say, I guess that is what makes horse races.

As befitting its picture on the cover, W&V has a brief but solid article on Maynard Amerine by John Hutchison. Never knew that Maynard was born in San Jose. Charlie Crawford reports that Maynard got Alzheimer's whilst traveling to or around Australia by boat.

As such we can look backward over the last 10 years with some satisfaction and pride. Our industry is profitable, responsible and a source of pride to many Americans. And increasingly so. We can look forward into the future with confidence.

"Wine can of their wits

The wise beguile

Make the sage frolic

And the serious smile"

Horace

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