UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA. AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. BULLETIN NO. 13. j^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 ot these bulletins will ultimately be embodied in a more complete and con- nected form, in the annual reports of the College of Agriculture.] Examinations of Red or Claret Wines from Mr. H. W. Crabb, Oak- ville, Napa County. In previous bulletins giving the results of the examination of wines (Nos. 6, 9 and 12), stress has mainly been laid upon the differences shown in the coaiposition of one and the name kind of grape and wine grown in different localities; the object being to show that differences so seri- ous may occur between the products of srch as differ materially in climate or soil, or in both, as to render the blends most successfully made in one case totally inappropriate in others. In the present issue the object is to show the differences in the composition of wines made trom different grape varieties grown in the same locality and on the same soil, and treated pre- cisely alike by a skilled wine-maker. It will thus appear what are the characteristic points of each variety, so tar as chemical analysis can show them, thus indicating the direction in which proper blends may be sought with the be^t promise ot success. It should be fully understood and remembered that while defects shown by analysis are perfectly definite indica- tions as to the conditions that must be fulfilled in a successful blend, yet analysis cannot as yet take i oguiz mo of the delicate and aunoat in- tangible flavors or "bouquets," which must like- wise be made to harmonize in order to satisfy a cultivated palatt. To that extent the deter- mination of tiie pioper blends in us j always re- main wii.h the expert wine taster; but the work of the latter is immensely facilitated by being informed, through the analysis, of the promi- nent chemical peculiarities, which in any case must i»e taken into consideration, and which ordinarily are left to laborious and more or less blind guessing and experimenting. The wines of which the analysis are given be- low, were made by Mr. H. W. Crabb, of Oak- ville, Napa county, from grapes grown by him- self, on a soil of remarkable uniformity over a considerable portion of the upper Napa valley. It is a gray, moderately retentive loam, easily tilled, although intermixed with a sometimes very considerable proportion of fragments of a shaly rock that forms the main body of the ad- jacent hills on the west side of the valley. The soil is ot considerable depth, sometimes several feet without obvious change, and being then underlaid by a bed of gravel, may be consid- ered naturally well drained. It is in this re- spect unlike the somewhat heavier soil, free from stones, that forms considerable tracts at other points in the region, but has a subsoil of a stiff clay, and is materially benefited by und«r- drainage. in chemical composition, the two kinds of soil are probihly uuc widely diffeient. Mr. Crabb's soil lias not been analyzed. A sain ] pie of the other variety from the laud of Mr. : Wheeler, near Rutherford, shows a very high ! supply of potash, a moderate one of lime aud ol phosphoric acid, and an abundant one of humus; form.ug, altogether, a soil of high quality for almost any purpose, but especially adapted to the vine by its high percentage of potash. The extraordinary crops (of twelve to thirteen tons per acre) sometimes obtained north ot St. Helena, grow on a som -what lighter soil, of great depth, but remarkably well drained by underlying gravel. All the grapes here mentioned were fully ripe, and were termented on the skins until the first active fermentation was over; say from five days to a week, or sometimes more. ANALYSES OF CLARET WINKS FROM II. W. CRABB, OAKVILLE. NAME OF OR APR. 5' a Solid Contents by I ALCOHOL. a w 1 ' o 2. §■ 2 § Acid calculated as 1 1882 2.310 9.92I12.36 .099 .570 1883 2.690 10.07| 12. 55 .074 .432 1882 2.242 9.92 12.36 .100 .495 1883 2.690 10.6313.10 .085 .345 1SS2 1.916 8.41 10-50 .110 .375 1888 2.463 9.78112.18 .130 .420 1882 2.181 10.81 13.27 .088 .375 Crabb's Black Burgundy.. 1882 2.310 9.34 11.65 .145 .596 18S2 2.56 10.8] 13.27 .092 .555 1882 2.56 9.9912.45 .125 .600 1883 3. 44 9.9212.36 .239 .387 Cabernet Sauvig. of Medoo 1883 2.94 10.44ll2.90 .113 .390 1883 2.99 10.07 12.54 .197 .397 In order to correlate somewhat this interest- ing series with data heretofore published, it should be remembered that Crabb's Zinfandels of 1882 and '83 showed, in comparison with those from other localities, a medium body higher than in those from Krug's, a medium alcoholic strength (average 10.0 by weight); rather low tannin, though more than Krug's I *It may be well, before an incorrect pronunciation of this name becomes firmly established, to note that it should be pronounced with the accent on the last sylla- ble Mataro from the town of that name in Catalonia, Spain. that in French table clarets (the type mostly 13 and 12.o desired) the average body is about 2%, alcoholic str. 8 to 9%, tannm 18 to 20 pro mille, acid 5 to 6 pro mille. r Bodv. The determination of the solid contents of wine gives the nearest approach to the numeri- cal representation of what is designated as "body" by wine tasters; yet the sensation u materially influenced by the presence of other 5 00 Tne re st range mostly between Acid. In regard to acid, it i* evident that on the whole thatof thereof 1882 waahigh; the Char- bono forming an exception. Comparing the wines of that year, we rind in descending order, lour viz., P.ed de Perdrix, Black Burgundy Gamay and Zinfandel, ranging between 5.56 and 6.60 pro mille, with Mataro close up to e n» tl . root mostlv between .1.4.} and matters, notably by that of glycerine, which, other things being equal, is usually most abundant in wines having undergone a rapid and high fermentation. The table shows the lightest body of all (1.916) for the Charbono of 1882, and the next lowest (2.181) for Malbeck of that year. The 4 00 It is noticeable that in a year of high acid Malbeck was so low that it tails to dilute well,' wnile Crabb's Burgundy and Zinfandel, as w ell as the P.rdiix, had nearly the typical b.00. Gamiy has, in the same year, 5.55 and Mituro nearly 5 00. In 1883, a year evidently of low acid, all the French varieties represented, ex- Mutaro* comes next with 2.242, and then c the Charbono, fall near, but somewhat be * low, 4.00 pro mille. It is evident that making allowance for the difference in vintages, the Burgundy, Gamay and Pied de Perdrix would, with the Zinfandel, have remained above 4.00 pro mille in that year, and furnished a fair sup- ply of acid. In drawiug the practical conclusions from the ..bove data, it is painfully apparent how much the absence, of the comparison of at least two \iutages throughout the series, impairs its value. Some of the omissions m iy stdl be tilled through the courtesy of Mr Crabb; but even as ttie table s auds. some very important points may be derived from it. Tne most obvious one is, that so far as chem- ical aualysis can determine the matter, Crabb's Black Burgundy stands nearer to the composi- tion of French clarets than the wines made CrabU's Black Burgundy and with 2.310 in the same year. Apart from the Charbono, whose coarseness will exclude it from all choice blends, these are sample varieties, which may be expected to form the main body of claret wines in California, as two of them already do in France. From these there is a sudden ascent to the high bodied Gamay Teinturier and Pied de Perdrix; varieties which in more respects than this can be considered only as materials for blending. Passing to the vintage of 1883 we find, so far as the comparison reaches, a higher body throughout; the increase being lb". 5 per cent for Zinfandel, 10 for Mataro and over 25 for Charbono. Taking this into consideration in our estimate of the comparative percentages the Grosse Blaue still stands far above the Gamay and Pied de Perdrix as a body— giving from typical Freuch grapes —Malbeck and wine; while the Cabernet and Tannat would stand about on a level with those just named, and would be classed as blending material chiefly. Alcoholic Strength. A cursory glance shows that in this respect, also, the Charbono is the lowest of all, (8.41), while Malbeck andGamay stand highest (10.81). As regards the Malbeck, this result is some what unexpected. Mitaro comes next with 10.63, ami Cabernet close to the same, the rest differ but slightly from the general average of 10 per cent by weight, except that Crabb's Burgundy, contrary to expectation, is considerably below, being 9.34 in 1882, which would place it at about 9.50 in 1883. Tannin. On this essential point the table gives most important and gratifying information. Of the list, the Zinfandel and the Mataro of 1883, and the Malbeck and Gamay of 18S2, alone range materially below 10 pro mille; while of those ranging above, the Grosse Blaue, stands highest, with nearly 24 pro mille; the Tannat next with Mataro when grown in 'he climate of Napa. Something may be due to the youth of the vines from which the last named varieties were de- rived; but according to the usual assumption, the difference from that cause should be the other way. Next in importance is doubtless the remark- able quality of the Grosse Blaue, as a wine for blending, imparting both body and tannin in a remarkable degree. Adding to this its low acid, and the fact that the color of this grape is very intense and of a very desirable shade, it cannot fail to become of considerable importance for blending purposes. Chemically it would seem to be the very thing for correcting the high- acid, low-tannin and low-color Zinfandel wines of the valleys. A more detailed consideration of other points would render this bulletin too lengthy, and is reserved for the future; the more as some other series, now in hand, will throw additional light upon the peculiarities of some of the grape varieties concerned. E. W. Hiloard. Berkeley, Aug. 8, I884.