UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA. AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. ^ BULLETIN NO. 9. Examination of Zinfandel Wines. It is well known that few grape varieties yield, by themselves, the most desirable wines; and this is most especially true of red wines. Outside of California, probably all red wines in market are the results of blends of two or more varieties, which compensate more or less each other's deficiencies, so as to produce a harmoni- ous whole agreeable to the palate. In the old countries, the desirable blends have long been settled by experience. In California, the art of blending has hardly begun to be practiced systematically and advisedly on the large scale, and the random practice of wine dealers has not, on the whole, been fruitful of results approved by the taste of connoisseurs, as is apparent from the fact that so little California wine is con- sumed under its own name. Several intelligent wine producers have here- tofore entered upon the investigation of the problem of blends, by using wines* made of one variety only, so as to deduce more or less fixed rules. Excellent results have thus been achieved; but apart from the natural reticence of the parties concerned, the fact that different localities necessitate blends different in kind and proportions, materially limits the utility of the experience so gained. Chemical analysis cannot replace the trained palate of the wine-taster; but it can aid him ma- terially in pointing the way towards the attain- ment of the desired qualities, by determining the prominent chemical peculiarities of each grape variety, and of the wines made therefrom . It is to this end that the work of the viticultural laboratory has mainly been directed, and the annual reports heretofore published contain a mass of data, which, however, could not lead to definite general results on account of being too limited in regard to the localities, number of grape varieties and vintages embraced therein. In this, the third year of its work, discussion begins to be possible, and the tables given below present the main points of theanalyses of 18 wines made from one of the most important grape va- rieties, the "Zinfandel," whose prolific bearing, adaptation to short pruning, and yield of a fairly satisfactory product in all parts of the State, have secured to it the lion's share of nearly all the vineyards planted in late years. RED ZINFANDEL WINES. roNTIiimTOE I. DeTurk . I. DeTurk .... Chas Krug. . . H. W. Crabb. (t. Husmann.. (1. Husuiaau. . *George West. J. Gallegos... J. Gallegos.. *F. T. Eiseu.. R. Barton D. Dmiuesne. Sherman LOCALITY. = 5 ? ? I ft s 1 o II Santa Rosa. . . Santa Rosa. . . St. Helena Oakville Talcoa, Napa. Talcoa Viny'd. Stockton . . . . Mission S. J. . Mission S. J. . Fresno Fresno Fresno El C'ajon 1. 2 1880 2.383 10 "881 3.007 10 1880 2.000 9 1882 2.310 9 1881 2.710 10 1882 '{.HO 8 1881 2.575 11 1881 3.190 11 1882 2.940 10 18S3 2.690 11 1883 3.465 9 .... 4.115 12 1883 2 715 10 . 3. .26 12.70 .67 13.20 .20 11 4i, 91 12.36 67 13.20 62 to. 72 57 14 20 6!. 14.30 81 13 27 20 13.70 92 12.36 is ifr.ao 07 12.50 4. 5. 6S0 .... .675 'CS .390 SS -570 .... 478 067 .660 .063 437 .041 .730 .079 .590 .050 .435 .129 .438 .102 558 .154 .615 *Frorn grapes sent to the laboratory by the producers. The rest are samples sent ready made, but with assurance of their authenticity. The figures of the above table show some re- markable relations amongst themselves as well as in comparison with the analyses of other wines, both California and foreign. As regards, first, the "Solid Contents," column 1, the figures all show a good, in some cases a heavy " body,"* all but one ranging above 2 per cent, three above 3, and one, from Fresno, even above 4 per cent. This places the average above that of clarets, and approaching that of Burgundies. Napa valley shows the lowest figures (2.0 to 2.3 per cent), Fresno, in two wines, the highest (3.46 and 4.12). The two next highest percentages come from Mis- sion San Jose (2.94 and 3.19), and with them an even 3.0 from Santa Rosa, vintage 1S81, while from the same locality we have in 1880 only 2.38 per cent. Vintage 1881, again, shows a high body in the cases of the Talcoa vineyard and of Mission San Jose. Curiously enough, the Cajon valley of San Diego, 1883, stands even with' Eisen's vineyard, Fresno, of the same year, and also with Talcoa vineyard, Xaua, 1881. Taking the averages of the different vintages represented, there appears clearly enough an increase of "body" to southward; yet Santa Rosa and Talcoa rise considerably above the Napa valley, and Mission San Jose above Stockton. • Note. — "Light-bodied" wines range from 1 2 to 1.5 I per cent of solid contents. I Alcoholic Strength. In this respect, also, the maximum (15.20) oc- curs at Fresuo, the minimum (10.67) in the Tal- coa vineyard, Xapa, in 1882. St. Helena and Oakville conlirm this indication for Xapa, al- though the valley wines range higher than that from the hills. The average for the four Napa wines is 11.93; that of the two Santa Ilosa vin- tages, 12.95; of the two from Mission San Jose, 13.79; three from Fresno, 13.75. El Cajon, far to southward, again ranges with Napa and' So- noma ( Santa Rosa), and Stockton with Fresno. While it is true that the alcoholic strength is liable to vary very greatly according to the will and practice of the producer, yet the general tendency has been to produce the most alco- holic wines, because thus far they are most sought by wine merchants. Hence, after al). these indications must be accounted as approxi- mately correct in representing well matured grapes. The general result is that in alcoholic strength the Zinfandel wines range not inconsiderably above the average of French clarets, again ap- proaching more nearly to the Burgundies. j Tannin. This important feature has not, unfortu- nately, been determined for all the wines ana- lyzed in former years, but so far as the deter- minations go, the results are sufficiently definite and striking. In estimating their meaning it should be kept in mind that the average of French clarets ranges from about 18 to 20 pro milk (0.20 per cent. ) Of all the wines here tabu- lated, only one — that from the Cajon valley, San Diego county — nearly approaches that amount, with 15.4 pro mille ; next come two wines from Fresno, with 12.9 and 10.2 pro mille. Next highest is the vintage 1882 of Mission San Jose, with 7.9 pro mille, and the Talcoa vineyard, Napa, with (i.7. Alongside of the latter comes the striking fact of two wines of different years, from St. Helena and Oakville, in the Napa val- ley, which have so little tannin that the presence of the substance can be recognized, but not readily quantitatively determined. That great annual and local variations occur in this respect, also, is apparent from the comparison of Eisen's wine with that of Barton, both of Fresno, and of the two wines from Mission San Jose, one of which shows only half the amount of tannin contained in the other. Yet the general con- clusion that tannin increasas to the southward, and that it is deficient in the Zinfandels of Napa valley, can hardly be avoided. This alone conveys most important hints in re- gard to the kinds of grapes needed for blending in the several localities. The Cajon and Fresno need not look for much more tannin ; Napa must regard wines rich in tannin as the greatest need in blending its Zinfandels. Acid. As regards the acid, also, the table furnishes much food for reflection. The valleys — St. He- lena, Stockton and Fresno — show low acid; the slopes and rolling lands, a higher amount. In this connection it should be especially noted, that a proper proportion of tannin is essential [in overcoming the somewhat sharp acidity of the Zinfandels, which tend, in the hill lands, to rise above the standard average of six pro mille. For comparison with the above series, it is interesting to note the composition of "second crop" wines, that is, made of grapes only just ripe, but not "full-ripe." The subjoined table gives the composition of two such wines: SECOND CROP ZINFANDEL WINKS. CONTRIBUTOR LOCALITY. Natoiua Co. . . Folsom H883 J. Gallegos . . . Mission S. J. . 1883 is ALCOHOL. s 1 K Volui 9 rt 8.18 8.13 10.60 10.20 it .810 .700 Comparing these wines with the general "run" of the main-crop Zinfandels in the first table, the differences are sufficiently apparent, especially where, as in the sample from Mission San Jose, a direct comparison can be made. As it may fairly be presumed that the Folsom wine would, on the whole, resemble the wines from Stockton and Talcoa vineyard, the out- come might be thus stated: Light body, light alcoholic strength, little tannin, much acid — a material fit, in general, for blending only, as it does not seem to develop much bouquet. It thus appears that, as our best wine experts have long contended, no one locality thus far represented will yield a true claret from Zin- fandels alone. Of all, the Cajon valley wine comes nearest to such a composition; but until that product shall have acquired some age, its merits cannot be definitely determined. The great bulk of ^11 Zinfandels in the State will need to be blended, and the blends must vary considerably with the locality. In fact, it is plain that the Zinfandel is not a true claret grape; but there can be no doubt that it will lend itself to the preparation of exceedingly acceptable red wines, under whatever name. Perhaps its adaptation to white wines deserves more serious attention than has heretofore been bestowed upon it. The subjoined table shows the differences between red and white wines prepared from the same lots of grapes in the viticultural laboratory. CO XTIil r;l"l'oJt LOCALITY. R ) Natoma Co. Folsom .. 2d crop. W J E) I Geo. West . . - Stockton W ) R) I (18 Chas. Krug - St. Helena. . - W ) I 18 no ALCOHOL. Tan Acid i as To 3 1 S a B' Contents j r Volume | ( Weight. calculated rtaric 2.060 8.4810.60 .035 .810 1.880 8.9811.25 .548 2.575 11.57 14.20 .063 .437 2.060 11.41 14.10 .420 2.000 9.20 11.46 .390 1.800 9.34 11.54 .600 It will be noted that there is no material dif- ference in the alcohol percentages of the red and white wines; but the latter have less body, of course less tannin, and in general less acid than the red. To the latter rule there is a con- spicuous and unexplained exception in the case of Mr. Krug's wine.— The white Zinfandel wines often develop a very agreeable bouquet, and in any case form an excellent material for blending with lighter wines. It is extremely desirable that the data regard- ing this important grape should be greatly mul- tiplied, and all those having in their possession authentic, unmixed samples of wines made from this, or other grapes cultivated in California, would help the progress of rational wine-making in the State by transmitting to the University fully labeled samples of not less than two bottles of the same, for examination. Berkeley, April % 1884. E. W. HlLGAKD.