UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA. 
 
 AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 
 
 BUIiliETIN NO. 31. 
 
 [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.] 
 
 Examination of Trousseau and Burger 
 Wines. 
 
 Trousseau. 
 
 It is well understood that among the more 
 important problems to be solved on behalf of. 
 California viticulture is the determination of 
 the proper blends for the Zinfandel grape; of 
 which, on account of its uniform and vigorous 
 productiveness, so large a proportion has been 
 planted, while the very pronounced peculiarities 
 of its wine stand in the way of its taking a high 
 rank among clarets when unblended. 
 
 Among the grape varieties best adapted for 
 the purpose of overcoming the too pronounced j 
 characters of the Zinfandel, the Trousseau has 
 been prominently mentioned. There is no ques- 
 tion that in several cases this blend has been re- 
 markably successful; perhaps more decidedly so 
 than any except the Grossblaue. But in others 
 it has been unsatisfactory; and it is of consider- 
 able interest to determine the cause of this dif- 
 ference, since the Trousseau when properly 
 pruned is a good bearer and its wine imparts to 
 blends a desirable delicacy. Below are given 
 the results of the analyses of several authentic 
 Trousseau wines, that throw some light on the 
 question : 
 
 Acid. . 
 
 S igar by 
 Swindle . 
 
 • CO o 
 
 • — co 
 
 • lO CO 
 
 Acid as Tar- 
 taric 
 
 ifi o o ^ 10 
 
 rj- o CC l> X 
 
 O iO TP ^ "3* 
 
 Ash 
 
 Tt« oo cs os 
 
 CO CN *± 
 ^ CO CO CO 
 
 Tannin 
 
 'MO-CC 
 pH O O O O 
 
 Alcohol. 
 
 By Vol. 
 
 © © 00 CO 
 
 h o »-i a t> 
 
 CO CO <N -h CO 
 
 By W'ht 
 
 10.63 
 11.15 
 
 9.78 
 
 11.23 
 
 Body 
 
 os ^ co © 
 
 OCDOIMO 
 CO CM CO CM CM 
 
 Vintage. . . . 
 
 CO CO rt* 
 GO CO CO CO 00 
 00 CO CO CO CO 
 
 t §r > g 5 
 
 g © S 5 • 
 
 *t3 m 
 
 w CO os © 
 i.o ^ co 
 
 (NMO CO 
 C C Q 
 S CO CM CO 
 
 CM 
 
 o co —> - 
 
 OS — < — ' >— 
 
 t-^ OS 00 OS 
 
 CM CM O ^ 
 <-H CM CO CM 
 
 O W ^ 
 
 oo oo co oo co oo 
 
 00 00 00 oo 00 00 
 
 td a b 
 
 " CO 00 
 
 . <U OS P 
 
 ~ji m co 
 
 alii 
 
 JZ c8 eft O 
 
 It will be noted that except in the case of 
 Denicke's 1883, from Fresno, the tannin per- 
 centage of these wines are very small, and far 
 below those required for standard clarets. The 
 
same is true, as has heretofore been shown, of 
 the Zinfandels grown in the coast range valley 
 lands; while those from the hill lands, and 
 seemingly also those from the San Joaquin 
 valley, have a larger supply of tannin. It is in 
 a great measure the lack of tannin that leaves 
 the somewhat sharp acid of the Zinfandels so 
 unpleasantly prominent; and when this is reme- 
 died, as in the hill Zinfandels it is naturally, 
 or as it is in blends with Grossblaue, Crabb's 
 Burgundy or other tannin-bearing grapes, that 
 sharpness vanishes, although the peculiar flavor 
 of the Zinfandel still comes out. The Trousseau 
 overcomes the latter to a remarkable extent, 
 but the blend can be satisfactory only on con- 
 dition that the tannin deficiency is remedied at 
 the same time. 
 
 The practical inference is obvious that, in 
 blending Trousseau with Zinfandels, care should 
 
 Elbling+ and the Sultana,from the same locality 
 (San Gabriel) as one of the Burger wines. 
 
 The first in the above list is perhaps an ex- 
 treme example of the character of the Burger 
 wines in the cooler parts of the State. The 
 body and ash are extraordinarily low, as is the 
 alcohol percentage for California at least; while 
 the acid is quite full, for a white wine especi- 
 ally. Yet this wine, by an oversight is left to 
 itself under very adverse circumstances, has 
 kept, and has acquired' a respectable bouquet. 
 The same, by the way, is true of a white wine 
 made from Charbono in the same year, whose 
 alcohol percentage is actually two per cent 
 lower than that of the Burger; proving that 
 certain wines will keep in our coast climate 
 despite what is commercially considered an in- 
 admissibly low content of spirit.* 
 
 , ' , . I The Fresno Burgers of 1883 and 1884 range 
 
 be taken not to join two products having the clogel together in ° e8 pect to alcohol percent 
 same deficiency. Thus, a hill Zinfandel would | 
 probably make a satisfactory blend with a 
 Trousseau like Denicke's, without any third in- 
 gredient. But such as those from Livermore, 
 Cupertino, or Santa Cruz mountains, would 
 evidently need some third, heavily tannin -bear- 
 ing wine, in order to make an acceptable blend; 
 the more as the Trousseau carries, as will be 
 seen, a pretty full supply of acid, though not 
 of as sharp a quality as is that of the Zinfandel. 
 
 Another practical inference is that in order 
 to give to the Trousseau at least as much tannin 
 as the grape can supply, it should be allowed 
 to remain on the skins as long as is compatible 
 with other considerations; such as exposure to 
 acetification, to contamination from unsound 
 grapes, etc. 
 
 On the other hand, it as clear that the Trous- 
 seaus poor in tannin would blend particularly well 
 with the highly tannin bearing Zinfandels of 
 Fresno, whose relative lack of acid in ordinary 
 years, would also thereby be compensated. 
 
 In regard to body and alcoholic strength, the 
 Trousseau wines agree very nearly with the 
 Zinfandels from the same localities. They do 
 not, in these respects, or as regards tannin, 
 show any Bpecial adaptation for port wines; al- 
 though the Trousseau has thus far been ac- 
 counted among the best for this purpose. It is 
 probable that the true port wine grapes, lately 
 introduced into the State, will hereafter take 
 precedence wherever good ports are desired. 
 
 Burger. 
 
 The Burger is understood to be a grape of the 
 northern region of the wine belt of Europe, and 
 the grape passing in California under that name 
 has usually been associated, both in the vine- 
 yards and cellars, with the (true) Riesling*, and 
 the Gutedel or Chasselas. Like some others of 
 like climatic habits it has, however, been also 
 carried to the hotter parts of the State, notably 
 to Fresno and San Gabriel. It is interesting to 
 note the changes wrought in the character of 
 the grape and wine by this transposition, and 
 the analyses given in the table above afford an 
 insight into the matter,albeit the representation 
 is not as complete as could be desired for prac- 
 tical purposes. For farther comparison are sub- 
 ioined the analyses of wines from the Blue 
 
 age, and that from San Gabriel scarcely differs 
 materially. They run a little above 9 per cent, 
 by weight or 11 by volume and considering the 
 latitude in which they were grown, are cer- 
 tainly light; wines; yet they are known to be of 
 good keeping qualities, and with their full but 
 not excessive or unpleasant acid, are sure to 
 improve with age — as experience has shown to 
 be the case. 
 
 The southern Burgers have a considerably 
 heavier body than that from Napa. Barton's 
 1S84 runs so high in this respect as to be even 
 with the Zinfandels, and has a deeper color than 
 is usually seen; perhaps in consequence of a 
 slight fermentation of the must on the skins. 
 
 Few probably will expect the Burger to yield 
 a high- class wine anywhere. But being a pro- 
 lific bearer, easily fermented, and a good keeper, 
 it seems eminently adapted to the production of 
 light and pleasant second and third-class wines 
 which may be consumed as are the country 
 wines in Europe, without any risk of intoxica- 
 tion — an excellent substitute for the fiery, 
 heady Mission wines of yore. The uses of the 
 Burger in carrying other musts safely through 
 their fermentation sre too well known to need 
 comment. 
 
 The Elbling of San Gabriel, though a light- 
 bodied wine like the Burger, and quite full in 
 acid also, is much more alcoholic and of a dif- 
 ferent type. « 
 
 The extraordinarily high body of the Sultana 
 from the same locality, together with its high 
 alcohol percentage, places it in the same cate- 
 gory as West's Prolific, Feher Szagos, etc. 
 But, as will appear from other analyses made, 
 its composition differs enormously in different 
 localities. E. W. Hilgard. 
 
 Berkeley, Jan. 29, 1885. 
 
 tit is greatly to be desired that before the misnomers 
 become inveterate, the so-called Riesling of Freano 
 should be known and called only by its proper name of 
 "Chauche Gris;" it being more nearly related to the 
 Chasselas. Again, the "Blue Alba" should be called. 
 "Elbling," as it has no relation to the Italian island of 
 Elba, but to the German river Elbe, and is a northern 
 grape. 
 
 *Most of the wines made in 1880 at the Viticultural 
 Laboratory range lower in alcohol than the average of 
 1 succeeding years.