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WINES
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vital natural phenomena, absolutely essential to the successful
production of the finer wines (proper soil, proper precipitation
and just sufhcient sunshine), are most often present in propor
tion better than elsewhere.
As to soil, the finest table wines are produced from what
appears to the layman to be the poorest soil. Chalky, rocky
hillsides, which seemingly would be fit only for goats, in France,
produce the delectable Yquem, Chablis, Medoc, Champagne and
other world-famous varieties, concerning which volumes be
yond number have been dedicated with deep reverence. In
California markedly comparable types of these justly famous
beverages are produced from ground greatly similar in char
acter.
Just sufficient sunshine and precipitation are the two other
vital ingredients which go to make a vintage crop of wine. Too
much or too little of either of these ingi^edients and the crop is
scratched as vintage. Contra, when these elements hold their
sway,in proper proportion, then another vintage year is written
down in history.
To present a proper understanding of this entrancing sub
ject this publisher now dares to digress, for the nonce, from
the practical, to just over the threshold of the science of wine
production. In other words, why is wine?
All wines are primarily the result of proper fermentation
(formation of alcohol). So-called vintage wines are this and
nothing more. The finer table varieties are blended (mixed) to
a greater or lesser extent, following fermentation, and sweet or
heavy wines are fortified following this natural phenomenon.
Fermentation is a natural occurrence. Any liquid, exposed to
the air, will ferment, but, to secure proper fermentation, as
measured by the combined opinion of most experts upon the
subject, and which opinion seemingly has met with the favor
of the wine-consuming public, certain other elements now must
be considered.
First among these is the cause of fermentation. This