The University of California and Early Wine Research

The University of California began to take asymbolical "son", that son is Dr. Maynard Amerine.
serious interest in viticulture. In the fall of 1880Ever since his student days at the university's
the legislature appropriated $3,000 for research inexperimental station Dr. Amerine has rushed from
enology at Berkeley, including the construction ofone end of the State to the other, at harvest
a brick cellar on the campus.time, collecting all the principal species of wine
An early report to the president of the universitygrapes. From wine made of them he and the
by Dean Hilgard, Professor of Agriculture, is filledother members of the staff finally arrived at the
with timely advice to vintners even now, moreresults Col. Haraszthy knew could be achieved so
than fifty years after its writing:long ago. Dr. Amerine's report first appeared in
"I have heretofore suggested that this peculiarity1943, with further findings detailed in a university
(high alcohol and less acid) might, in a measure, bepublication in 1944.
modified by not allowing the grape to become asThe vine cuttings that Col. Haraszthy secured in
'dead ripe' as is usually done. This would tend toEurope for "experimental, supervised planting in
increase the acid at the expense of the sugar,various sections of the State" had come from
which is in excess at best, thus producing thevineyards where they had been propagated for
excessive headiness for which California wines arethousands of years. Each of those famous wine
thus far noted. The vintners object to this coursecommunities had learned which varieties produced,
on the ground of the European precedent,in their soil and climate, the best wine. They
according to which every additional day of sun isspecialized in that particular species. Bordeaux is
accounted so much gain to the quality of theknown to everyone as the home of fine Claret
wine. But what is true in the cloudy climate ofand the finest Clarets are invariably made with
Europe is not, therefore, necessarily true in sunnyCabernet Sauvignon grapes. The celebrated Cote
California."d'Or of Burgundy, which boasts of Romanee
Continuous research in both field and laboratoryConti, Richebourg, Clos Vougeot, and Chambertin,
was conducted and annual reports were issued byis planted with the black and velvety Pinot Noir
the university, which was constantly enlarging itsspecies. The experimentation that brought these
scope of activity. Phylloxera, the plant louse thatvines to these locales antedates any recording of
had killed the French vineyards in the fifties andagriculture in those lands.
sixties, attacked California vineyards in the"It may take us," Col. Haraszthy had said, "a
eighties. Native American root stock had beenhundred years to find out where these vines
shipped to France because it wasshould be planted in California."
phylloxera-resistant; the more delicate vitis viniferaTo that task the University Of California
European species there were grafted onto ourDepartment Of Viticulture has been pledged for
hardy native vines. And now we had to do themany years. A vine must be at least five years
same thing here, with the vitis vinifera speciesold before it bears a proper crop. Some species
Haraszthy and others had imported and planted.do not mature or show their full quality until they
This was the time when California's wealth wasare eight or ten years old. A minimum of three
beginning to assert itself in the vineyards, whenyears must elapse before a wine can be judged
Stanford and others of his prestige took personalfor its qualities as a beverage. Seasons vary.
concern in the future of this particular agriculturalSome red wines, such as Tempranillo, require at
endeavor. In 1880 a special agency was createdleast three years in wood and two in glass to
in the State government, a Board of Viticultureround out their full virtues. Thus a minimum of
Commissioners. The Commission undertookfrom eight to fifteen years is required to test the
experimental work with vines to determinevalue of one planting.
adaptability of climate and soil to various species.Now the right vines and the right places have
It established a special Department of Enologybeen matched. But like anything new or
and Viticulture in the College of Agriculture atrevolutionary, general acceptance must wait.
Davis, where research and teaching continues toChange is not accomplished merely through the
the present day.knowledge of the benefits that may be derived.
It is possible to see how each event is linked toChange in vineyard planting involves sacrifice of
the next only in viewing the parade of historyincome from bearing vines. Not every vintner is
from a distance. The fine wines that are made inimpressed with the idea of quality or of an
California today, though in a measure dating backultimate destiny for California as an incomparable
to Cortez, in truth come from the personalwineland. "What was good enough for my father .
efforts of Col. Haraszthy. He is justly known as. ." keeps many a vineyard in the mediocre
the "father of California viticulture" and if he had acategory of wine production.