Page:The Tourist's California by Wood, Ruth Kedzie.djvu/80

 58 THE TOURIST'S CALIFORNIA In 1848 there was near the Ciudad de Los Angeles a vineyard having 30,000 vines which produced 1000 barrels of wine and 300 barrels of aguar- diente a year. The Madeira, says a writer of that day, was very superior, " the vino tinto execra- ble." Southern California, having a climate like that of Southern Spain, was then and has always been best suited to the production of sweet wines : Port, Angelica, Madeira, Malaga, Tokay, Musca- tel, Sherry. From the Russian River section of Sonoma County come the choice dry wines of the Sauterne, Burgundy, Bordeaux, Medoc, Rhine and Moselle type, these wines needing more natural moisture than dessert and tonic whines. The present prosperous state of California viti- culture dates from the year 1860 when a capable commissioner was appointed by the legislature to visit European wine districts and select varieties best adapted to the California soil. Thousands of cuttings were distributed by the State Agri- culture Society. In 1880, the phylloxera vasta- trix began its scourge of the vineyards so labo- riously developed. Resistant wild vines were then planted, the various European cuttings being grafted on them. Zinfandel is the vin ordinaire of California tables. It is a light, very dry claret supposedly of Hun- garian stock and is sold for 25 to 40 cents a quart