The wine world's people

Wines & Vines, July, 1999 by Philip E. Hiaring, Larry Walker

Many readers know Wines & Vines is marking its 80th anniversary in December. In that light, we thought we'd take a look back at some of the people who have helped make the grape and wine industry what it is today. Sadly, of course, some of these people have left us. Phil Hiaring and Larry Walker collaborated on this list, which is in alphabetical order.

Leon D. Adams. The mastermind behind the founding - and operation - of Wine Institute and the Wine Advisory Board, Leon - Uncle Leon - was a mentor to many. He was known for his pipe and bow ties, but also for his shrewd knowledge of propaganda. He wanted to wean Americans from spirits to wine and worked determinedly in that area. He was an author as well, penning The Wines of America, Commonsense Book of Wine and a book (now out of print, but in my library), on striped bass fishing in California and Oregon.

Leon also founded the U.S. chapter of the Medical Friends of Wine; for that matter, he also ghost-wrote many of Dr. Sal Lucia's books (I told Leon I could recognize his style anywhere). He also edited several editions of Wines & Vines, though few knew this.

"L. David", as he announced himself on the phone, died at 90 in 1995. He was honored at a celebration of life in San Francisco that September.

P.E.H.

Maynard A. Amerine. The late professor emeritus from the University of California at Davis was a scholar, author and world traveler fluent in several languages. He was an authority on sensory evaluation - in fact, in a March 1989 cover story - writer John Hutchison had a quote that said Amerine practically invented it! Like Adams, Amerine was named "Wine Man of the Year" by this magazine. Among his books were, co-authored with Maynard Joslyn, Table Wines. He joined the Davis faculty in 1935 and retired in 1974. Dr. Amerine had a particular way of signing his letters or in his telephone calls: he'd start off "Hiaring, Amerine." You knew who that was!

P.E.H.

Frank Bartholomew. "Bart" was a newsman, once president of United Press Int'l., who resurrected Buena Vista winery in Sonoma. That was in 1941, long before wine's salad days. Actually, at the purchase he didn't know the property he bought had been established - and failed - by Agoston Haraszthy. Bart and his wife, Antonia, reopened the famous tunnels near central Sonoma and replanted vineyards. Today, Buena Vista wines are made off of Ramal Road in the Carneros.

P.E.H.

Frederic Bioletti. A University of California scientist, pre-Davis, he was a viticulturist who first divided California into climatic zones. He joined the university (at Berkeley) in 1889 and taught such luminaries as A.J. "Wink" Winkler and William Cruess. Around the turn of the century, Dr. Bioletti, who was English despite his name, suggested Oregon could grow some wine cultivars, but pre-prohibition fervor curtailed any action on his recommendations.

P.E.H.

Charles Carpy. A California wine industry pioneer, Carpy was born in France and came to California in the 1860s. In 1894 he bought the existing Greystone Winery which became part of the California Wine Association, a company which dominated the production and sale of California wine until prohibition. He also operated the "Uncle Sam" winery and his grandson, the late Charles A. Carpy, was a partner in the restoration of Freemark Abbey winery.

L.W.

Joseph Ciatti. Joe is well-known as the major wine broker in the business, with offices in San Rafael, Calif. A grandfather started Geyser Peak Winery in 1934. Once located in front of the Four Monks vinegar plant on Montgomery Street in San Francisco, Joseph W. Ciatti Co. (formerly Robert W. Salles Co.) now has offices in Santiago, Chile, Montpellier; France and Mendoza, Argentina. When located on Montgomery, Joe's clothes, what with the vinegar fumes, made him smell like a salad! The best vinegar, to me, was the 70 grain.

P.E.H.

The Concannons. Grandfather James founded the winery in 1883, and made, principally, altar wines from vines imported from France. Altar wine sales kept the winery afloat during prohibition. Known for white wines James Concannon also introduced better wine grapes to Mexico under Porfirio Diaz. Today, a top-seller for the Livermore winery is Petite Sirah. Grandson Jim Concannon remains at the winery.

P.E.H.

Darrell Corti. A leading wine and food educator, Corti, based in Sacramento, played an important role in the modern development of the Sierra foothills region as a premium winegrowing district. His often controversial opinions have been a stimulant to the U.S. wine industry for decades.

L.W.

Beniamino Cribari. The Cribari name is widely-known and well-respected in the American wine industry. In 1904 Beniamino Cribari and his brothers planted grapes in the Santa Clara Valley. The business expanded during prohibition, shipping grapes to home wine-makers. After Repeal, the family business expanded and controlled a number of wineries and thousands of acres of grapes in the Central Valley.

L.W.

Jack and Jamie Davies. The late Jack Davies and his wife, Jamie, re-established the old Schram winery near Calistoga in 1965 as Schramsberg. Among the chores: to rid the caves, dug by Chinese workers, of bats. Then they went about creating a first-rate methode champenoise champagne. The couple had been wine fans and members of the Wine and Food Society and had been involved financially with Martin Ray. Schramsberg, among other things, was the first to use Chardonnay in their champagne! The winery scored a breakthrough in 1972 when then-president Nixon took its wine to a diplomatic meeting in China.