Look back to the future

Wines & Vines, Sept, 2001 by Al Cribari

"Cause of Depression." Up until about this time (September 1931) not much seemed to be said outright about the financial depression that had a grip on most of the world. Until now. In a short article in this edition of The California Grower (now Wines & Vines), the magazine quotes business analysts that, "The present danger is psychological, just a universal condition of the mind that makes everyone afraid to loosen up on credits and spend money." No doubt there was some truth to this, but it is also true that people and corporations and nations had lost tremendous amounts of money. Naturally, "them as had it" were very reluctant to part with it. We must remember also that there were no safety nets to speak of, and when one was laid off there was no income except from available savings. And with many banks going bust, many savings were wiped out. Additionally, with wages and prices declining almost daily, there was little incentive to spend. Additionally, most Savings and Loan organizations had the right to s uspend withdrawals for up to 30 days and under certain conditions for six months. Passbooks could be bought for a small percentage of face value. Money was tight, no?

Interestingly, The California Grower continues in the above mentioned article to say, "If that is true (that the cause of the depression is psychological) it will take an event of national or international importance to divert our minds into other channels, such as the presidential election in November 1932, or the outbreak of another European war." How about that for a prediction?

"No Raisin Surplus." This is a remarkable situation, as far as I can remember. "The holdover of 1930 crop raisins, which was thought to be an unmarketable surplus" has been sold. I suppose the main reason is that the surplus raisin grapes, i.e. Thompsons, were sold fresh as juice grapes, further depressing the market.

"Importance of Soda Fountain Business." Daily sales through soda fountains exceed $4,000,000,000. This is a tremendous sum. No wonder the grape industry salivated every time they thought they had a product that would sell nicely in the soda-pop business.

In 1930, "Carload Shipments of California Grapes" totaled 64,100. That's a lot of wine!

"Grape Prices in the Seventies." Meaning the 1870s, of course. In 1876. "The Mission grape sold in California for from $7.50 to $10 per ton and foreign varieties for from $14 to $18 per ton, and consequently many vineyardists in districts remote from the market turned their hogs into the vineyard to gather the fruit... and the vines were rooted out of many vineyards." In 1878, however, the prices were better and the Mission grape brought from $12 to $14 per ton and the "foreign" varieties from $22 to $26...and during 1880, 1881 and 1882 prices (ranged) from $16 to $22 for Mission and $22 to $35 for other foreign varieties and even as much as $40 per ton for red wine grapes. Multiply these figures by 14 for today's values.

"No. 1 Plant Patent Issued." This (to me) is a very important date. The patent was issued on August 18, 1931, I presume. "It went to a Henry F. Bosenberg, of New Brunswick, New Jersey and is issued to Louis C. Schubert, proprietor of the Somerset Rose Nursery of New Brunswick." The patent covers "a climbing or trailing rose, known as the "New Dawn." The new Plant Patent Act was signed by President Hoover on May 23, 1930. Several grapegrowers are planning to have their new varieties patented. Wonder what New Dawn looked like?

I don't remember much about the 1931 season but I presume this meant that all was going well for the family. Shipping (a branded) concentrate instead of fresh grapes and an increasing amount of altar (aka Sacramental) wine gave us a bit of an edge. It also, apparently, was giving my father lessons in merchandising, which he was to put to good use in a few years.

The September 1951 Wines & Vines is now combined with The Wine Review. What significance this has I don't know.

"Enologists Hold Annual Meeting." This was the second annual open meeting of the American Society of Enologists-ASEV--and my first. It was an eye opener. And still is; great show.

"A.R. Morrow, 'Dean of the California Wine Industry,' Dies." He was 88 and was Wine Institute's (W.I.) first president. A good business friend of my uncle, he was also noted for wine judging ability.

A note from times long passed: "Emerald Green Bottles." Glass manufacturers report "that the recently issued National Production Authority Order M-80, placing cobalt under allocation and prohibiting its use...will not interfere with production of emerald green wine bottles, since...substitutes are available."

Most of the remainder of this 1951 issue is taken up with a report on the ASEV meeting and a fine report of the papers submitted. This was, my children, before the ASEV published its own reports. In the interim, W&V did a priceless job of publishing extracts of these papers.

NINE/1971 is how W&V designates its September '71 issue.

"Inglenook's New Labeling Plan." It's to produce non-Napa and non-premium wines under the Navalle label, thereby increasing volume. I guess it worked pretty well.