Looking backward into the future

Wines & Vines, May, 1992 by Al Cribari

The lead story for the May, 1922 issue was a pitch for the California Grape Growers' Exchange, written by E.M. Sheehan, president of the co-op. I don't know if this outfit ever worked out but I never heard my folks say anything about it. Thus I would surmise that they didn't "cotton" to it and/or it did not last too long.

An article titled, "THE MEANING OF 'LIGHT WINES,'" gives yet another definition to this phrase. We now use the term "natural wines" to designate the product described in this article, i.e., wines that are the result solely of the natural fermentation of sound, ripe grapes. I wonder what they would have called "light" i.e., low alcohol wines? The term "light" was used to describe low-alcohol wines in the early '30s, when we were promoting "light wines and beers." At that time we used carbonated water to dilute the wines.

In another article, Robert D. Rossi -- the elder -- speaks of, and promotes California wine-grape juice. This of course, is not to be used as is, but rather, as I understand it, was to be used by the "hobby-winemaker" as a substitute for "fresh" grapes. I put fresh in quotes as the grapes were many times not as fresh as the term would usually signify! I am surprised that Rossi's product never seemed to catch on. Much of the "hobby wine" was made in small apartments -- most, probably in cold-water flats. The effort to crush the grapes and dispose of the pumace must have caused much work. So why not use the juice? I don't know. I do know that a concentrated grape juice became very popular as it became available. Beginning, at least in our firm, about 1924-5. Some great ideas just never seem to take off.

More worries about cars -- RR, that is -- for the coming crop. Two articles, in fact. This is also a good time to remind our young people that RR gondola cars were used to deliver grapes to wineries as late as the '30s. This gives some idea of the decline of importance of the railroads and the rise of the trucker.

Oh, yes, Congress finally passed a national "co-operative law." This was quite a victory for the farm block. It, of course, was the basis for the spat of co-op wineries that were formed in the mid-'30s in California.

Another surprising definition; "Any Liquor can be Sacramental Wine." How about that torture of the King's English? But yes, a Mr. Emanuel Schwartz of Scranton, Pa., obtained a permit to withdraw 100 proof rye (what else in PA?) whiskey from government warehouses for sacramental purposes. Yep, the Prohibition Department attempted to revoke the permit but the District Supreme Court found that the Volstead act did not specify the maximum allowable content of alcohol for sacramental wine! Well and good, but how can rye be construed as wine by any stretch of imagination except by an unreasonable thirsty body politic "leaning on" a sympathetic court? Wow.

California Grape Grower bubbles that the Sacramento Bee will soon print an afternoon edition in Fresno, to be called the Fresno Bee. Much to my surprise, the editorial policy was to be Wet. Of course the McClatchy chain was Democratic in party allegiance and this made 'em Wet, I guess Anyway do mark your calendar; you now know when the Fresno Bee first began publication.

Another first; B. Cribari & Sons of San Jose begins to ship (and advertise) the Sonnie Boy brand of grapes. Supposedly, it was a version of me at about six years, that was pictured on the box label (fotos were not used in those days, only sparkling artwork on shiny, hard, coated paper). I believe my dad, who was in NYC trying to sell the grapes, originated the idea. Since it was me that was supposedly the inspiration, this theory has some weight. An interesting sidelight is that the word was spelled "Sonnie" and not "Sunny." I was probably a high school junior before the error was pointed out to me. Puzzled, I asked my dad. Puzzled, he said, "that is the way I spell sunny." Ok? But not bad for a guy that only went to the third grade and to his dying day did his mental arithmetic in Italian. Yes, it had no connection with the Al Jolson song but the "Mammie" boy sure did help plug the brand. Proving that it's better, at times, to be lucky rather than smart. Besides, it was very fashionable to label fresh fruit with a "-- Boy."

The May, 1942 issue was, to me, rather boring. Mostly about rationing of supplies, still capacity, moving stills east (remember the gov'mint was about to seize them to make alcohol for smokeless powder production), dressing up the standard (i.e. "Victory") bottle with a well-designed label etc., etc. My world was much more self-centered. My family and I had just moved back to California. We were still losing the war. Champagne demand was very strong. Cousin Ted and I were still the sole makers but he was reporting for active duty at months end. I was without a draft card (as were all R.O.T.C. cadets). That was beginning to cause a bit of trouble as the casualty figures began to trickle in. Our dad was very ill, our grandfather had just died and my aunt was not at all well. And, of course, our mother was in a constant state of apprehension. Miserable, exciting, unforgettable days.