Fraternity-Testvériség, 1958 (36. évfolyam, 1-11. szám)
1958-02-01 / 2. szám
FRATERNITY 11 This was the first such association in the State, and it aimed high. “The objects of the Society”, said the constitution, “shall be to encourage grape and wine producing in the State, and to discourage and expose all attempts at the adulteration of California wines or brandies.” Figures exchanged at the convention showed that in 1862 Los Angeles and Anaheim easily led in wine production. Sonoma was gaining, but because it could so readily sell its grapes fresh in San Francisco it had not produced that year more than 40,000 gallons of wine. Among individual planters of grapes, Haraszthy was clearly the largest. By now the possibilities of the wine industry had caught the interest of San Francisco bankers. They had money to invest. Why not see Colonel Haraszthy? They found Haraszthy receptive. His swift, large-scale development of Buena Vista had been costly. He had been forced to mortgage parts of the property, and was burdened with high rates of interest. He had 400 acres in grapes now; to plant thousands of acres more, as he planned, and tend them till bearing time, would require huge new capital. A deal was made. On March 27, 1863, the Buena Vista Vinicultural Society was incorporated by Haraszthy and eight others, with behind-the- scenes backing by William C. Ralston and other chance-taking capitalists At that time no corporation might hold more than 1,440 acres of land, but the Legislature enacted a special exception allowing the society to take over, for development, the Buena Vista estate of about 6,000 acres. The society capitalized itself at $600,000, or 6,000 shares. For the estate it paid Haraszthy 2,600 shares and agreed to pay the mortgages. The remaining shares were to be sold to the public at $80 each. A prospectus outlined ambitious plans: By 1870, 3,500 acres in vineyard. Other crops besides grapes. Increasing production. In 1873 a wine production of 2,260,000 gallons; brandy, 100,000 gallons; vinegar, 95,000. Profits rising from an estimated $84,415 in 1863 to $341,000 for the year 1873. These goals were never reached, but Haraszthy was eager to try for them. He was a trustee of the new society, and was placed on a salary to serve as superintendent. In the first year he planted more vines; built a new stable for 50 horses; enlarged the stone press-house; laid a three- quarter-mile water system with three-inch pipe; excavated three more hillside tunnels for wine storage, and started a new stone building to be used for the production of Champagne. Arpad Haraszthy, who had studied the art at Epernay, was to be the Champagne master. Arpad and his wine-growing brother Attila were married on June 1, 1863, to two of the daughters of General Mariano G. Vallejo, both Sonoma belles; this brought the two fathers, old rivals as wine men, closer together, and they joined in wishing luck to Arpad. Vallejo’s own winemaster had managed to produce some sparkling wine about two years earlier, and the General knew the difficulties. In that fall of 1863, Arpad succeeded with his first experiment and then with a second — a few dozen bottles each. Samples' shown at the 1863 State Fair — the only Champagne exhibited there — won an honorary diploma. But when Arpad tried larger lots, he failed. In California in those days only the wine of the Mission grape was ever used in
