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Many did argue for trying them, to see whether any might work. But it was understood that great wine would probably come from great European wine varieties. I have already mentioned the Delmas vines in San Jose. The Pellier brothers, also French nurserymen in that town, arranged an important importation, as did Almaden’s Charles Lefranc, who brought in a huge load of first-rate French vines in 1857. Several Germans, notably Emil Dresel in the Sonoma area and Francis Stock in San Jose, brought in White Riesling, Sylvaner, and Traminer vines before ho!

To the south, sojourn in the east / 17 people such as Prince did keep up hope for years. But New Englanders who drank wine bought it from other climes. 19 The grape-growing fad in New England remained strong through the 1840s. Professionals and serious amateurs exchanged vines and technical information, they held their shows, and they contributed learned papers to the local press and to agricultural journals. By the last half of the decade, the whole set of scholarly and commercial interrelations had become well organized enough for one man to bring it all together in one volume for the interested reader.

Grapes were one of his specialties. Here is a portion of his 1844 catalogue, which lists the table grape varieties he had for sale. Note the last item in the Grapes section, as well as the “Black St. Peter’s” earlier in the list. (Source: Professor William P. ) Then, in the 1880s, vinifera began to reappear at the annual shows. But the varieties were very limited in number, mostly Black Hamburg, Muscat of Alexandria, Syrian, and Muscat of Frontignan. There were a few others, but never a mention of Zinfindal/Zinfandel.