June 26 2006
At the beginning of Chapter II, Dufour wraps up his chapter I narrative that detailed his travels in the states and review of vines and winemaking operations--all of them had largely met with failure. Chapter II begins with his review of his failed operation in Kentucky, before moving to Indiana to again try to create a grape-growing and winemaking operation.
The American Vine-Dresser’s Guide
John James Dufour
Pages 22-25
Chapter II
Divers attempts at vineyards in the United States, viz.--at Monticello--Spring Mill near Philadelphia--at Carol Manor near Baltimore—near the Susquehannah, in the vicinity of Middletown -Fate of them all with the exceptions--.Cape grapes,the only one reared near Vevay; prejudice against those grapes, and description—Coarse grapes and bad apples often make the best Wine or Cider—Spirituous quality of Wine—Sexes of Vine--Wild being of the Dioeciae family and the Tame Hermaphrodite of the Potendria Monogenia family of Lineus.--Wild American vines, found also in Europe—Description of the blossoms of both sorts—Burgundy grapes planted at the Cape of Good Hope, underwent a great change—Expectation of an amelioration of our climate--Obstacles met by the first vine-dressers in Indiana—Home-made wine, will in time stop the distillation of grain.—Vineyard Association at Philadelphia—New Mexico vineyards—Madeira grapes.
The various attempts at vineyards that I heard of, which I went to see, at Monticello, President Jefferson’s place; which, in 1799, I perceived had been abandoned, or left without any care for three or four years before which proved evidently, that it had not been profitable: At Spring Mill, on the Schuylkill, near Philadelphia, planted by Mr. Legaux, a French gentleman, and afterwards supported by a wealthy Society formed by subscription, at that City, for the express purpose of trying to extend the culture of the grape. I saw that Vineyard in 1796, 1799 and 1808.
On the estate of Mr.Caroll, of Carollton, below Baltimore, in Maryland; whither I went on purpose from Philadelphia in 1796, there was a small vineyard kept by a French vinedresser, and where they had tried a few sorts of the indigenous grapes.
At the Southern Liberties of Philadelphia, I saw in 1806, a plantation of a large assortment of the best species of French grapes which a French vinedresser had brought over the Atlantic. They were at their 2nd or 3d years: they had not been attacked by the sickness: their nursery was yet full of hope.—In 1796, I saw also, near the Susquehannah river, not far from Middletown, a vineyard that had- been planted by a German; but who having died some time before, the vineyard had been wholly neglected. I. was told, it had produced some wine but it had suffered so much dilapidation, that I could not recognize the species of grapes. And at last the trial we made in Kentucky, in 1799, under the auspices of an Association made similar, and for the same purpose as that of Philadelphia, before stated, with 35 different species of best grapes, procured from different parts of the world, but principally from the gardens of New York and Philadelphia.
M. Legaux’s vineyard, and a nursery lately established near Baltimore by Mr. Kewster; all shared the same fate; being destroyed by the sickness above spoken of except about one hundred plants that I got from the few that were prosperous at Spring mill vineyard, that we have called Cape grapes, because Mr. Legaux certified having received them from the Cape of Good Hope, and with which we the Swissers have made our subsequent and prosperous plantation near Vevay, on the borders of the Ohio, in Switzerland County, State of Indiana, and which must have now spread much through the country: for we have sent, and have to send abroad a great quantity of the scions every year.
I have drank some good wine made from these Cape grapes, near Glasgow, in the barrens of Kentucky: and I have no doubt but the same grape is the one which succeeds best with the Harmonites, near the Wabash in the State of Indiana: and I doubt if any other sort will do well with the French at Demopolis, in the State of Alabama; but they will meet with the same fate as all those I have yet seen on any other. As no things in this world,—be it good and useful as it may—but has met with enemies when first introduced: The cape grape has been slandered and cryed down to a mere wild grape. It is true, that it is a very coarse grape, unfit for table use, for those who have eaten the best sort in Europe, or who can get a better one. It has a very thick skin and pulp, but the juice is very sweet, when perfectly ripe and has the taste of the strawberry, which gives a fine perfume to the wine; such as made the President Jefferson say, that there was no other such tasted wine within his knowledge in the world.---It requires, about twelve pounds of grapes to produce a gallon of clear wine, they are similar, as to roughness and thickness of skin, with the grapes from which wine is made in the warm countries of Europe, where they distinguish the fruit by the respective appellations of wine grapes, and table grapes; the former being commonly too coarse to be pleasing at a dessert, and the other …
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