REVIEW OF THE WINE AND SPIRIT TRADE OF NEW-YORK, FOR THE YEAR 1904. THE history of the wine and spirit trade in this country for 1904 is not altogether a cheerful one. The depression in our business, which became noticeable in the latter part of 1903, continued through the first half of the year just past. The business with foreign countries was greater than ever before, and promises to keep up well in this year. The outlook is very favorable, the depression having seemingly been most marked about July, since when a decided improvement has been manifested. No event of great moment to the trade has occurred during the year. Perhaps if one thing has caused greater anxiety to the trade than another it has been the action of the Department of Agriculture in imposing undigested regulations concerning the purity of beverages upon the trade. - Bordeaux and Burgundy Wines. It is gratifying to notice a slight increase in the demand for these excellent wines in glass throughout the country. While we are not a wine-drinking nation, and while the demand for the wines of the Gironde has increased for some years past, it is to be hoped that a change will come over the taste of our people which will lead to a larger consumption of them. The agitation concerning the pure food question has doubtless had some effect in curtailing the consumption of such wines in this country. Last year the advisability was suggested to the merchants in Bordeaux undertaking collectively a campaign to educate the public to the use of wines. The wine growers of this country are agitating the question of such a campaign, and any work done in these lines by either side will be to the advantage of both. The people of this country are not, as a rule, wine drinkers, the consumption being confined almost entirely to large centers of population. But could the average person be induced to take a glass of wine with his meals, undoubtedly a very healthy practice, the whole question would be solved. The following figures give the imports at the port of New-York for the last five years: Champagne Wines.-There is probably no wine which, in its consumption, reflects the prosperity of a certain class of people more than the sparkling wines of Champagne. During the first part of this year people were generally of an economical turn of mind, and the imports for the first six months were behind those of the corresponding six months of 1903 by nearly 50,000 cases. That that deficiency has been made up during the last six months not only indicates a more prosperous condition but reflects also the strenuous efforts which have been made by some houses in the Champagne trade in this country to further the interests of their respective brands in this country. The amount of Champagne imported is not, however, an accurate index of the consumptive demand. The struggle which has been going on for some years for supremacy in the importations has been continued during the past year with even greater energy. What this involves in the outlay of money can be only appreciated by those intimately connected with the trade. It is greatly to be deplored that the business cannot be conducted on more rational plans, but the present situation is the outcome of the keenest rivalry. The importations for the past year at the port of New-York, as will be seen by the appended figures, are larger than for any year except 1890. It must be borne in mind in this connection, however, that the direct importations to other ports have largely increased of late years, so that the total imports into the United States for the past year amount to 385,109. The following are the imports at the Port of New-York for the last sixteen years: Cette Wines.-There was a slight increase in the amount of Cette wines arriving at the port of New-York during the last year, but the total amount which arrives in any one year is so small that it might almost be neglected in any consideration of the consumption of wines in this country. The following figures give the imports at the port of New-York for the last six years: 1899. 1900 1901 galls. 30,530 1902. .galls. 57,080 27,845 34,862 German and Hungarian Wines-There was a marked advance in German and Hungarian Wines in this country, especially in wines in bulk. The quality of these wines shipped to this country has been steadily improving for some years past, and the result of shipping better grades of wine is reflected in the immense increase of the importations, which were about 24 per cent. more last year than in the year 1902. Shippers of all classes of wines in bulk would do well to make note of this fact. It is unfortunately the opinion of many shippers on the other side that almost any kind. of wine will do to send to the American market, and it is the belief that the American pays more attention to the label on the bottle than to the contents. Unhappily there is a great deal of truth in this belief, but were foreign shippers to send good values to this country they would in the long run be repaid by a largely increased consumption. The following figures give the imports at the port of New-York for the past five years in wood and in glass : Italian Wines and Vermouth.-There is a falling off of the imports of Italian wines in bulk at this port. The importions of these wines are decidedly erratic, going as they have from 305,000 gallons in 1900 to 87,000 gallons in 1901, and back to 523,000 galions in 1903. The causes for these wide fluctuations are hard to find, unless one be that the merchants here overstock themselves one year and use up the surplus the next, thereby causing a decrease in the importations. The wines Italy ships to this country are, as a rule, carefully prepared, and are subject to a rigid scrutiny before shipment and after their arrival, so that one can be quite sure of their purity whatever the quality may be. There has been a decided increase in cased goods, which is attributable to the increased importations of Vermouth. It must be noted in this connection that all Vermouths are included under cased goods, and the importations of French Vermouths are on the increase. The imports at the port of New-York for the past been as follows: five years have Madeira Wines.-The quantity of Madeira arriving in this country is practically negligible and is confined to two brands. It is a great pity that these wines do not obtain more favor in this country, but the fashion for them seems to have gone out a generation or so ago. The imports at the port of New-York for the past five years are as follows: Port Wines.-The importations of port wines show a gratifying increase in the amount brought to this country during the past year, still the total amount must seem ridiculously small to our English cousins, who consume such great quantities of these superior wines. It is rarely that one sees a bottle of port upon a gentleman's table nowadays, the consumption apparently being confined principally to women folk or for use for medicinal purposes. The importations of last year were, however, larger than for any year on record, except 1890, which year was not a criterion, as large amounts of goods were imported prior to the enactment of the MCKINLEY bill. The imports at the port of New-York for the past six years were as follows: Sherry Wines.-Sherry imports at the port of New-York have kept up fairly well to the mark set last year. Conditions in the Jerez district are such that the shippers can now be assured of a sufficient quantity of good wines to maintain an even quality. The consumption of sherry as a beverage per se is not increasing in this country, but the amount used in blending with whiskies has increased largely in the past few years, and many houses make a specialty of importing blending sherries. The qualities shipped to this country are, as a rule, fairly good for the prices paid, which are surprisingly high in the cases of some blending wines. The imports at the port of New-York for the past five years were as follows: Spanish Red Wines.-There has been a decided increase in the imports of Spanish red wines, but the total amount makes but a sorry showing. As it has been said before, the demand for this class of wine is almost entirely supplied by the wines of this country. The imports at the port of New-York are as follows: Brandy.-The importations of brandy in bulk again show a decrease during the past year. There was a very slight increase in the amount of cased goods imported. It is the same old unfortunate story in regard to this spirit, and it may be summed up in one word-counterfeiting. While some representatives in this country of the better known marks of brandy were very active in ferretting |