Monticello Wine Co.
This Company was organized and
chartered in 1873 by pioneers in grape
culture in Albemarle County, Virginia.
Encountering the predjudices
which prevail against native wines it
met with little encouragement for the
first few years. The Company struggled
on, having the great advantages
of perfect grapes, proper cellar facilities
and experienced foreign wine
makers, in an honest effort to make a
full-blooded, honest grape-juice wine,
with no admixtures or deleterious
compounds, and has gradually worked
its way up to a recognition of its true
merit. In 1878, at the request of the United
States Agricultural Department,
this company sent, under the charge of
that Department, twelve bottles of
their four kinds of red wine for the
International Exposition at Paris,
France. Other sections of the United
States were represented there by pyramids
of artistically exhibited wines,
yet the final result was that seven
medals were awarded to the still
wines of the United States; of these
the Monticello was the only one
awarded a silver medal, the others
being bronze, not one of which was
obtained by California. Not to mention
numerous awards by State and
local fairs successively given this
company in open competition, it was
in 1884-85, at the New Orleans International
Exhibition, with three cases
sent at a venture, awarded two first-class
medals, and again in 1889 obtained
a silver medal and diploma at
the Exposition Universelle at Paris,
in competition with the wines of the
world, by the judgment of those best
qualified to decide the true merit of
wines; also at the World's Columbian
Exhibition at Chicago, 1893, this company
[ILLUSTRATION]
Capt. Adolph Russow.
was awarded two first-class medals
for the superiority and excellency
of their wines. Capt. Adolph Russow
has had charge of the business since
1873, and is its general manager and
superintendent He is peculiarly fitted
for the position, and has the
entire confidence of wine connoisseurs.
Their white wines are Delaware, Dry
Catawba, and Virginia Hock, a blend
of Elvira, Etta and Riesling grapes
fermented together. The red wines
are Norton's Virginia and Cynthiana,
of Burgundy character, Ives' Seedling,
a ruby colored Claret, Extra
Claret, of superior character, and Virginia
Claret, a sound, plain table wine,
Port, Sherry and Pure Grape Brandy.
The demand for the goods is so great
that no drummers are sent out, and it
is found difficult to supply the demand.
