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Expert: Antonio Rocha Graça - 1/22/2009


Question

old wine
I was helping out at my Great Grandfather's house and stumbled on some very old wine.  I begin to think that it is simply cheap wine.  Although I do know that they are at least 50 years old, seeing as my grandpa has not drank for at least that long.  The first is a May Wine made by the Joseph Dudenhoefer Company out of Acampo, CA.  The other is muscat pantelleria made by the Lost Hills Vineyards also in Acampo, CA.  Any information about the wine, value if any, and what happened to the companies as i can't find them anywhere on the internet.  Thanks!  I can send more pics to your email if needed.

Answer
Well, only references I found about Dudenhoefer is a Supreme Court ruling affirming their conviction of breaking the National Prohibition Act in 1924 (DELANEY v. U. S., 263 U.S. 586 ) where Joseph Dudenhoefer Sr. and Joseph Dudenhoefer Jr. were sentenced to prison for 2 years and fined on 10 000 US Dollars. The company was likely shut in that time. The Dudenhoefers must have been dodgy characters and are likely from Milwaukee originally. In 1922, a Dry Official was sentenced to jail for 2 years for taking a bribe from Joseph Dudenhoefer for services in securing him a permit for the manufacture and sale of sacramental wines (NYT April 9, 1922). So, that bottle may have some interesting collector's value, but I am not the right person to evaluate it.

As for Lost Hills Vineyards they were acquired by the Golden State Vintners who in turn were acquired by The Wine Group, 3rd. biggest wine company in the world and producers of bulk wine and such widespread brands as Franzia. Lost Hills were a premium high-end winery so the bottle may indeed have some value as well.

Antonio Rocha Graça

Expertise

Viticulture issues, enology / winemaking issues. Wine regions of the world, with specialisation in the wines of Portugal, including Port. Tasting and sensory analysis, chemical analysis and the relation between both. Wine industry and wine economics (BUT NOT PRICES OF WINES). Sources of information regarding any aspect of wine. The human element of the wine industry and the integration of all aspects and sciences that concur to make a wine. Terroir.

Experience

I have been a winemaker for 20 years. I am also in charge of the R&D department of the largest wine company in Portugal.

Organizations
Sogrape Vinhos S.A. ADVID (Association for the Development of Viticulture in Douro)

Education/Credentials
Degree in Enology - UTAD, Vila Real, Portugal

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