The Brothers Christian

Do saints play favorites? I wonder. Looking at a list of French and German saints who are patrons of the wine business from grape to bottle, I find that there are 32 French saints to 25 German ones. The French saints are also more specific about their duties. Ten saints look after the cutting and shaping of the vines; seven look after the vines’ budding and protect them from frost; three, as well as Our Lady, take care of the first fruits and the ripening of the grapes, and 12 protect the vintage and concern themselves with the improvement of the wines. Among the German saints, meanwhile, we find Saint Maria Magdalena (July 22) as patroness of vintners and wine merchants, who no doubt need all the help they can get.

This list shows the close relation between man, grape, and Heaven. It was compiled by a friend of mine, Ernest Mittelberger, who is the director of the San Francisco Wine Museum. This museum is devoted to telling the story of wine and its enjoyment through the centuries; its exhibits include sculptures, prints, paintings, rare books, and artifacts, as well as the splendid Franz Sichel collection of glassware, which spans two thousand years, with wonderful drinking vessels from the Roman era to the present. The museum is the only one of its kind in the Western Hemisphere, and all the exhibits are superb— ranging from early German prints to modern artists like Picasso, and including caricatures by Daumier, the bronze bust of a Young Bacchant by Carpeaux, and English and German silver. It is located at 633 Beach Street (near Hyde) in San Francisco, opposite the Cannery. Admission is free; hours are 11 a.m. to 5 P.M., closed Mondays. It is a joyous museum don’t miss it, for entertainment, charm, and instruction.

NH

About the Author

Nika Hazelton

Do saints play favorites? I wonder. Looking at a list of French and German saints who are patrons of the wine business from grape to bottle, I find that there are 32 French saints to 25 German ones. The French saints are also more specific about their duties. Ten saints look after the cutting and shaping of the vines; seven look after the vines’ budding and protect them from frost; three, as well as Our Lady, take care of the first fruits and the ripening of the grapes, and 12 protect the vintage and concern themselves with the improvement of the wines. Among the German saints, meanwhile, we find Saint Maria Magdalena (July 22) as patroness of vintners and wine merchants, who no doubt need all the help they can get.

This list shows the close relation between man, grape, and Heaven. It was compiled by a friend of mine, Ernest Mittelberger, who is the director of the San Francisco Wine Museum. This museum is devoted to telling the story of wine and its enjoyment through the centuries; its exhibits include sculptures, prints, paintings, rare books, and artifacts, as well as the splendid Franz Sichel collection of glassware, which spans two thousand years, with wonderful drinking vessels from the Roman era to the present. The museum is the only one of its kind in the Western Hemisphere, and all the exhibits are superb— ranging from early German prints to modern artists like Picasso, and including caricatures by Daumier, the bronze bust of a Young Bacchant by Carpeaux, and English and German silver. It is located at 633 Beach Street (near Hyde) in San Francisco, opposite the Cannery. Admission is free; hours are 11 a.m. to 5 P.M., closed Mondays. It is a joyous museum don’t miss it, for entertainment, charm, and instruction.