[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 96 (Thursday, July 1, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Page S8142]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SENATE RESOLUTION 132--DESIGNATING THE WEEK BEGINNING JANUARY 21, 2001, 
                 ``ZINFANDEL GRAPE APPRECIATION WEEK''

  Mrs. FEINSTEIN (for herself and Mrs. Boxer) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary:

                              S. Res. 132

       Whereas Zinfandel grapes have historical significance among 
     agricultural products of the United States, in that the 
     origins of Zinfandel grapes in the United States date back to 
     the 1830s;
       Whereas Zinfandel grape vines are a living link to the time 
     when gold was discovered in the Sierra Nevada mountains and 
     many people in the United States moved west to seek their 
     fortunes;
       Whereas some Zinfandel grape vines in the Sierra Nevada 
     foothills are at least 125 years old and still producing 
     grapes;
       Whereas Zinfandel grape vines were an integral part of the 
     Gold Rush of 1849 and the agricultural cultivation of the 
     West;
       Whereas Zinfandel wine is an excellent representative of 
     the agricultural community of the United States because its 
     development and production range from the hot houses and 
     nurseries of New England and Long Island to the hills and 
     valleys of the Pacific Coast and Southwest;
       Whereas Zinfandel grape vines are planted in 14 States and 
     distributed to every major community in all 50 States, and 
     have worldwide recognition by scholars, growers, and 
     consumers as being a quintessential creation of the United 
     States;
       Whereas Zinfandel grape products are used in products as 
     diverse as jams, pasta sauce, and wine;
       Whereas the Zinfandel grape, a principal component of an 
     important agricultural sector in the United States, has been 
     the leading red grape from the 1880s to the present in terms 
     of acres planted and wine produced, and is accordingly a 
     crucial part of an industry that, in 1996, produced 
     approximately $41,000,000,000 of direct and indirect economic 
     activity and $3,000,000,000 in State and local revenue, and 
     provided permanent employment for 554,630 people;
       Whereas Zinfandel wine has been winning first prize and 
     similar recognition in competitions since 1859 against 
     domestic and internationally produced wines, and brings great 
     credit to the quality of agriculture in the United States;
       Whereas Zinfandel vines grown in the United States serve as 
     the source of vines grown elsewhere in the world and set the 
     standards for Zinfandel vines worldwide;
       Whereas only Zinfandel wine, among the wines of the world, 
     is recognized as being a product that is uniquely from the 
     United States;
       Whereas the Zinfandel grape is an embodiment of the history 
     and heritage of the United States, and, in particular, of the 
     settlement and agricultural cultivation of the West; and
       Whereas for the reasons described above, the Zinfandel 
     grape is a national treasure: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved,That the Senate--
       (1) designates the week beginning January 21, 2001, as 
     ``Zinfandel Grape Appreciation Week''; and
       (2) requests the President to issue a proclamation calling 
     on the people of the United States to celebrate the week with 
     appropriate ceremonies and programs.

 Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I rise today to submit a 
resolution to commemorate the Zinfandel grape.
  The Zinfandel grape has a long and unique history that mirrors the 
diversity and agricultural development of our nation. Unlike other 
grapes that today have international recognition--such as Cabernet, 
Chardonnay, or Pinot Noir--the Zinfandel grape is uniquely and 
distinctly American. One writer has referred to it as ``the Horatio 
Alger of varietals, the True American.''
  While Zinfandel's exact origins are unclear, we know that it was 
consumed as a table grape in New England in the 1830's, and that 
Zinfandel cuttings from a nursery in Long Island were taken by the 
settlers as they headed west. During the California Gold Rush of 1849, 
Zinfandel vines were planted and their products consumed as table 
grapes and as wine. By the 1880's, Zinfandel was the most commonly 
planted red grape in the West, and the wine made from Zinfandel grapes 
began winning awards as early as 1859.
  Today the Zinfandel grape is our most versatile of viticultural 
products. It is used in jams, jellies, pasta sauces, mustards, and 
other food products. It is produced as a wine in 14 states, including 
Arizona, California, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Massachusetts, 
Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Ohio, Tennessee and Texas.
  Zinfandel products now touch every region of the United States, yet 
knowledge of its uniquely American heritage is poor. I hope that 
passage of this resolution will bring greater awareness to the public 
of the notable and uniquely American attributes of this important 
agricultural product.
  In my state, there are grape vines in the foothills of the Sierra 
Nevada mountains that have been alive since the late 1800's. These 
ancient vines still produce grapes, and the genetic qualities of these 
grapes so interest scientists that the University of California at 
Davis has established a ``Heritage Vineyard'' project specifically to 
study these plants.
  On a more prosaic level, these old vines are a living link to our 
past--to a time when many Americans living in the East uprooted 
themselves and moved to West to cultivate and settle the entire expanse 
of our country. We should recognize and treasure these historical 
connections to the development of our nation.
  Mr. President, let me clarify that this resolution does not seek to 
commemorate an alcoholic product, or any particular commercial product. 
It does not seek to commemorate a ``western'' issue, since Zinfandel 
food products are consumed nationwide and Zinfandel grapes are made 
into wine in every major portion of the country. Indeed, the very 
origins of Zinfandel are in the East. Rather, my colleagues and I seek 
to commemorate a uniquely American agricultural product that has gained 
international recognition and that is produced and enjoyed in every 
part of this country.
  I am pleased to submit this resolution to commemorate the Zinfandel 
grape and establish January 23-29, 2001, as Zinfandel Grape 
Appreciation Week.

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