Napa County CA Archives Biographies.....Courtois, V. 
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Author: Lewis Publishing Co. (1891)

V. COURTOIS.-It is with peculiar pleasure that we here place on record a notice
of the important work that is being done for Napa Valley and the wine interest,
not alone of this section but of the State at large, by the experienced and
indefatigable labors of Mr. V. Courtois. During the eight years that he has been
a resident of this valley, he has accomplished a great deal, winning the
confidence of grape-growers and wine-makers alike by his knowledge and
enthusiastic attention to the business. Mr. Courtois is a native of Cette,
France, on the shores of the Mediterranean, one of the centers of the wine
industry of France. His father has an extensive wine-house in that city, having
trade covering the whole of Europe, and the family has been connected with the
wine business, for several generations. It will thus be seen that Mr. Courtois
comes of an experienced family, and should know what he is doing. After an
experience covering many years in France, and afterward at Naples, Italy, and
Barcelona, Spain, Mr. Courtois determined eight years ago to come to this State,
to examine into the possibilities for wine and brandy making, and with a
possible view of going into business here. His investigation was sufficiently
favorable to induce him to locate permanently in Napa Valley, where he has for
the past four years carried on an extensive and rapidly increasing business,-
that, too, against the most vigorous opposition of those who were satisfied with
the slow-going and old-fashioned ways of doing business, and did not care to see
the energetic and enthusiastic Frenchman come in with his new ideas and improved
methods. He has steadily enlarged his business, however, and to-day occupies a
commanding position in the wine business of the Napa Valley, having many cellars
rented, where he makes wine on contract, and acting also as broker and
commission merchant in the purchase and sale of wines. His trade covers all the
United States, Central and Southern America, etc., but is chiefly confined to
San Francisco, finding it more profitable to concentrate his attention to one
market. Mr. Courtois is very energetic in forwarding any course that will be of
general benefit to this section, sparing neither time nor money to further the
best interests, and making many improvements. The question of killing the
phylloxera, which is such a pest in California, has occupied his attention
deeply, and this summer he proposes to visit France to examine the new means
adopted there, with the intention if possible of introducing it here, making at
the same time an exhaustive report to the department at Washington. It is his
intention to make a study in London, Paris, Bordeaux and the other centers of
the qualities and styles of wines that are called for in those markets, with a
view of profiting by it afterward here. He is a broad-minded and public-spirited
man in his efforts, aiming as much to benefit the wine interests of the State at
large as himself personally. He will also go to Cognac in order to interest
capital there to undertake the manufacture of real cognacs here, for which this
section is eminently well fitted.

  Mr. Courtois is introducing on this coast the celebrated Malligand, Michel,
Fere & Fils aine ebullioscope, the most successful instrument devised for
testing wines. He has the sole agency.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from

Memorial and Biographical History of Northern California.

Illustrated, Containing a History of this Important Section of the Pacific Coast
from the Earliest Period of its Occupancy to the Present Time, together with
Glimpses of its Prospective Future; Full-Page Steel Portraits of its most
Eminent Men, and Biographical Mention of many of its Pioneers and also of
Prominent Citizens of To-day.

"A people that takes no pride in the noble achievements of remote ancestors will
never achieve anything worthy to be remembered with pride by remote
descendents." – Macauley.

CHICAGO
THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY
1891.


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