This promo film for Taylor Wines shows the company’s operations, and tries to educate consumers about wine varieties and etiquette. It shows the “new world of wine” through a narrative about a photojournalist duo and their editor, who put together a feature story on the topic.

The Taylor Wine Co. was a family owned business established in the 1920’s in Hammondsport, New York. This winery survived Prohibition and managed to endure into the 1990’s. For a brief six year period, Coca-Cola Co. bought the brand and for a moment it looked like Taylor Wines might become America’s favorite table wine. It was not meant to be, however, as Coke’s executives grew tired of the low profit margins in the business. As the film demonstrates, wine production helped drive the rise of the Finger Lakes region’s economy. When Taylor Wines deteriorated in 1995, it led to an economic shake-up in the area. Today Taylor Wine only exists as a dessert wine brand in the Constellation portfolio.

Opening shots of grapes in orchards (:15). The film is produced by Walter O’Connor Company (1:03). The narrator; Bob Robinson (1:21) and his wife; Helen, meet their editor in a New York restaurant for dinner (1:21). Bill Wilson, the editor, details his trip to the Finger Lakes (1:30). Sailors and water-skiers enjoy the waters (1:59). Small waterfalls cascade down the rocks (2:44) as a fisherman catches a trout (2:49). Some of the world’s fastest racers compete at the Watkins Glen Racetrack (3:09). The Grand Prix also takes place here (3:17). The horse racing track at Canandaigua (3:56) is visited. The trip pauses at Hammondsport at the foot of Keuka Lake (4:39) and then heads for the Glenn Curtiss Museum (4:43). Curtiss was a pioneer in aviation (4:43). The wine industry provides employment for the locals as well as a market for small businesses (6:11). Wine bottles move down the conveyor belt (6:16). The journalists set out to get a story on the area and the increasing use of wine in the world in a small passenger plane (7:25). Keuka Lake is pictured as the center of the region (7:29). They meet with the vineyard’s supervisor, Frank Adams (8:01). Some of the varieties of the fruit are pointed to including the Catawba (8:14), Delaware (8:42) and Concord (8:44). This particular vineyard was built 18 years prior (9:59). A technique called balanced pruning is utilized in winter (10:13). New vines are best set in the spring (11:00) trellises are too attached in spring (11:19). Machinery sprays the vines in spring and summer (11:40), pickers begin working in the fall (11:57). Turning grapes into wine had become a blend of old and new (14:07). After arriving grapes go through machines to be washed and stems removed (14:22). A cylinder presses the juice (14:27). Juice moves through cooling equipment (14:41). Fermentation begins as selected yeast strains are added (14:52). New wine is shipped down by way of Corning Pyrex tubes (15:29). Filters work to remove dirt and sediment (15:40). This is blended with other wines in proper proportions. From here it moves to large oak or redwood barrels (15:52). These are bottled and capped after they have been sent through the tubes a second time (16:40). Taste tests are conducted (16:40). The use of wine in the home, for cooking with or drinking, has gone up since WW2 (17:09). Three basic types of wine are highlighted (17:49) as well as their food pairings (18:08). The film shows how a modern homemaker might prepare and serve a dinner with wine (19:12). The hostess returns from the store with groceries and sets the bottle of Rose in the fridge to chill (19:35). Wine glasses are set to the right (19:53). Taylor offered twist off caps (20:00) in contrast to the usual cork in bottle. The hostess offers a sample of the wine to the host first (20:11). She fills the guests’ glasses part way to allow it to breathe (20:20). Cooking with wine was also becoming more prevalent (20:51). Sherry and Tawny Port are to be enjoyed before and after dinner (22:46). The process to produce champagne is time consuming and tedious (23:52). First the champagne is set away for one year or more while fermentation takes place within the bottle (23:57). The bottles are shaken by machine (24:11). They are also stored neck down and slightly turned daily for 5 to 6 weeks (24:25). After the brine freezes, the bottle is tipped upright and the cap is removed (24:47). In place of the sediment, sweetened wine is added (25:02). Bottles are corked (25:09), labeled and ready for shipping (25:37).

This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com