A Famous Wine Company

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by: j241cook
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Word Count: 586
Date: Fri, 3 Dec 2010 Time: 1:05 PM
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In the early 1700s of man by the name of Mark Jacobs started a wine manufacturing firm in Edinburgh Scotland. This despite being over 700 miles away from the nearest vineyard, and well over 1000 miles away from the grapes that he had decided to use in his range of wines.

Inside the mid-1700s, with the industrial revolution barely beginning, the logistics of getting perishable goods across continents was in its infancy. The trade routes over land or across the sea had been perilous. Weather and war all were risks that required to be negotiated.

Jacobs very first hired two tall mast ships to carry his products. They were to pick up the grapes from southern France and travel around the East Atlantic to Southampton in the United Kingdom. Jacobs had a partner in France by the name of Andr? Philippe who owned virtually 75 hectares of well maintained vineyards.

The question that most scholars ask at this point is, why set up the wine Firm in Edinburgh when the grapes are over 1000 miles away in the south of France? To answer this question, we really should take a look at the history of France at that time. Even though there was not a prohibition, the taxes on most luxury products had been close to 80%. It merely was not financially viable to produce wine within the south of France without giving just about each penny to King Louis.

Jacobs two ships made the journey between France and also the United Kingdom for the next 72 seasons. The factory of "Jacobs of Edinburgh" made over 2 million bottles of wine during this time split roughly equally between red wine and white wine. By modern standards this would be a comparatively modest operation, but giving the difficulties and distance between the raw material and manufacturing base in the 1700, this was an extraordinary feat.

At its peak the Jacob's wine organization employed over 120 men and women. And in addition to wine, the Jacobs factory also produced whiskey, and, strangely, confectionary. The internet site is of the old factory near Bridge Street is still a tourist attraction to this day, and fittingly a wine bar now stands approximately where the entrance to the factory was once situated.

Jacobs himself died in 1767, his son was a member of the local clergy and would not take ownership or responsibility for the company as a result of his beliefs. Jacob's grandson Isaac took over the running of the wine firm, and it remained inside the Jacobs family until 1962 when it was sold to a big wine distribution network.

This story has been told numerous times, but the component that Andr? Philippe played is frequently understated. Philippe controlled the French operation for 77 years and he lived to the age of 104 himself. He died a quite wealthy man and his vineyards that still bear the silly name still produce some of the very best vintages in the 21st century.

At auction in 1984, 1 of the last bottles of Jacob's wine fetched ?3.7 million. It's estimated that its present value would be closer to ?14 million ($20,000,000). It is widely considered that even though the bottle does contain almost as significantly liquid as it did nearly 200 years ago, that the actual wine inside would be undrinkable, possibly quite poisonous.

As a history lesson, or even an object lesson in determination, Marc Jacobs story stands out. And he is rightly remembered for his well-known wine firm.

About the Author

The Jacob's wine company begun during the 1700's still produces great red wine and other fantastic vintages in the form of Everton's Wines.