History of LA is Wine!

Did you know that before Napa and Sonoma became synonymous with great wine, Los Angeles was where the majority of California wine was being produced? Spanish missionaries brought grape vines to Southern California in the late 1700's and started producing wine at several missions, including the San Gabriel Mission. The moderate climate, good soils, and available water along the Los Angeles River allowed for growth. It was the Gold Rush in the mid 1800's that saw a surge of population to So-Cal, and with it a surge of grapevines. By 1858, there were 4,000,000 grape vines planted from Malibu to Pasadena! This was the era of peak production, but alas, LA was becoming too popular for this agricultural growth. The arrival of the railroads brought more and more residents, and thus began the great decline. Another challenge was a terrible vine disease called Anaheim's Disease (aka Pierce's Disease), that ravaged the crops all the way down to the roots. That's hardcore. LA just kept on growing in population, while knowledge of redirecting water allowed for other regions to plant grapes with ease. Prohibition did its nasty work of shutting down most of the remaining wineries in 1920, while San Antonio Winery survived by making sacramental wine for the Catholic Church. Growing grapes in and around LA County shrunk to small, family owned plots, where folks made wine for personal use. Hold on, there's a plot twist coming. In the last ten years, there's been a rediscovery of the possibilities of high quality wine from Los Angeles, with the creation of the Los Angeles Vintners Association by our friends at Byron Blatty Wines, Cavaletti Vineyards, and Angeleno Wine Co. Their passion and commitment is contagious, and their wine is delicious. The Los Angeles River Wine Co is revealing the beauty locked in some of the oldest vines in California from the Rancho Cucamonga area. AJA is showcasing the magic of Malibu. The list goes on and on. LA is definitely the Plate for Wine.. Production! Come by Vintage this Thursday as we pour LA wine flights and learn more about historical LA! Cheers!