"Historic Napa and Sonoma" is a presentation I gave at the American Wine Society Annual Conference in Sandusky, Ohio in November 2013.

1. HISTORIC NAPA & SONOMA
Michael Wangbickler

2. ABOUT ME
• Michael Wangbickler
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President, Drink Local Wine
Certified Wine Educator
Certified WSET Educator
CIA Adjunct Instructor
Senior Manager, Balzac
Communications

3. NAPA AND SONOMA – A HISTORY

4. IN THE BEGINNING
• Spanish Franciscan Father Jose Altamira planted the
first vines in Sonoma at Mission San Francisco Solano
in what is now the city of Sonoma in 1823.

5. PIONEERS AND THIRST
• George Calvert Yount was
first to plant wine grapes
in Napa in 1839.
• Cyrus Alexander plants
grapes in northern
Sonoma County in 1856.
• Agoston Haraszthy founds
first commercial winery in
Sonoma in 1857.
• Charles Krug establishes
first commercial winery in
1861 in Napa.

6. EARLY TRIALS
• Phylloxera strikes in the
1870s, devastating
many vineyards.
• In 1920 the 18th
Amendment launches
Prohibition, effectively
ending commercial
wine production.
• Hundreds of wineries
close their doors.

7. THE STRUGGLE TO BEGIN AGAIN
• The 21st Amendment
ends the “great
experiment” in 1933.
• But world conflict
makes it difficult to
grow.
• In the 1950s and
1960s, American’s
developed a taste for
wine and the modern
era bloomed.

8. DISCLAIMER
• I am not affiliated with any of the following wines
• I am not the winemaker, so you can’t hurt my
feelings
• I chose these wines as a good way to experience the
history of Napa and Sonoma.
• We’re only going to scratch the surface

9. F. KORBEL & BROS.
• Mid-1800s
• Francis, Anton and Joseph
Korbel emigrated from
Czechoslovakia to the
United States
• F. Korbel & Bros. began as
a manufacturing business
in San Francisco that
produced materials for
the building industry

10. MOVING TO SONOMA
• Born in
Bohemia, Sonoma
County felt like home.
• Moved their families to
this Russian River
Valley, logging, ranching
, and farming during the
late 1870s.

11. THE DRAW OF WINE
• In 1882, they began
making wine.
• So well received, that
two years later, they
converted all of their
ranch lands to
vineyards.
• By the mid-1890s the
Korbels shipped their
first California
“champagnes”

12. THE DARK AGES
• Prohibition in the 1920s
forced the family to rely
on their other business
interests
• All three brothers
passed before repeal in
1933

13. THE NEXT CHAPTER
• 1930s-1950s – The Korbel
children carried on the
legacy
• 1954 – The winery is sold
to Adolf Heck who brings
a new spirit and updated
production
• Adolf set out to pioneer
what he described as
"California-style"
champagnes.

14. INNOVATIONS
• In 1966, Adolf invented
and patented the first
automatic riddling
machine.
• Taking advantage of
Sonoma County's ability
to produce high-quality
pinot noir and
chardonnay grapes, he
made world-class
“champagne”.

15. GENERATIONS
• Gary Heck, was appointed
the company’s president
in 1982 and named
chairman of the board in
1984.
• Under Gary's
guidance, KORBEL
enjoyed double-digit
growth during the
1980s, and the brand
currently sells more than
1.2 million cases annually.

16. KORBEL BLANC DE NOIR
• “Best of Show White” at
the 2013 California State
Fair Commercial Wine
Competition
• Introduced by Adolf Heck
• Varieties: Pinot
Noir, Gamay, Sangiovese,
Zinfandel
• 18,000 Cases
• $12.99

17. SCHRAMSBERG
• In 1862, Jacob
Schram, a German
immigrant and
barber, purchased
property on the eastern
side of Diamond
Mountain, thus starting
Schramsberg Vineyard –
the second bonded
winery in Napa Valley.

18. NAPA’S OLDEST WINE CAVES
• In the late
1800s, Chinese laborers
dug into the hillside’s
volcanic rock to build
caves for aging and
storing wine.
• Additional tunnels were
added in the 1980s.

19. THE EARLY DAYS
• European grape varietals
planted and table wine
production began.
• Grew until he had 50
acres and made 12,000
cases per year.
• Distribution as far as New
York and London.
• Following Schram’s death
in 1905, production
gradually decreased until
it ceased in 1912.

20. ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON
• In 1880, author Robert
Louis Stevenson visits
Schramsberg and
records his stay in The
Silverado Squatters.
• Silverado is America's
other Walden, and
Stevenson's language is
as lofty as was his view
from Napa's Mount
Saint Helena.

21. DAVIES RIVAVAL
• In 1965, Jack and Jamie
Davies revived the
Schramsberg
property, redefining it as
a sparkling wine estate.
• At a time when there
were only 22 wineries in
Napa Valley.
• Their goal was to craft
world-class sparkling
wine in the true méthode
champenoise style.

22. THE WORLD STAGE
• Schramsberg has played a
role in world history.
• The Blanc de Blancs was
used for President Nixon’s
1972 “Toast to Peace”
with China’s Premier Zhou
Enlai.
• Schramsberg’s sparkling
wines have been served
at official State functions
by every U.S. Presidential
administration since.

23. TODAY’S SCHRAMSBERG
• Schramsberg Vineyards
is now in the hands of
Jack and Jamie Davies'
youngest son, Hugh.
• Born in 1965, Hugh was
named President and
CEO of the 40-year old
sparkling wine house in
2005.

24. BLANC DE BLANC
• Blanc de Blancs was the
first wine Schramsberg
produced in 1965
• America’s first
commercially produced
Chardonnay-based brut
sparkling wine.
• 100% Chardonnay
• 25,331 Cases
• $38

25. BUENA VISTA WINERY
• Agoston
Haraszthy, “The Count
of Buena Vista,” and
“Father of California
Wine,” establishes
Buena Vista in 1857 in
Sonoma, California
• He was a real
character, but also a
visionary

26. ABOUT THE VINES
• Plants more than 250
acres of vines in 1860.
• Brings back over 300
cuttings from Europe’s
finest vineyards in 1861.
• The historic Press
House, the winery’s
tasting room today, is
constructed in 1862.

27. VINICULTURAL SOCIETY
• The Buena Vista
Vinicultural
Society, dedicated to
expanding and
modernizing
winemaking, is
established at Buena
Vista in 1863.
• First publically held
winery in country.

28. DIGGING DEEP
• Haraszthy has
California’s first wine
caves completed at
Buena Vista in 1864.
• Buena Vista continues
to grow to 2 Million
gallons.
• In 1866, Haraszthy was
forced to resign from
his position at the
winery.

29. EATEN BY AN ALLIGATOR
• Haraszthy disappears in
a Nicaraguan, Alligatorinfested swamp.
• His body is never found.
• But the winery would
continue to grow and
prosper until
succumbing to financial
pressures in 1878.

30. WINE AT BUENA VISTA AGAIN
• Between 1878 and
1943, the winery and
grounds lie neglected
• In 1943, Frank and
Antonia Bartholomew
purchase the property,
refurbishing the winery
and replanting
vineyards

31. ANDRE TCHELISTCHEFF
• In 1949, Buena Vista
Winery releases its first
post-Prohibition vintage
with André Tchelistcheff
as consulting
winemaker.
• We’ll talk more a Andre
later.

32. CHANGING HANDS
• In 1968 the
Bartholomews sold the
winery to distribution
giant Young’s
Market, who invested in a
major reconstruction.
• They then sold it to
international wine
merchant Marcus MollerRacke, then AlliedDomecq, and then Beam
Wine Estates.

33. THE FRENCH CAVALRY
• Jean-Charles
Boisset, president of
Boisset Family Estates
purchased the Buena
Vista property in May of
2011.
• Makes a huge
investment to bring
back former glory

34. GEZA’S SELECTION PINOT NOIR 2011
• Reinvention of
Vinicultural Society
• Named for the Count’s
oldest son, Geza who
valiantly fought during
the Civil War.
• 100% Pinot Noir
• 500 Cases produced
• $45

35. LOUIS M. MARTINI WINERY
• In 1899, Martini arrives
in San Francisco from
Genoa.
• His father sends him
back to Italy to learn
winemaking in 1906.
• Returning to SF is
1911, he begins making
wine in Pleasanton.

36. DO NOT ADD YEAST
• Martini forms the L.M.
Martini Grape Products
Company, a Prohibitionera winery that
produces sacramental
wine and grape
concentrate for home
winemaking.

37. COMING TO NAPA
• At the end of prohibition
in 1933, Martini builds
the Louis M. Martini
Winery in St.
Helena, heart of the Napa
Valley.
• In 1936, Louis M. Martini
Winery becomes one of
the first to use
temperature-controlled
fermentation.

38. SONOMA SORTIE
• Purchases the Goldstein
Ranch on the Sonoma
side of the Mayacamas in
1938.
• Once an active volcano,
he aptly renamed the
property Monte Rosso
Vineyard.
• With vines planted as
early as 1890, it became
the foundation for Louis
M. Martini wines.

39. NAPA VALLEY VINTNERS
• Martini helps establish the Napa Valley Vintners
Association in 1944 to elevate the status of Napa
Valley's wines and give vintners a forum to
exchange ideas and work collectively to overcome
industry obstacles.

40. LOUIS P. MARTINI
• Martini’s son, Louis P.
takes over as winemaker
in 1954.
• He is among the first
winegrowers to use wind
machines to combat frost.
• Louis M. Martini Winery
is among the first to
bottle Merlot as a varietal
wine in California in 1968.

41. MICHAEL MARTINI
• In 1977, Thirdgeneration winemaker
Michael Martini takes
the reins, carrying on
his father's and
grandfather's
winemaking tradition.

42. GALLO TAKES OVER
• The Gallo family purchases the winery and vineyards in
2002.
• Mike Martini remains winemaker.
• In 2013, the Louis M. Martini Winery celebrates 80 years
of winemaking in Napa Valley.

43. 2010 NAPA CABERNET SAUVIGNON
• As Mike Martini likes to
say, “Cabernet: It’s what
we do.”
• 78% Cabernet
Sauvignon, 11%
Merlot, 7% Petite
Sirah, 3% Petit
Verdot, 1% Syrah
• $21.99

44. SIMI WINERY
• In 1876, Giuseppe and
Pietro Simi began
making wine in San
Francisco.
• Five years later they
moved to Healdsburg
and planted vineyards
in Alexander Valley.
• In 1890, the brothers
completed Simi’s
historic stone cellars.

45. ISABELLE SIMI
• Simi's stone cellars are
expanded.
Tragically, later that
year both Simi brothers
die suddenly.
Guiseppe's daughter
Isabelle takes over
management at the age
of 18.

46. PROHIBITION…AGAIN
• In 1920, Prohibition
begins. Isabelle sells all
vineyard holdings to
keep possession of
cellared, anticipating a
quick repeal of the
Volstead Act.

47. AHEAD OF HER TIME
• With repeal, Simi is
immediately prepared
to sell 500,000 cases of
perfectly cellared wines.
• In 1934, Isabelle
converted a 25,000gallon cask into a
tasting room and placed
it in front of the winery
on Healdsburg Avenue.

48. RUSSELL GREEN
• In 1970, Isabelle Simi
retires, selling the
winery to Alexander
Valley grape
grower, Russell Green.
• Simi uses the Alexander
Valley appellation on its
labels for the first time
in 1974.

49. WOMEN PIONEERS
• America's first woman
winemaker to graduate in
enology from a
university, Maryann
Graf, came on the scene
in the sixties. She joined
Simi Winery in 1973.
• In 1979, Zelma Long (the
second woman to
graduate in enology from
UC Davis) joins Simi to
direct major renovation
of the winery.

50. CHAMPAGNE DREAMS
• The winery was sold in
1981 to MoëtHennessy.
• Beginning in 1982 the
winery began to reacquire its own
vineyards.
• Long, who continued
after the Hennessy
sale, eventually became
President and CEO.

51. A NEW ERA
• LMVH sold the winery
in 1999 to Canandaigua
Brands, a division of
Constellation Brands.
• Zelma Long retires.
• In 2003, Steve Reeder
joins Simi as head wine
maker.

52. 2010 LANDSLIDE CABERNET SAUVIGNON
• In 2000, Simi’s southern
Alexander Valley Vineyard
is named Landslide
Vineyard, and produces
Simi’s first single vineyard
wine.
• 84% Cabernet
Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 4%
Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit
Verdot, 3% Malbec, 1%
Tannat
• $35

53. BEAULIEU VINEYARD
• Started by Georges de
Latour in 1900 with 4
acres in Rutherford
• "beau lieu" means
"beautiful place."
• He purchased 128 more
acres (BV #1) in 1903.
• He imported Phylloxeraresistant rootstock from
Europe to help California
Vineyards

54. DEVOTION PAYS OFF
• In 1908, BV signed a
contract with the
Catholic Church to
provide sacramental
wine.
• In 1910, GdL buys 146
acres (BV #2) from the
Church.

55. DRY TIMES
• BV survives prohibition with their contract to the
Church.
• Increases business fourfold
• GdL buys Fred Ewer winery in 1923. It would become
the core of the present winery.

56. ANDRE TCHELISTCHEFF
• In 1938, GdL travels to
France and hires
enologist Andre
Tchelistcheff, who
brings European
winemaking expertise
to California.
• He becomes a mentor
to many.
• He retires in 1973.

57. THE PASSING OF A LEGEND
• Georges de Latour
passes in 1940 at 84.
• Ownership passes to his
daughter Helena and
her husband, the
Marquis de Pins
• Legh Knowles joins the
winery in 1962.
• BV is sold to Heublein
Inc. in 1969.

58. A MAN OF PRINCIPLE
• Knowles was
instrumental in growing
BV to the force it is
today.
• He remained tied to the
Latour family and GdL’s
vision.
• He retired in 1988.

59. ENTER THE MODERN ERA
• In 1982, Heublein was
acquired by R. J.
Reynolds Tobacco
Company.
• In turn, it sold the
division to Grand
Metropolitan in 1987.
• Grand Met merged with
Guinness in 1997 to
create Diageo.

60. INVESTMENT IN THE FUTURE
• In 2008, BV completed
the new Georges de
Latour Private Reserve
Winery.
• Dedicated to making
top quality wines in a
modern facility, but
remaining true to
tradition.

61. 2009 GDL CABERNET SAUVIGNON
• Named for the winery’s
founder, it is their
premiere wine.
• 100% Cabernet
Sauvignon
• $135

62. TIMELINE
•
•
•
•
•
•
1857 - Buena Vista Winery
1862 - Schramsberg
1882 - F. Korbel & Bros.
1890 - Simi Winery
1900 - Beaulieu Vineyard
1933 - Louis M. Martini

63. THANK YOU!
Michael Wangbickler
Balzac Communications
www.balzac.com
mwangbickler@balzac.com