HISTORIC NAPA & SONOMA

Michael Wangbickler

• Michael Wangbickler– President, Drink Local Wine– Certified Wine Educator– Certified WSET Educator– CIA Adjunct Instructor– Senior Manager, Balzac

Communications

ABOUT ME

NAPA AND SONOMA – A HISTORY

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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”

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

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.

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”.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

EATEN BY AN ALLIGATOR

• Haraszthy disappears in a Nicaraguan, Alligator-infested swamp.

• His body is never found.• But the winery would

continue to grow and prosper until succumbing to financial pressures in 1878.

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

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.

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 Moller-Racke, then Allied-Domecq, and then Beam Wine Estates.

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

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

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.

DO NOT ADD YEAST

• Martini forms the L.M. Martini Grape Products Company, a Prohibition-era winery that produces sacramental wine and grape concentrate for home winemaking.

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.

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.

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.

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.

MICHAEL MARTINI

• In 1977, Third-generation winemaker Michael Martini takes the reins, carrying on his father's and grandfather's winemaking tradition.

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.

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

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.

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.

PROHIBITION…AGAIN

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

AHEAD OF HER TIME

• With repeal, Simi is immediately prepared to sell 500,000 cases of perfectly cellared wines.

• In 1934, Isabelle converted a 25,000-gallon cask into a tasting room and placed it in front of the winery on Healdsburg Avenue.

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.

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.

CHAMPAGNE DREAMS

• The winery was sold in 1981 to Moët-Hennessy.

• Beginning in 1982 the winery began to re-acquire its own vineyards.

• Long, who continued after the Hennessy sale, eventually became President and CEO.

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.

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

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 Phylloxera-resistant rootstock from Europe to help California Vineyards

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

2009 GDL CABERNET SAUVIGNON

• Named for the winery’s founder, it is their premiere wine.

• 100% Cabernet Sauvignon

• $135

TIMELINE

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

Michael Wangbickler

Balzac Communicationswww.balzac.commwangbickler@balzac.com

THANK YOU!