As we have reviewed in my previous two blogs (
part one,
part two)…the history of winemaking in California began with the founding of Mission
San Diego de Alcala in 1769. As the missions advanced northward, vine cuttings
were planted at each of the new missions, with some mission sites more
successful than others. Among the most successful of the missions was Mission
San Gabriel, just east of Los Angeles, whose wines were generally regarded as
the finest of all the mission wines. By the early 19th century the California
wine industry was concentrated in Southern California, with a number of
successful wineries being established in what is today downtown Los Angeles,
San Gabriel Valley, and the Cucamonga Valley. During the 1800’s, Southern
California provided most of the wine produced in the state.
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| My sister and me in 1965 |
In the 60’s and 70’s, my family would drive through the
Temecula area, on our way to
Warner’s Hot Springs. At that time, Temecula was
farmland, and there wasn’t a major highway through the area. As a small child,
it seemed like we drove forever, to get to the hot springs resort, and to visit
the local Indians in the area. I have fond memories of the area, before it was
ever developed into the wine country area we know today. Let’s take a look at
the largest wine region in Southern California: Temecula.
Before becoming a wine region, Temecula’s history goes back
over 1,000 years, to its first inhabitants: the Luiseños, named after one of
the Spanish Missions. The name “Temecula” actually comes from the Luiseño word,
"Temecunga", meaning “place of sun”. The most popular interpretation
today, however, is “land where the sun breaks through the mist”.
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| Early Temecula, Courtesy San Diego History Center |
The more modern history of the area starts in the 1800’s,
with the Mexican land grants. The first Americans started moving to the area
around 1831.
Then, in 1845, the Temecula
Rancho was granted to Felix Valdez by the Mexican Government in an attempt to
slow down American settlement. The Luiseños, Mexicans, Americans, as well as
the Cahuilla Indian tribe had constant conflict in the area, with the Luiseños
eventually being relocated to the Pechanga Indian Reservation in 1885, ten
years after they signed a treaty relinquishing the remainder of their land.
In 1857, Temecula became a stop in the stagecoach lines that
were becoming the logistical route of choice in California. A post office was
set up in town. Only the second one in the new state of California (the first
being in San Francisco). Settlement
increased during the late 1860s as displaced Confederates moved to California
in the wake of the Civil War.
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| Walter Vail's Cattle Ranch |
In 1904, Walter Vail arrived in Temecula and bought nearly
90,000 acres in the region. His family would do much to shape the town during
the first half of the 20th century. Probably their most famous accomplishment
was damming the Temecula River and creating Vail Lake in 1948. (The Vail ranch
was later sold to the Kaiser Development Company in 1964, to build the Rancho
California housing development – later to become Temecula.)
Because of the region’s isolation, during the 1920s and
1930s, the region took full part in the bootlegging and speakeasies that were
common in during Prohibition. The area was mainly used for cattle ranching and
the granite rock quarry.
While wine making in the region actually dates back over 200
years, to the Spanish Missions. It took a little over a hundred years before
the Temecula Valley saw its first vineyards and wineries. The first vineyards
and wineries were established to draw potential home-buyers to the Rancho
California area. Modern wine making did not begin until the late 1960's to
early 1970's. In the late 1960’s Southern California grape growing and
winemaking began a revival in the Temecula Valley with the planting, beginning
in 1968, of substantial wine grape acreage.
Vincenzo and Audrey Cilurzo established the first modern commercial
vineyard in the Temecula Valley in 1968 , but didn’t produce their own wine
until 1978, with their Bella Vista Cilurzo Vineyard label. The first wines from
area vineyards were actually produced by
Brookside Winery at their Guasti
winery. Brookside bought 450 acres in the area to produce grapes as well as
purchased grapes from the Cilurzos, as urban sprawl was limiting their vineyards
in the Cucamonga Valley. In 1974 the founding of Callaway Winery (by Ely
Callaway, of golf fame) marked the beginning of large production winemaking in
the Temecula Valley. Callaway, sold the winery in 1981 to Hiram Walker and
Sons. John Poole opened Mount Palomar Winery in 1975, and in 1978 the Cilurzos
opened another Temecula winery at a new site. Their original vineyard,
Temecula's oldest, is now owned by Maurice Carrie Winery. Since then numerous
additional wineries have been built, some with restaurants and overnight
facilities, including luxury resorts.
It wasn’t until October 23, 1984, that the area was
designated as the “Temecula AVA”. The AVA was given, due to the unique Mediterranean
climate (often thought to be too hot to grow good grapes). The morning mist
helps keep moisture in the soil without too much rain. Coastal air keeps the
temperature down and soil from getting too dry. The decomposing granite soils
are a light, sandy loam, which keeps it well drained… ideal for grapevines. On
June 18, 2004, the AVA name was changed to "Temecula Valley AVA". As
a historical note, this is the only American Viticultural Area to change its
name following initial approval.
Temecula Valley is a wine region of rolling hills, with high
mountains, reaching to nearly 11,000 feet, forming the backdrop. Vineyard
plantings range from 1000 to 2500 feet above sea level, with daytime
temperatures moderated by cooling ocean breezes, flowing over the coastal range
to the west, through Rainbow Gap and Santa Margarita Gap (two low spots in the
coastal range). The region has proven to be diverse in the grape varieties that
thrive and produce wines here, ranging from cool-climate grapes such as
Riesling, Gewurztraminer, and Chardonnay, through the moderate-climate Bordeaux
varieties, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Sauvignon
Blanc, to the warmer-climate Mediterranean varieties, including Viognier,
Syrah, Grenache, Sangiovese, and Tempranillo. Whether these are the “right”
varieties for the region is still a question that is being asked.
When the I-15 Freeway between Los Angeles County and San
Diego County was completed, real estate development accelerated even more. The land
boom of the 1980’s and the planting of grapes, helped in the decision of the
citizens to become a city in 1989. The desire for affordable housing during the
1990’s also helped fuel its growth as well as its growing reputation as a wine
region.
The wine industry has grown considerably since then and
increasing numbers of Southern Californians are visiting the area. However,
many of the wineries still cater to a large local customer base, with summer
concerts, and wine pairing/tasting events.
Most wineries are small, and are family-owned. You will
often run into the winemaker and/or owner in the tasting room. All produce
wines in their own style, some focusing on a very limited number of wines,
while others offer a wide range of wines. The wineries of Temecula are, above
all else, friendly, welcoming and personable.
Today, Temecula Valley is the largest wine producing area in
Southern California. There is a move underway, to expand the wine growing
region within the Temecula Valley.
The “Wine
Country Community Plan” is currently being discussed with the Planning
Commission.
Temecula also faces the
challenges of Pierce’s Disease, which is spread by the Glassy-winged
Sharpshooter. It is my opinion that Temecula hasn’t yet figured out what type
of region it is. Their Mediterranean climate might be best suited for grapes
from Southern Italy, Sicily, or Greece, yet they continue to grow Cabernet
Sauvignon and Chardonnay with (again, my opinion) average results. Thankfully,
many wineries are now experimenting with different international varieties,
which could well lead Temecula into being the next exciting AVA in California.
Only time will tell.
