The Father of Premium Wines

Unless you're a local to Sonoma County you've probably never heard of Agoston Haraszthy or even know how to pronounce his name. The Anglicized version is sort of ah-gas-ton hair-as-tee. He is the father of premium wine in California.

Early Years

Born in 1812 in Pest, Hungary to a noble family he dabbled in vineyards and wine making. He came to the New World in 1840 making his way to Wisconsin. Among his many business adventures there he planted grape vines and started what is the second oldest winery in the country. In 1849 he went west with the Gold Rush, but settled in San Diego where he became sheriff and later a state assemblyman.

In the 1850s he bought real estate in San Francisco and nearby areas. He planted grapes, but found the climate too cool for ripening the fruit. With his many other business dealings he wound up working for the San Francisco mint (where a lot of money was flowing through with the Gold Rush). $150,000 came up missing and he was charged with the crime, but was eventually cleared of any wrongdoing.

So even before making it to Sonoma his life had been quite an adventure.

In Sonoma

In 1856 during the criminal investigation he moved north to the town of Sonoma, bought a small vineyard, renamed it Buena Vista, and hired Charles Krug as his winemaker. In 1858 Haraszthy wrote "Report on Grapes and Wine of California" that was the first published report on how to plant grapes and make wine in California. He became well-known in the agricultural community and was elected president of the California State Agricultural Society.

Harvest at Buena Vista

Like his contemporaries he was forced to rely on California Mission Grapes that made mediocre wine at best. In 1861 the California governor sent him on a mission to Europe to learn more about grape growing and wine making. He was gone a year-and-a-half and brought back 100,000 cuttings from 350 grape varieties from several countries. Haraszthy was hoping for help from the state with growing and distributing his new vines, but the country was distracted by the Civil War. Without state funding he was stuck with the grape cuttings so as it turned out his winery was the only one to benefit.

In 1863 he formed the Buena Vista Vinicultural Society, one of the first corporations in America. With investors he was able to greatly expand the vineyards and the winery. Chinese laborers expanded the vineyards and dug California's first wine caves.

Within a few years his vines turned brown and were dying from the then little-known phylloxera infestation that eventually killed off vines all over California and Europe.

The End

He was forced out by his investors, filed for bankruptcy, and moved to Nicaragua to get in the sugar business in 1868. In 1869 he disappeared; whether swept out to sea, grabbed by alligators, or some other nefarious ending, his body was never found.

The Buena Vista Winery in Sonoma has been through many owners, some more successful than others. It's worth a visit today if just for the history. 

Buena Vista Winery, then and now