The Early 1970s and California Wine

The current state of the American wine industry has its roots in the early 1970s in Napa and Sonoma Counties. At this time, the first modern era boom time for the wine business has its roots. The first growth spurt was in the mid-to late 19th Century before phylloxera, Prohibition, the Great Depression and WWII stifled growth.

Walnut orchard, just north of the town of Napa
along Highway 29 in 1968
image from Silenus Winery

In the late 1960s, a new generation of farmers and entrepreneurs were taking hold of the region. By the end of the '60s, Mondavi had figured out Napa and cabernet sauvignon were made for each other. He, as much as anyone, put Napa Valley on the wine map.

In 1966 there were an estimated 122,000 acres of wine grapes in California; today it's over 600,000. Most of that, then as now, is in the vast Central Valley. Sonoma and Napa each account for about 4% of the state's total.

A few tidbits from the '70s:

1970

At this time Burgundy just
meant a red blend in California

Kenwood Vineyards founded in Sonoma Valley by Mike and Marty Lee, their brother-in-law John Sheela, and with help from numerous investors, mostly college buddies. They built up a very successful business, and sold it in the 1990s while they were in their 50s.

Stag's Leap Wine Cellars, founded by Warren Winiarski, a former college professor. He purchased a Napa Valley prune orchard and replanted to cabernet sauvignon. An Italian company is now in the process of taking over the winery.

From the 1970 Napa County Agriculture Crop Report: 

• In 1970, 1200 acres of prunes were removed. All are scheduled to be replaced by grapes.
  
  
• The price of grapes was substantially higher than the previous year due to the limited supply.
  

Even by 1970 all the other fruit crops (prunes, pears, walnuts, etc.) were only a small part of the county's total crop value as wine grapes has already taken over.

The 1970 Sonoma County Crop Report showed apples, prunes and wine grapes all with about the same dollar value. It wasn't until the 1980s that wine grapes finally exceeded dairy as the county's top cash ag product.

1971

St. Francis Winery, founded by Joe Martin, just down the street from Kenwood Vineyards. He planted chardonnay and merlot. The merlot put St. Francis on the map.

Stags' Leap Winery, founded to forever get confused with Warren's Stag's Leap Wine Cellars.

1972

In Sonoma, Dry Creek Vineyards and Jordan Winery started. David Stare of Dry Creek Vyd was instrumental in getting the Dry Creek Valley area known for wine and for popularizing sauvignon blanc in the area. David's daughter runs the winery now.

In Napa, Burgess, Chateau Montelena, Clos du Val, Diamond Creek, Rutherford Hill, Silver Oak were founded. Montelena was actually "re-founded" as it first opened in 1882. Chateau Montelena, along with Stag's Leap Cellars, will play heavily in the explosive growth of Napa Valley (see 1976 below). Silver Oak is known for it's work with cabernet sauvignon and setting the standard for luxury cab; Rutherford Hill pioneered merlot in Napa.

Beating the French at their own game
image from stag's leap

1973

Chateau St. Jean was founded and quickly became the place for chardonnay. It opened in Sonoma Valley, right next door to Kenwood Vineyards.

Domaine Carneros opened, the first French-owned sparkling wine producer.

1976

The Judgement of Paris puts Chateau Montelena and Stag's Leak Wine Cellars on the map. More importantly, it put California on the world's wine map.