Grapes grow naturally in the United States, and they have for centuries. After all, Leif Erickson named North America Vinland after the abundance of grapes he found growing along its coasts. Grapes and wine are thriving in America, with all 50 states producing wine. America is the fourth-largest wine producing country in the world, with California leading the way. But it took us a while to get there.
101 Wine Press is a wine restaurant and vineyard in Prunedale that offers the best casual dining, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Santa Maria BBQ. We love our local community and aim to be a relaxing gathering place for friends. Below, we’ll go over a bit of the history of wineries in the United States. Contact us today to learn more!
A BRIEF HISTORY OF WINERIES IN THE UNITED STATES
While grapes do grow naturally in North America, the grapes used predominantly today were brought over by European settlers. The first attempt at wine making in the United States by Europeans was in 1562. Europeans continued to bring over different grape varieties throughout Colonial America. Vines, however, had a difficult time at first due to pests and diseases that the vines themselves were not immune to or used to. Attempts were then made to produce hybrid vines that would grow better in the North American soil and be more resistant to pests. A lot of these worked.
But what about the West Coast? After all, California is the largest producer of wine in the United States. Like the history of the United States, the expansion of wine moved from east to west, with the first successful winery in California opening up in the 1830s using grapes from Ohio. However, a series of unfortunate events stalled wine making progression in all of the United States. The Civil War in the 1860s and grape diseases that happened around the same time, namely a phylloxera epidemic and Pierce’s disease, all stalled wine making.
PROHIBITION
As you can imagine, prohibition didn’t help the wine-making business at all. In fact, 101 Wine Press in Prunedale notes that the prohibition movement began in 1846 when Maine outlawed both liquor sales and the consumption of alcohol. This push to make prohibition legal culminated with the passing of the 18th Amendment to the United States Constitution in 1918. Thankfully, Prohibition was repealed in 1933. After this, the wine-making industry recovered quickly.
101 WINE PRESS AND WINE
We make our own wine here at 101 Wine Press in Prunedale from our own vineyards. We are passionate about sharing the unique taste wine grown in this area offers with all of our customers. We offer many wine pairings and tastings for you to enjoy. Our wine restaurant offers the best Santa Maria BBQ open pit, which yields a scrumptious, smoky taste. We have something for everyone, from finger foods like our BBQ Street Tacos to full-course meals, such as our chicken meals, tri-tip meals, and our sausage meals. Of course, our wine selection can’t be beat. Stop in today, and try our best tasting wine!