(from San Ramon Chapel Pioneers and Their California Heritage by Erlinda Pertusi Ontiveros)
“The California wine industry began in association with the Franciscan missionaries who journeyed north from Mexico in the late 18th century. Wine played an important role in the daily ritual of each mission, and the padres planted grapes to establish the mission vineyards. Since transportation of the goods from Mexico occurred annually, it was important for the missions to be as self-sufficient as possible. In Santa Barbara County, vineyards supporting the Santa Barbara, Santa Ines and Purisima Missions provided grapes for wine. Wine became even more important during, and following the gold rush when emigrants from many European cultures arrived in California, bringing their old-country wine traditions with them.
Commercial wine making was introduced to the eastern Santa Maria Valley in 1963 when William De Mattie and Uriel J. Nielson bought 100 acres of Ellis Fesler’s cattle ranch. In August 1964, Bill Collins from Delano planted cabernet, chardonnay, Riesling, sauvignon blanc, and sylvarnii. The crews he used for planting these grapes consisted, primarily, of housewives from Sisquoc. This was the first modern commercial vineyard in the Santa Maria Valley.
The second commercial vineyard was put in by Harold Pfeiffer at the Sisquoc Ranch. Mr. Collins helped by providing information and answering questions for those who followed. He also sold cuttings to local growers and vineyard in Kern County and Mexico. In 1969, he sold 800,000 cuttings.
The first commercial harvest by Nielson took place in 1966, with a total yield of eight tons which was sold to the Christian Brothers for $187.00 a ton. At that time, Bill Collins informed Brother Timothy, head of the Christian Brothers Winery, that Santa Barbara County—in the future—would rival Napa Valley in quality wine production. Today [1990] though Northern California wineries still buy some grapes from Sisquoc vineyards, most of those grown in Santa Barbara County are utilized by Santa Barbara County wineries.
The 33,000 acre Sisquoc Ranch has 220 acres of grapes planted and the winery label depicts the 1875 San Ramon Chapel which is located on the bluff above the entrance to the winery. [Harold Pfeiffer feels the chardonnay and merlot grapes are the most successful, but Robert Mondavi, who contracts most of the grapes grown by this ranch, wishes their entire output were planted in cabernet.]
 A cool micro-climate continues to make this area an attractive wine grape growing region and recent activity has seen the purchase of valley vineyards and wineries by Kendall Jackson and Mondavi. Hampton Farming Co. is the largest grower in the county, with 4,700 acres planted. Present wineries in the area are: Au Bon Climat, Byron, Cambria, Foxen, Qupe, and Rancho Sisquoc.”
Today, since the above was thoughtfully written and recorded by Erlinda Pertrusi Ontiveros, numerous wineries have been established. In addition to the aforementioned wineries, which still thrive today, Santa Maria Valley is now also home to Ambullneo Vineyards, Addamo Vineyard and Winery, Cottonwood Canyon Vineyard, Tantara Winery, Native 9 Vineyards, Central Coast Wine Services, Lucas and Lewellen, Cold Heaven, and numerous others. Please visit our home page for a complete SMVWC member listing.
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