CALIFORNIA WINERIES AND VINEYARDS:
Napa, Mariposa and Santa Clara
Adam S. Eterovich
Sonoma
Mission Solano, northernmost and last in the Catholic mission chain, was
founded in 1823. It was surveyed in 1834 by Vallejo, with the help of Capt.
William A. Richardson, who later played an important role in the early
development of San Francisco. The adobe
barracks were completed in 1840 or 1841 to house Mexican army troops under the
command of General Vallejo. Following the Bear Flag takeover on June 14, 1846,
the barracks housed a number of Bear Flag followers until July 9, when the
American Stars and Stripes was raised over the plaza. In the 1850s Agoston
Haraszthy, a Hungarian, arrived in Sonoma with cuttings of the Muscat
Alexandria grape, which he planted at Buena Vista, outside Sonoma, the first
large vineyard in California. The wine industry, which had been centered in
Southern California, soon was thriving in the north, thanks to the innovation
of Haraszthy and the hundreds of cuttings he introduced from Europe.
Pioneers
from Croatia in the Napa and Sonoma area are Mario Andretti, Tony Butala, Mike
Grgich, R. Dvornik, Judy Matulich, Bob and Mike Milat and Franjo Franicevic.
The
Santa Clara Valley was the first and largest agricultural area in California. Wine
production reached its 61,000,000 gallon peak in 1880’s when the County
produced a third of California's vintage. Croatians came to the Santa Clara
Valley in the 1850’s from the goldmines and from San Francisco. They planted
orchards, organized wineries and vineyards and opened many restaurants and
other businesses in San Jose. They supplied their Croatian brothers in the gold
mines with food and alcohol for their saloons and restaurants. They had a
network from the goldfields of California to the silver mines of Nevada.
The
Croatian vineyard pioneers in the Santa Clara up to the 1880’s were: Stephano
Splivalo, Mateo Arnerich, Andrea Malovos, Mark Gazivoda, Nikola Anticevich,
John Dragicevich, Antonio Zicovich, Peter Ljubetich, Luke Ivankovich, Peter Dragicevich
and John Ivankovich.
The
Great San Joaquin Valley of California also
produced wines and vineyards. Croatian pioneers in this area up to 1920
included: Peter Miloglav, Martin Metcovich, Stephen Milosovich, John Matulich,
Antone, Francis, George and Visko Zaninovich and John Kovacevich in 1919.
Milat Vineyards
Milat
Vineyards is a family owned and operated winery and vineyard situated in the
heart of the Napa Valley, in the Saint Helena appellation. All of our wines are
100% estate grown, produced and bottled on our 22-acre property. Each vintage
we produce distinct wines with a combined annual production of around 3,000
cases. The property, located near the now defunct Pine Station railroad stop,
was homesteaded in 1877 and five years later the original vineyards were
planted. In 1949, Richard and Izetta Milat acquired the land as a summer home
to escape the San Francisco city life. Richard’s parents Marco and Franciska
Separovich-Milat married at the Croatian Church of Nativity in San Francisco in
1918 and had emigrated to America from the Island of Korcula, Dalmatia,
Croatia.
The
grapes grown on the property at the time were sold to local wineries. Soon
thereafter, the Milats decided to make Saint Helena their permanent residence
in order to raise their four young sons in the country.
Two
of the sons, Mike and Bob, took over running the family vineyard in the early
1970s. In 1986, with their respective spouses, Carolyn and Joyce, the two
families decided to retain some of the grapes and make the first vintage of
Milat Vineyards wine. By the 1999 vintage, all of the fruit was being retained
and produced into wine.
In
2001, after fourteen vintages, Bob and Joyce decided to solely focus their
efforts in the vineyard. To assist Mike and Carolyn in continuing the winery
operations, their daughter and son-in-law, Michelle and David Duckhorn, joined
the family business.
Today,
our goal remains the same as it has always been. That is, to produce only 100%
estate wines that are unique to our vineyard site. Our small production and
family ownership allows us to maintain the highest levels of quality and care
as we manage all aspects from dirt to bottle.
When
you visit us at the winery, at least one of the family members will be there to
greet you and pour samples of our current releases. The winery, located
approximately two miles south of Saint Helena, is open from 10 am to 6 pm daily
(during the winter season, hours may vary). We urge you to spend time at the
table each evening with a glass of quality wine and enjoy life! Milat
Vineyards, 1091 Saint Helena Highway South, Saint Helena, California 94574.
Email: info@milat.com. www.milat.com.
Butala Vineyards
Tony Butala was born in Sharon, Pennsylvania, and
was one of eleven children. Today, Tony resides in Woodland Hills, California,
and is internationally recognized as the leader of the original Lettermen. The Lettermen originated 35
years ago and are still going strong today. They produced 13 gold albums, 25
hit records, sold over 50 million records and produced 66 different albums.
Tony Butala has a remarkable and most distinguished career and has worked with
many famous stars.
Recently,
Tony acquired a 40-acre vineyard in Napa Valley where he will produce grapes
for himself and for Stag's Leap Winery. He will produce a special wine, which
he has named Zivili, and as a testimony of his generosity, 100 percent of the
profits will go to Croatian charity benefits.
Radanovich Winery
The
39-year-old native of Mariposa, California in the Sierra foothills has the dual
distinction of being the first full-time wine maker ever to be elected to the
U.S. Congress and-- as his colleagues call him-- “the Congressman from
Yosemite.” George Radanovich was elected to the 104th Congress on November 8,
1994 from the 19th District of California, comprising all of part of four
central California counties (Fresno, Madera, Mariposa, and Tulare). The freshman Congressman serves on both the
Budget Committee and the Resources Committee.
He is a member of the Budget Committee’s working group on economic and
regulatory reform. On the Resources
Committee, his subcommittees are Water & Power Resources and National
Parks, Forests & Lands. Significantly,
Radanovich’s District includes three national parks (Yosemite, Sequoia, and Kings
Canyon). Additionally, he has been named
to a Resources Committee task force dealing with the Endangered species Act.
Before coming to Congress, Radonovich’s public service experience included
elective office as a county supervisor.
He also chaired his county’s planning commission. In the private sector,
his observation of a micro climate in Mariposa led Radanovich to introduce
grape growth to his native county in 1982.
Four years later he opened the regions first winery. The Radonovich Wine label now goes on some
4,000 cases annually of sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, meriot, zinfandel, and
cabernet sauvingnon. Including as it does principle parts of the San Joaquin
Valley, the 19th District is one of the worlds premier agricultural regions. Radonovich considers himself first and
foremost a farmer. He is a member of the
California Agricultural Leadership Program Class XXI. His college degree from California State
Polytechnic University in San Luis Obispo is a bachelor of science in
agriculture business management.
Radanovich’s business background also includes banking and
building. A Rotarian, he has been
awarded the Paul Harris Fellowship, Rotary International’s highest award. The
Congressman is one of eight children.
His father, a Croatian immigrant from the Island of Brac, and his mother
continue to live in Mariposa. Members of
the Radanovich family are active citizens throughout the San Joaquin Valley.
Kirigin Cellars
Kirigin
Cellars is located in the Uvas Valley in Southern Santa Clara County. The vineyards are planted on the slopes of
the Santa Cruz Mountains providing
ideal soil and climatic conditions for growing and producing fine varietal
wines. Owner/Winemakcr Nikola Kirigin-Chargin began his winemaking career in
his native Croatia on the Adriatic Coast where for generations the Kirigin
family had operated their vineyards -and winery on the Island of Brac. First
learning the art of winemaking as a young boy, Nikola later earned his degree
in enology at the University of Zagreb in 1941. After coming to this country in
1959 he distinguished himself as a winemaker in the American wine industry. In
1976, he took over the historic winery with vineyards and climate reminiscent
of his homeland and began producing 100% varietal wines from the vineyards
surrounding the winery. The desire to produce premium quality wines in the old
European manner, combined with the best aspects of modern American technology,
is the realization of a life-long dream. Estate Vineyards: 30 acres,
Production: 2,000 cases, Brands Produced: Kirigin Cellars. Current releases:
All of our wines are produced from grapes grown around the winery. We produce:
Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Chardonnay. Sauvignon Blanc and
Malvasia Bianca. One dessert wine vina de Mocca (A naturally flavored
proprietary dessert wine). 11550 Watsonville Road, Gilroy, CA 95020. USA.