KING OF GRAPES....PETER DIVIZICH

By Adam S. Eterovich

This is a testimonial to the American Dream. It is the story of a young Croatian emigrant who came to America in the 1920's and single-handedly parlayed a passport and a few hard earned dollars into a multimillion dollar vineyard empire of national and international. fame.

His name is Peter John Divizich, a legendary figure in California's San Joaquin Valley, one who turned a wasteland of sand and tumbleweed into a productive farmland and left an indelible imprint on the progress of American agriculture.

Peter, or Pete, as he is generally known, was born on June 16, 1897, in the small village of Gruda in Konavli, east of Dubrovnik, in the Republic of Croatia.

As a boy, Peter Divizich had been the proud possessor of a subscription to four Croatian newspapers, a gift of a generous uncle. Peter read avidly, acquainting himself with the events happening in his homeland and in the world, in general. From his youthful perspective, certain English speaking countries appealed to him. Now, at home, the dream took shape. He would go, God willing, to either Canada, New Zealand, Australia or America.

He decided on America. Others of his nationality had gone there and had made out. There had been letters.

In such fashion did a 23 year old Croatian emigrant climb down the gangplank from the steamer that slid past the Statue of Liberty on a cold November day and docked in New York. There was a dream of vineyards ... and Westward was the dream.

Largest Contiguous Vineyard in the World

The P.J. Divizich vineyards in California are operated as a fully integrated enterprise involving the growing, storing, shipment and marketing of a wide variety of grapes. The vineyards are located on approximately 6000 contiguous acres of ground. The operations are served by complete packing house and cold storage facilities. A rural community consisting of dormitories, multiple unit homes and single farm houses are all located on portions of the property. An extensive maintenance shop to provide for all normal requirements, including major mechanical overhauls of the extensive fleet of farm equipment, including tractors, trucks and buses all owned and operated by the ranch, is also owned and operated on the property. Twenty-seven major irrigation wells with production averaging 100 gallons per minute each are available for service of water through an extensive system of irrigation pipelines to allow service of water to the total acreage. All lands are connected by the ranch pipe-lines excepting a block of 260 acres located within and served by the Delano -Earlimart Irrigation District.

Peter had the largest vineyard and orchard operation as an individual in California. Peter was raising twenty commercial varieties of grapes and was experimenting with fifteen other types. His Crystal grapes, an early, sturdy, white fruit, which he had experimentally developed over seven years, were finding popular markets in Hong Kong and Singapore. With the California Fruit Exchange acting as his marketing agency, Peter was selling his grapes widely throughtout the United States. The Divizich "Highland" brand was being shipped to Hong Kong, Singapore, Penang, Manila, Venezuela, Brazil, Cuba, Costa Rica and other South and Central America countries.

Divizich, Peter J. “Offers to Sell Vineyard to Howard Hughes.” Private Document, May 12, 1966. Divizich Fruit Corporation largest vineyard in the world.

Eterovich, Adam S. “King of Grapes in San Joaquin Valley, California-Peter Divizich.” Croatian American Times, September 12, 2000. Largest vineyard in the world.

Foley, H. A. They Called Him King of The Grapes. Delano, California: Peter DIvizich, 1976. Largest vineyard in the world. California.

SF Examiner. “Grape Grower Wins 400,000.” S.F. Examiner, December 22, 1971.Peter Divizich awarded by court. Vineyard and wine.