1889 Wine Society
Celebrating the Heritage, Longevity, and Brilliance of American Fine Wine
1889 Wine Society
Celebrating the Heritage, Longevity, and Brilliance of American Fine Wine
Connecting Past with Present
Long before the 1976 Judgment of Paris put Napa Valley on the global wine map, American wineries won 20 medals at the 1889 Exposition Universelle in Paris France. Inglenook received the highest honors.
This was the high water mark for California wine prior to Prohibition, phylloxera, World Wars and economic hardship that would set viticultural development back nearly 100 years in America.
We look back to the golden era of California's revival as a winemaking power by highlighting the Vineyards, Wineries and Winemakers that shaped history. We also engage with the producers and vineyards that are driving its future today.
Our Focus
California wine has never been so diverse and exciting, yet it also faces some significant challenges. The past guides the future, and the wines of California's great regions, vineyards and vintages are its living history. We preserve and show that history in an educational context at our tastings.
The landscape of wine changes rapidly in the United States. Grape varieties come in and out of favor, styles change, star winemakers rotate. However, one constant are the great vineyard sites that reveal themselves over decades of cultivation.
The Sonoma Coast, Santa Rita Hills, Happy Canyon, Napa Valley, Monterrey, Vaca Mountains and Santa Cruz all contain world class vineyards that deserve exporation. Every tasting we conduct reveals more about the great terroirs of the United States.
Our Members
"Give me a glass of very old wine, so happy can be this heart of mine" reads the light fixture in Gustave Niebaum's original tasting salon. We agree with this sentiment
Our members are enthusiasts that love the historic wines of California. The golden era of the 1960's and 1970's when Beaulieu Vineyards, Inglenook, Charles Krug and Louis Martini led the revitalization of California winemaking and paved the way for Robert Mondavi, Warren Winiarski, Jerry Luper, Jim Barrett and other key figures.
We seek to enjoy the best examples of the best wines of this era. Our group facilitates this through its deep cellar of historic vintages, producer relationships and knowledge of California wine history.
EVENTS VINEYARDS AND
