Wine History by Decade: 1990s

Tablas Creek imports vine cuttings from partner estate Château de Beaucastel in France including clones of Mourvédre, Grenache Noir, Syrah, Counoise, Roussanne, Viognier, Marsanne, Grenache Blanc, Picpoul Blanc, and a variety of rootstocks. They begin a USDA-mandated three-year quarantine to ensure the vines are virus-free.

The “Arroyo Grande Valley” American Viticultural Areas (AVA) is approved by The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) on February 5th.

Edna Valley Arroyo Grande Valley Vintners and Growers Association is established in January to promote the wines from Edna Valley and Arroyo Grande Valley AVAs. Vicki Carroll is hired as Director.

David and Judy Breitstein are named Wine Spectator’s Market Watch Leaders. They have created a unique and personal business model for selling high-end wines at the Duke of Bourbon-Canoga Park, building personal relationships with customers, developing a Wine Club that is one of California’s largest wine appreciation groups, offering wine education seminars with famous California winemakers, wine tastings, wine dinners, and travel to wineries in California, Oregon, France, and Italy.

John Munch enter into a partnership with the Van Steenwyk family and built a new winery facility that housed both of Munch’s brands, Adelaida Cellars and Le Cuvier. The Van Steenwyks purchased more property, including 419 acres of the original 1,200-acre Hoffman Mountain Ranch.

Niels and Bimmer Udsen open the Castoro Cellars tast­ing room in Tem­ple­ton off High­way 46 West. They also purchase 200 acres on the eastside of Paso Robles near San Miguel and build a wine­mak­ing facil­i­ty.

Tom Myers joins Castoro Cellars as winemaker.

Talley Vineyards builds a new winery at the foot of their Rincon Vineyard to support their growing wine production. Third-generation Brian Talley, son of Don and Rosemary Talley, becomes general manager of the business.

Don and Elizabeth Van Steenwyk and winemaker John Munch build Adelaida’s first tasting room, now home to Adelaida Vineyards & Winery.

The Edna Valley Arroyo Grande Valley Vintners and Growers Association hosts the First Annual Harvest Celebration on November 9, at the Edna Valley Vineyard. The ticket price was $38 per person and included wine tasting, a silent auction, barrel tasting of the 1991 vintage, cellar tours, and vineyard tours. Participating wineries included: Au Bon Climat, Carmenet Vineyard, Chamisal Vineyard, Claiborne & Churchill Vintners, Corbett Canyon Vineyards, Cottonwood Canyon, Edna Valley Vineyard, Maison Deutz Winery, Meridian Vineyards, Morgan Winery, Mount Eden Vineyards, Piedra Creek Winery, Saucelito Canyon Vineyard, Talley Vineyards, Tiffany Hill, and Vita Nova.

Wine merchant David Breitstein attends Auction Napa Valley, the celebrated charity wine event held at the Meadowood Resort in St. Helena each year. David was the only Los Angeles area paddle bearer to make the top ten bidders of the day (June 8). David’s bids totaled $17,800. He was praised by the Daily News for purchasing Robert Mondavi’s hat and helping to boost the auction’s total receipts to a record-breaking $854,965.

Vicki Carroll, Director of the Edna Valley Arroyo Grande Valley Vintners and Growers Association, develops a viticulture trunk show – a portable presentation for local school children to learn about the viticulture industry.

The Edna Valley Arroyo Grande Valley Vintners and Growers Association hosts the Second Annual Harvest Celebration.

Cuttings and rootstock imported by Tablas Creek in 1990 are released from USDA quarantine and propagation begins at the on-site Tablas Creek Nursery.

The Edna Valley Arroyo Grande Valley Vintners and Growers Association hosts the Third Annual Harvest Celebration.

The Paso Robles Vintners and Growers Association is founded to promote the region.

Tablas Creek plants their first grapevines.

Gerald Asher, a writer for Gourmet Magazine, calls Pesenti Winery’s 3-liter jug of Zinfandel, “the best value in red wine anywhere in the world.” Pesenti Winery is producing about 30,000 cases per year from the 65-acre estate vineyard and sourced grapes. Winemaker Frank Norelli, third-generation Pesenti, is focusing on premium wines.

The Edna Valley Arroyo Grande Valley Vintners and Growers Association hosts the Fourth Annual Harvest Celebration at Corbett Canyon Vineyards on November 5th. The event includes wine tasting, barrel tasting of the 1994 vintage, a live and silent auction, and guided tours through Corbett Canyon Winery. Participating wineries included: Alban Vineyards, Au Bon Climat, Baileyana, Carmenet Vineyard, Claiborne & Churchill Vintners, Corbett Canyon Vineyards, Edna Valley Vineyard, Hart’s Desire, Maison Deutz Winery, Meridian Vineyards, Morgan Winery, Mount Eden Vineyards, Ojai Vineyard, Piedra Creek Winery, Saucelito Canyon Vineyard, Talley Vineyards, Wild Horse Winery and Windemere Winery.

Stephen Ross Dooley starts his label, Stephen Ross Wine Cellars. As a winemaker, his focus is on making high-quality wine and limiting production. He sources grapes from the Edna Valley Vineyard and growers who produce high-quality fruit on vines with a lower yield.

Kynsi Winery is established in the Edna Valley by Don and Gwen Othman.

Leon Adams dies at the age of 90 on September 14th. He was an American journalist, historian, and publicist. He was a co-founder of the Wine Institute and author of two books, Commonsense Book of Wine, published in 1958, and Wines of America, published in 1973. Wines of America is considered to be the most thorough book on the subject, including the California wines.

The Edna Valley Arroyo Grande Valley Vintners and Growers Association hosts the Fifth Annual Harvest Celebration at Corbett Canyon Vineyards November 4. The event included wine tasting, barrel tasting of the 1995 vintage, a silent auction, gourmet foods provided by local purveyors, personalized wine glass etching by Thom & Lori Chamberlain, guided tours through Corbett Canyon Winery and music by Jills’ Night Out. Participating wineries included: Alban Vineyards, Baileyana, Carmenet Vineyard, Claiborne & Churchill Vintners, Corbett Canyon Vineyards, Cottonwood Canyon, Edna Valley Vineyard, Hart’s Desire, Maison Deutz Winery, Meridian Vineyards, Saucelito Canyon Vineyard, Talley Vineyards, Wild Horse Winery, and Windemere. Special Guest Wineries included: Au Bon Climat, Baileyana, Carmenet Vineyard, Babcock Vineyards, Hart’s Desire Wines, Morgan Winery, Mount Eden Vineyards, Nichol’s Winery, The Ojai Vineyard, Piedra Creek, and Stephen Ross.

Seven Peaks brand is established as a joint venture between Southcorp Wines of Australia and the Niven family who own Paragon Vineyard Co. and co-own Edna Valley Vineyards with Chalone Wine Group.

Central Valley giant E. & J. Gallo Winery plants vineyards on the first of its 550 acres in San Luis Obispo County near Creston.

Edna Valley Arroyo Grande Valley Vintners celebrates Roll Out the Barrels Passport event on May 11. The passport ticket includes wine tasting, feasting, education, barrel samples, vertical tastings, and entertainment at eight wineries. Participants include Claiborne & Churchill, Corbett Canyon, Cottonwood Canyon, Edna Valley Vineyard, Maison Deutz, Saucelito Canyon, Talley Vineyards and Windemere/Piedra Creek.

Frank Nerelli, third-generation winemaker following his father, Aldo Nerelli, and maternal grandfather, Frank Pesenti, removes the walnut trees on the 4.5-acre property Frank and his wife, Connie, bought from his uncle, Victor Pesenti, in the early 1970s. Located on the north side of Highway 46 West in the Templeton Gap, this planting is the beginning of ZinAlley Winery.

Sixth Annual Harvest Celebration hosted at Edna Ranch by Edna Valley Arroyo Grande Valley Vintners Association on November 2. The event included wine and food tasting, silent auction, personalized wine glass etching by Thom & Lori Chamberlain, t-shirt and poster signing by artist Michael Masicampo, and music by K. Bohler & the Kingpins with guided tours through Corbett Canyon Winery. Participating wineries included: Alban Vineyards, Baileyana, Claiborne & Churchill Vintners, Corbett Canyon Vineyards, Cottonwood Canyon, Edna Valley Vineyard, Maison Deutz Winery, Meridian Vineyards, Nichols Winery, Piedra Creek Winery, Saucelito Canyon Vineyard, Talley Vineyards, Wild Horse Winery, and Windemere. Special Guest Wineries included: Au Bon Climat, Baileyana, Carmenet Vineyard, Babcock Vineyards, Hart’s Desire Wines, Morgan Winery, Mount Eden Vineyards, Ojai Vineyard, and Stephen Ross.

Dan Panico and Mary Baker established Dover Canyon Winery. The playful label featuring the bright blue dog with the red tongue was designed by family member Ed Smith and has appeared on all red wine vintages since 1994.

Guido Dusi dies on August 6th.

On May 1st, the Duke of Bourbon of Canoga Park, the first independent wine shop in Canoga Park, California, celebrates its 30th anniversary with 200 guests at the Los Angeles Four Seasons Hotel with a six-course dinner created by executive chef Carrie Nahabedian paired with five special bottlings with custom labels. Schramsberg Vineyards provided a late-disgorged 1988 Blanc de Blancs sparkling wine. Long Vineyards made a 1995 Chardonnay from a 30-year-old vineyard. Au Bon Climat provided a special bottling of Ici/La-Bas 2995 Oregon Pinot Noir. Duckhorm produced a 1994 Merlot and from the Louis M. Martini Winery, a 1994 Cabernet Sauvignon. Honored guests included Jim Clendenen of Au Bon Climat, Jamie Davies and her son, Hugh, of Schramsberg Vineyards, Dan and Margaret Duckhorn of Duckhorn Vineyards, Bob and Zelma Long of Long Vineyards, and Michael Martini of Louis M. Martini Winery.

Edna Valley Arroyo Grande Valley Vintners celebrates Roll Out the Barrels Passport event on May 10. The passport ticket includes wine tasting, feasting, education, barrel samples, vertical tastings and entertainment at ten wineries. Participants include: Alban Vineyards, Baileyana, Claiborne & Churchill, Corbett Canyon, Cottonwood Canyon, Edna Valley Vineyard, Maison Deutz, Saucelito Canyon, Talley Vineyards and Windemere/Piedra Creek.

First harvest at Tablas Creek; winery building is constructed; first vintage of Tablas Creek Vineyard.

Seventh Annual Harvest Celebration hosted at Edna Valley Vineyard by Edna Valley Arroyo Grande Valley Vintners Association on November 1, 1997. The event included wine & food tasting, barrel tasting, a silent auction, personalized wine glass etching by Thom & Lori Chamberlain, t-shirt signing by artist Michael Masicampo and music by Dogwood Moon and Street Corner Symphony. There was also an amateur winemaker competition. Participating wineries included: Alban Vineyards, Claiborne & Churchill Vintners, Corbett Canyon Vineyards, Cottonwood Canyon, Edna Valley Vineyard, Kynsi Winery, Laetitia Winery, Maison Deutz Winery, Meridian Vineyards, Nichols Winery, Piedra Creek Winery, Saucelito Canyon Vineyard, Seven Peaks, Stephen Ross, Talley Vineyards and Windemere. Special Guest Wineries included: Au Bon Climat, Baileyana, Carmenet Vineyard, Hart’s Desire Wines, Mount Eden Vineyards, and Ojai Vineyard.

Australian based wine company Southcorp plants 600 acres near Creston, its first vineyard in the United States.

Neil Collins becomes winemaker at Tablas Creek Winery.

The University of California Press publishes A Companion to California Wine – An Encyclopedia of Wine and Winemaking from the Mission Period to the Present by Charles L. Sullivan.

California Mid-State Fair, Wine Industry Award Recipients: Winemaker- Ken Volk, Winegrower – Jim Efird

Eighth Annual Harvest Celebration hosted at Talley Vineyards by Edna Valley Arroyo Grande Valley Vintners Association on November 7.

July Ackerman, Paso Robles Vintners and Growers Association Director, Barbara Partridge, Paso Robles Library and Recreational Services, and Sheree Davis, Paso Robles Chamber of Commerce Director, are invited to a one-day conference on October 29 with Congresswoman Lois Capps in Washington DC to explore how the federal government can respond to the needs of Paso Robles.

Talley Vineyards wines are featured at The White House.

Archie McLaren becomes Executive Director for Edna Valley Arroyo Grande Valley Vintners and Growers Association, replacing Vicki Carroll.

Vicki Carroll launches a San Luis Obispo County chapter of Women for WineSense and raises funds for an endowment at Cal Poly in the name of Women for WineSense aimed at enhancing the viticulture resource materials at the Robert E. Kennedy Library.

Margarita Vineyard (778.78 acres) is planted on Santa Margarita Ranch. Grape Varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Vognier, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, Muscat Blanc, Riesling, Malbec, Petit Sirah, Pinot Gris, Syrah, Petit Verdot.

Ninth Annual Harvest Celebration is hosted by Edna Valley Arroyo Grande Valley Vintners Association.