The Monterey County Vintners & Growers, a coalition of wine growers, makers, and partners supporting our thriving wine industry, celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. Founded in 1974 by visionary winegrowers who believed in the power of collaboration, we've become one of the most connected and collaborative wine regions in California. Join us in celebrating our 50th anniversary with a year of events and educational experiences. To kick off the celebrations, let's delve into the history leading up to the organization's founding.

Wine's history is intertwined with humanity, spanning over 8,000 years. It symbolizes joy, spirituality, and the act of bringing people together. Wine's significance is evident in its ties to religion, with the Greeks venerating Dionysus and the Romans celebrating Bacchus as gods of wine and pleasure. Ritualistic wine consumption has been intertwined with numerous religious customs throughout history.

Our story began over 250 years ago when Franciscan friars planted the first wine grapes at the San Antonio and Soledad Missions for use as sacramental wine. Today, our region boasts over 42,000 acres of vineyards, set against the natural splendor of Carmel Valley and the fertile soils of the Salinas Valley.

The modern wine industry took shape in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In 1919, Frenchman Lucius Charles Tamm planted Chenin Blanc and Chardonnay at Chalone Vineyard, a piece of history you can still experience at Chalone's new tasting room in Carmel-by-the-Sea.

Prohibition (1920-1933) cast a shadow over the United States wine industry, leading to the uprooting of vineyards or their conversion to other crops. Some vineyards, like the Wente family’s, supplied grapes for sacramental wines, ensuring the survival of wine culture. During Prohibition, it was NOT illegal to drink alcohol, only to make, sell, and transport it. Determined wine growers compressed wine grapes into bricks, selling them as "fruit juice" with instructions on how to prevent fermentation.

The 1960s and 1970s marked a turning point when Monterey County gained recognition as a wine-producing region comparable to esteemed European regions. Pioneers like Mirassou, the Wente brothers, and Paul Masson played vital roles in expanding vineyards and supplying other vintners with vine cuttings and rootstock in the 1960s.

The 1970s saw a surge in grape cultivation in the county, growing ten-fold from 2,500 acres at the decade's start to 25,000 acres by the end. The early 1970s also introduced important names to Monterey's wine legacy, including Jerry Lohr, Dick Graff, Al Scheid, Claudia and Rich Smith, Nicky Hahn, the McFarland Family, Phil Johnson, and vineyards like Almaden, Jekel, San Bernabe, DMT Farms, December Pacific, Vinco, La Estancia, Zabala, St. Phillippe, Ventana, Scheid, College Properties (now Jackson Family Wines), Monterey, Smith & Hook, Paraiso, Sleepy Hollow, and La Estancia.

Since our founding in the 1970s, Monterey County has evolved into a premier wine region, known for its balanced, elegant wines and authentic and accessible wine personalities and contributing over $1.4 billion in economic activity.

To learn more about upcoming events and more, join us on social media @MontereyWines and visit MontereyWines.org. Cheers to 50 years!

Kim Stemler is the Executive Director for the Monterey County Growers and Vintners Association. She invites you to reach out with any wine topics you want to learn more about. You can email her at Kim@MontereyWines.org with your questions or topics for future articles.