California Wine Heroes

California Wine Heroes. . Marker One: , Father Junipero Serra: 1713 - 1784 , Founder of the Missions of California, this Franciscan priest was the first to bring the grape to California, beginning with the first vineyard planted at Mission San Diego in 1779. His padres also scattered mustard seeds brought from Spain wherever they went; we owe Father Serra the beautiful yellow flowers in our vineyards every spring., General Vallejo: 1807 - 1890 , Military Commander of California under Mexican rule, he founded the civilian town of Sonoma in 1834. In 1863, two of his daughters: Natalia and Jovita, married two of the Count's sons: Attila and Arpad it was the "Double Wedding of the Century" in Sonoma. Also a scientific winemaker, he bottled Sonoma wine under the "Lachryma Montis" label. , Count Agoston Haraszthy: 1812-1869 , Founder of our winery in 1857, he is known today as the “Father of California Viniculture," as he did more than any other single person to create the remarkably successful wine industry of California. Awaiting you are the first wine caves carved into any hillside in California, and the first stone winery buildings built in front of them; just a few of the remarkable achievements of the Count on display here at Buena Vista. , André Tchelistcheff: 1901 - 1994 , Born in Russia, and educated in France, he became America's most influential post-Prohibition winemaker. He produced legendary wine for Buena Vista upon its rebirth in 1949, and is now known as the "Father of Modern California Viniculture" for working on malolalctic fermentation, cold stabilization, and leading the movement to the Carneros region as the ideal location for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay., California’s First Permium Winery , ~1857~. , Marker Two: , History Hill. , As you make the short walk to our historic winery, you will observe historic figures nestled into our green hillside of the Mayacamas Mountains. The Count of Buena Vista dug into the living rock of those volcanic mountains to make the first wine cellars and stone winery buildings in California, thereby enduring his place in wine history., It is with a profound respect and admiration for important people in history that we present their images upon our hillside., The groupings we present may spark connections… indeed, many themes exist herein: the story of wine from ancient times to the present, the discovery of the New World, revolutionary heroes in politics and science, the building and creating of the American West, and California wine heroes., We hope that considering these groupings may bring forth conversations best resolved with a glass of delicious Buena Vista wine. Please enjoy… the journey of wine is the journey of life itself!