Cresta Blanca Winery : History, Vineyards Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Cresta Blanca Winery

Historic site in Livermore, California

37°37′24″N 121°45′23″W / 37.623317°N 121.756267°W / 37.623317; -121.756267Governing bodyPrivate

California Historical Landmark

Designated1957^[1]Reference no.586^[1]

Location of Cresta Blanca Winery in California

Cresta Blanca Winery was one of the original Livermore Valley wineries. It was founded by Charles Wetmore in 1882 with cuttings of Sauvignon blanc from Chateau d'Yquem and other top Bordeaux properties.^[2] Its first vintage, a dry white wine in 1884 won Grand Prize at the 1889 Paris Exposition, becoming the first California wine to win a competition in France. The victory also assured the future of the California wine industry, which had fallen upon hard times.^[1]

History

Named for a white limestone cliff that dominates the Livermore Valley landscape, the winery was thriving prior to Prohibition, at which time it had to be shut down. Wetmore died before Prohibition's repeal, but it was re-opened by his brother Clarence. It was sold in 1941 to Schenley Industries who closed the business in 1965. The name was then sold to the Guild Wine Company in 1965. The land remained fallow until it was purchased by the Wente family in 1981, and revitalized as the "Sparkling Cellars."

The winery is registered as California Historical Landmark #586.^[1]

Cresta Blanca Winery was a sponsor for the television show "Amos and Andy" in the early 1950s, featuring a black and white commercial^[3] (color television was in its infancy at the time) that references "historic Cresta Blanca Winery" location "from the cool white limestone caves" in Livermore, California.

Vineyards

The vineyards were located on the South end of Arroyo Road in Livermore, California.

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "Cresta Blanca Winery". Office of Historic Preservation, California State Parks. Retrieved 2012-03-30.
^ "Livermore Cabernet Sauvignon Fact Sheet".
^ Cresta Blanca Wine Commercial 1950's, retrieved 2022-07-19

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cresta Blanca Winery.

Old Pictures From Cresta Blanca
"Charles A. Wetmore and the Cresta blanca Winery". Humboldt Woodworkers Guild. Archived from the original on November 8, 2005. Retrieved January 24, 2006.
"Cresta Blanca," the most historic vineyard in California". Kalin Cellars. Retrieved January 24, 2006.
"Photograph and transcription of historical marker". Markeroni.omc. Archived from the original on August 5, 2014. Retrieved July 29, 2014.