The Mission Grape

Tracing the rise, fall, and re-emergence of the Mission grape in California.

1

Winemaking in North America

Despite California wine today making up the majority of the market today, winemaking in America did not extend to California until the mid 1700s, already having roots in the east.

Evidence of French influence vinification in 1620 is evident through the pictured manual, produced by Frenchman John Bonoeil for the people of Virginia. This manual, written for the purpose of instructing Americans on how to produce French quality wine, was the first of its kind and demonstrated the American desire to produce New World wines (Bonoeil, 1622). Despite interest, French vines would not come until later on.

2

The Roots - Spain

The Mission grape, originally know as Listán Prieto in Spain, was the first grape to be planted in California. While other grapes had been planted on the Atlantic coast, Mission made way its to the Western shore by way of Spanish explorers in the 1600s.

The grape was named Mission due to its association with Spanish Missionaries. This red altar wine was often thought to signify the blood of Christ, thus holding an important status in the church (Weber, 1979).

Wine produced and consumed by missionaries had specific standards. The wine must be naturally produced, free from pesticides and additives, contain neither dregs nor sediment, and have at least 12% alcohol by volume (Weber, 1979).

3

West Coast Arrival - Baja California

The Mission grape made its way to Western North America by way of Spanish explorer Hernán Cortés, landing in 1522 in present day Mexico (Agran, 2021).

Moving further west, Mission found its way into missionaries on the coast. Planted by Padre Juan Ugarte circa 1697, vines took root in Mission San Francisco Xavier in Baja California (Weber, 1979).

4

American Entrance - New Mexico

Entering America over 100 years before moving West, Mission took its first roots in New Mexico, planted at the Mission of Socorro on the Rio Grande, by Franciscan missionaries circa 1626.

While it may have been expected that Mission wines from the Valley of Rio Grande would spread west, producers at the time had no solid means of transport. Possessing few wooden casks to ferment, and even fewer bottles to seal and store, wine at the Mission of Socorro was essentially only consumed locally (Pinney, 2007).

5

Into California - San Diego

Moving north from Baja California, vine segments were brought to Alta California after the founding of San Diego Mission in 1769 (Weber, 1979). While there varying accounts of the exact date the Mission vine was first introduced to California, most can be traced to Fray Junipero Serra of Mission San Diego, placing the date between 1740 and 1770 (Hittell, 1885).

Though originally setting root in San Diego, it was likely not until 1778 at San Juan Capistrano, now Orange County, that vines successfully took to the California soil (Forrest, 2021). By the early 1800s at least five other missionaries along the Pacific coast had begun producing wine.

6

Largest Vineyard -Mission San Gabriel

While many missions tried, Mission San Gabriel, a few miles east of Los Angeles, eventually developed into the largest and most prosperous of all the mission establishments. By the mid 19th century, the vine at Mission San Gabriel was reported to have produced 35,00 gallons of wine per year, and thus came to be known as the Vina Madre, or "Mother Vineyard" (Pinney, 2007). 

7

Mission Wines in California

The wine itself varied in acceptance from a consumer standpoint. Despite conditions in which it was difficult to control the temperature and went through the most basic fermentation processes, simply pressed and stored in stone jars, the wine was described by Jesuit father Johann Jakob Baegert as "honey-sweet and of superior flavor" (Baegert, 1771).

It wouldn't be until years later that the wine would be consumed outside of California. Missions did not necessarily have the want nor the ability to store wines, given their incapability to control temperature. Thus, very little aged wine was produced as most that was stored eventually spoiled. The wine that was produced was primarily used within the church, occasionally moving between missions (Hittell, 1885).

8

Global Acceptance

Wines that left the missions were often Angelica, a purely Californian blend of Mission grapes and brandy or other spirits. The result was a sweet fortified wine allegedly taking its name from the City of Los Angeles (Pinney, 2017).

German traveller, G.H. Von Langsdorff, accounts his varied experiences with Mission wines in the first years of the 19th century. He noted the wine was "very good" in Santa Cruz, "ordinary" in San Francisco, and "excellent" in San Jose (Langsdorff, 1817). He notes the sweetness of the wine in San Jose, likely referring to Angelica.

Angelica, with its high sugar content, has higher stability than table wine. This enabled bottles to age beyond their purely Mission counterparts. Even post World War 1, there are accounts of California wine being served in Paris (Morny, 1972). The wine was not well renowned, abundant, nor expensive, but was described to be enjoyably sweet and in good condition.

 

9

Wine Boom in California - Everyone Wants Wine

As California wine grew more popular, so did its production. An overview of the "Grapes and Wines of California", within the Transactions of the California State Agricultural Society During the year 1858, a comprehensive yearly report on California agriculture, is pictured here.

As noted in the pictured document, wine production grew in nearly every region from 1856 to 1858, resulting in an overall increase of in-state vines from 1,540,134 to 3,954,548 (California State Agricultural Society, 1858).

As wine production ramped up across regions, Mission remained as the prominent varietal until the latter half of the 19th century. It wasn't until Agoston Haraszthy became involved that the vine became less prominent.

10

The Father of California Wine

Although Mission wine was widely cultivated and accepted in California, it was not widespread across America and did gain acceptance internationally.

Agoston Haraszthy was the first Hungarian to settle in California, and went on to become the first county sheriff of San Diego in 1851 (McGinty, 1998). Haraszthy believed that California, with its fertile soil and proven track record of vine growth, had potential to produce wines on a much larger and international scale - potentially competing with Old World wines (Pinney, 2007).

11

Agoston's Travels

In an attempt to introduce international vines into American viticulture, Haraszthy, with government aid, took to Europe on a mission to export vine clippings from various wine-growing regions. The clippings were sent back to San Francisco where he himself had a winery, which is the estate pictured here (Pinney, 2017).

During Agoston's tour, he collected from France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, and several other smaller regions (McGinty, 1998).

12

Agoston's Return

The vine clipping were sent by ship, and reached the shores of San Francisco by January, 1862 (McGinty, 1998). The load included over 100,000 clippings from over 350 varieties of grapes. Given the sudden potential for production with the introduction of exciting new varietals, there was an unsurprising decline in Mission as curiosity for the unknown prevailed. Amongst the load were clippings from Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Riesling, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chardonnay. 

Haraszthy, with his passionate belief in California potential for producing wines on an international scale, urged governments to encourage and educate local vineyards and agriculturalists on wine production as a government funded program (McGinty, 1998). Government at the time viewed any grape as good enough for wine, allowing the cheap and abundant mission grape to continue its dominance through the 1870s.

13

Wine Boom in California

Despite initially rejecting Haraszthy's plea, the California government enacted the Act for the Promotion of Viticultural Industries of the State in 1880. The purpose of the act was to disseminate viticultural knowledge and promote practices that encourage successful in-state growth (California Legislature, 1895). 

Equipped with knowledge and new varietals, Californians took to winemaking and have since proven that many grapes are able to flourish in California soil, setting them apart from other states (Healdsburg Enterprise, 1916). Mission, after the wine industry boom, faded from the California scene as other grapes, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, and Sauvignon Blanc rose in popularity. 

14

Mission Revival

Mission all but left the scene, appearing in limited quantities across California until a recent revival of the grape in Santa Cruz (Mobley, 2017). Rusack Vineyards in Santa Ynez Valley came into a mysterious varietal in 2013, and out of curiosity, cultivated the vine. Discovering the vine was a Mission grape vine, the vineyard decided to plant half an acre in the Ballard Canyon region.

After a few trial vintages, they first released the wine in 2019. Producing only 36 cases, the wine sold for a modest $28 a bottle. The wine received a 92/100 rating from wine critic Matt Kettmann of The Independent, noting the wine was "light, crisp, and refreshing" (Kettmann, 2020). Reviving Mission from its dormant state, the grape began to re-enter the California scene.

15

Mission Wine - a Trending Topic

A quick google search of the Mission grape no longer simply results in a bank of historical accounts of the grape, but rather is spotted with new articles detailing its current place in California culture.

Deemed by Andre Mack as his "favourite do-it-all wine" (2021), Mission has been elevated from its place as an underground wine and has become "cool in L.A. again, according to the Los Angeles Times (2019). But what has fuelled its acceptance back into California culture? Disregarded for years as a wine of the past, the wine is once again relevant.

16

A New Look - Slow Food

A possible explanation for the newfound curiosity is the relatively recent interest in the Slow Food Movement, a term and ideology coined by founder Carlo Petrini in 1989. Originating in Rome after the proposed installment of a McDonalds in the Piazza di Spagna, Petrini pushed back against the age of fast-food practices and values that had sparked in Italy (Petrini, 2003). Petrini's Slow Food Manifesto calls for the preservation of culture and tradition through food practices, recognizing the worldwide trends toward fast-food and mass production. 

Part of the Slow Food Movement's mission is the "Ark of Taste", a catalog of agricultural products that risk being lost over time due to increased industrialization (slowfoodusa.org). While Mission is not on this list, it falls into the definition of food with significant historical practices that has diminished in volume. In line with the Slow Food Movement in general, the Ark prioritizes staying true to the roots of a product.

17

GIs - Nothing New

This is not a new concept in wine and spirts. Geographical Indicators, or GIs, are used to trademark wines as region specific. The Madrid Agreement of 14 April 1891 for the Repression of False or Deceptive Indications of Source on Goods details that “all goods bearing a false or deceptive indication by which one of the countries to which this Agreement applies, or a place situated therein, is directly or indirectly indicated as being the country or place of origin shall be seized on importation into any of the said countries" (Addor and Grazioli, 2002).

For example, Champagne, a sparkling wine, has been protected since 1967. The GI states ensures that any product labeled as Champagne must be from the region of Champagne, indicating a level of quality and history accompanying the label. This exemplifies the stressed importance of history and tradition in wine making. The Slow Food Movement in recent years has too paid closer attention to then significance of wine on the global stage.

18

Slow Wine Coalition

In 2010 Slow Food introduced the Slow Wine Coalition, its manifesto regarding wine production. The document touches on sustainable practices, natural methods, and maintaining regional identity (https://slowinecoalition.slowfood.it/). The organization releases a guide of wines that align with their mission, and call upon consumers to be mindful in their consumption of wine.

Mission itself does not appear on the Slow Wine Guide, but the grape, integral to the history of California wine, fits into the Slow Food Movement's goal of historical importance in food production. The exact designation of the grape as a recognized Slow Wine is not of importance, but the alignment of Mission with the rising interest in food with deep rooted history and cultural significance is.

19

Natural Wine Movement

There is no defined Natural Wine Movement, no manifesto, no leader, no guides, or conferences, and yet there is a global intrigue in natural wines. Without complicated fermentation practices or additions of chemical alterations, natural wines fit in with a worldwide trend of going back to whole, natural, and slow foods.

This trend towards appreciation for historically significant and traceable products has paved way for Mission to re-enter the Los Angeles scene as a trendy wine, one that is valued not just for its taste but for its past. Valuing significance and intention behind wine, understanding what it means to a region as a whole, makes it possible for Mission to reclaim its Californian stage as a worthy wine.

20

Conclusion

The rise of the mission grape in California began as early as 1769 - but slowly faded out of the scene in the late 1880s as more grape varietals took off in California. With the help of Agoston Haraszthy and the "act for the promotion of viticultural industries of the state" 1880" and an abundance of options for wines, the mission grape faded away.

It wasn't until more recent years - over 100 years later - that the grape has found its way back into the California trendy wine scene. This may in part be due to the rise of appreciation for the slow food movement and the appreciation for industries that foster history and purity in food lines.

Mission, with its deep roots and freshly renewed admiration, has taken back its rightful place in California.