History

Santa Barbara County has a history of wine making and wine grape growing stretching back more than 200 years to before California was a State. From the Mission Era of early California through the Ranchero and Pueblo Era, struggling through Prohibition to the beginning of the modern era of wine making that started in the 60’s, Santa Barbara County continues to combine traditional, hand-made techniques, with the latest innovations in grape growing and wine making.

1782
1804
Late 1800’s
1884
1933
1960’s
1962
1970’s
1980’s
1981, 1983
1983
1990’s
1992-1996
1999
2001
2004
2009
2013
2015

1782

Father Junipero Serra planted Mission vine cuttings in what is now the Milpas District of Santa Barbara

1804

Adobe winery constructed in Goleta

Late 1800’s

45 separate vineyards encompassing 260 acres of land are cultivated to wine grapes

1884

 Justinian Caire imported grape slips (vitis vinifera) from France and planted a 150-acre vineyard on Santa Cruz Island

1933

Prohibition repealed

1960’s

First commercial vineyard planted by Uriel Nielsen and Bill De Mattei in the Tepusquet region of Santa Maria Valley

1962

Pierre Lafond opens Santa Barbara Winery, the first winery since Prohibition

1970’s

Vineyard expansion by viticultural pioneers

1980’s

Local wineries developed, both large premium commercial wineries and smaller artisan operations

1981, 1983

Santa Maria Valley and Santa Ynez Valley recognized as official AVAs

1983

Santa Barbara County Vintners Association formed

1990’s

Explosive growth to +10,000 acres of premium winegrapes

1990’s

1992-1996

Grape and wine sales increased, making the wine industry Santa Barbara County’s largest agricultural sector

1999

39,200 tons of winegrapes crushed from 16,500 acres of vineyards. Locally, 50+ wineries produced 71,000 cases of wine

2001

Sta. Rita Hills AVA status granted

2004

Sideways movie brings attention and increased tourism

2009

Happy Canyon of Santa Barbara granted AVA status

2013

Ballard Canyon granted official AVA status

2015

Los Olivos District granted official AVA status