History of the RVVA
In January 2002, fourteen people attended a meeting at Bill Jenkin’s house on Burma Road, and most of those people became the core of what was later to become the Ramona Valley Vineyard Association (RVVA). There was just one bonded winery and less than 50 small amateur vineyards in Ramona at the time.
Bill Schweitzer was elected the first president of the official association. In later years, Susanne Sapier (Vineyard Grant Jame), Rich McClellan (Highland Hills Winery), John York (Hellanback Winery) and Micole Moore (Ramona Ranch) have also led the organization.
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Since that time, thanks to the hard work and determination of several association members, many significant events occurred that have contributed to the growth of the wine grape and wine industry, both in Ramona and in all of San Diego County. Ramona Valley was designated an official American Viticultural Area (AVA) in January 2006. In 2010, again after a lot of tenacious effort by association members, the San Diego County zoning ordinance was amended to create a four tier winery structure, commonly referred to as the Boutique Winery Ordinance. Finally, for the first time since prohibition, small wineries were allowed to offer wine tasting to the public without onerous financial regulations.
Since the passage of the ordinance the Ramona Valley has moved steadily forward with more vines and better wines. Today you’ll see hundreds of tiny, small and medium vineyards across the valley and more wineries every year.
The Association continues to focus on community, education, sustainable operation of vineyards and wineries, and taking a leadership role within the San Diego County wine grape industry.
The RVVA Mission
Supporting Ramona Valley’s growth as a premier wine region, the mission statement of the RVVA is to educate wine grape growers and winemakers for successful, sustainable and profitable production of grapes and wine; and to promote and market quality wine to our growing community of wine lovers.
Strategy:
- Educating policy makers, media and the community on the cultural and economic value of wine grape agriculture and wine production.
- Taking a leadership role in coalitions and political networks to enhance business opportunities for grapes and wine through San Diego county.
- Providing RVVA members with information and guidance on sustainable viticulture, legal, policy and compliance issues.
The RVVA Today
We support Ramona Valley wine grape growers, wine and wine makers at the local (Ramona) and county (San Diego) level. This is done through community involvement, classes, and events aimed at both wine makers and wine consumers.
Throughout the past 10+ years, our association has focused on community, education, sustainable operation of vineyards and wineries, and taking a leadership role within the San Diego County wine grape industry.
Explore our site to learn more about the vines, wines, and makers that are part of the Ramona Valley Wine Region. There are events year-round that are open to the public – check back often for more information on upcoming events or connect with us on Facebook or Instagram to be sure you don’t miss out.
A Sip Through Time: The Rich History of Wine in San Diego
San Diego has a long history of grape growing and winemaking dating back even 100 years before regions north of San Francisco.
The Spanish, French, Italian, and German immigrants played a significant role in this history.
Valley Center, Ramona, Alpine, Escondido, Vista, and Otay Mesa were once the main areas of vineyards. Many feel that the wine roots began during the Spanish period more than 230 years ago.
Current lore is that wine came north from Baja California, mainland Mexico, and Spain.
However, according to Richard L Carrico in his book Of Wine on the Lees Well Refined,
“Writers and the San Diego Chamber of Commerce have erroneously attributed Father Junipero Serra with planting the first grape vines in San Diego in 1769. While he may have been administratively involved in wine production in later years, he did not plant vines or even oversee their planting in early San Diego.”
By 1801, California Franciscan missions raised “Mission” grapes and pressed wine for local use for export to other missions.
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As far back as the mid-1870s, Otay Mesa, Valley Center, Vista, Ramona, Julian, and Banner were all key locations in the county where grapes were grown and winemakers formed the Wine Industry. People immigrated from Italy and France to grow grapes and make wine.
Pierre and Michael Hagata, father and son winemakers were instrumental in building and managing vineyards and ultimately starting Hagata Winery in 1911.
In 1884 French immigrants, Jules Jacques Delpy and his uncle Bernard Delpy had several hundred acres of vines. They became prominent pioneers of agriculture and commerce in Vista.
Their winery was probably the most important commercial winery in northern San Diego County.
Theophile Verlaque was a prominent businessman who owned the second-oldest successful commercial winery in 1879. He rand sheep in the hills in Ramona, a store in Warner Springs Resort and imported wines and liquors. His winery was on 6th Avenue before moving to 5th & Cedar in downtown San Diego. Verlaque is credited with establishing the town of Nuevo, now renamed Ramona, in 1886. There is no record of him planting vineyards there. His vineyard was in the El Cajon Valley. In 1888, he left the wine industry and moved to real estate.
Another notable name in East County is Frederick Grand. In 1895 he planted vineyards on the desert side of Volcan Mountain in Julian. The Rodeo ground in Ramona is named after him, Fred Grand Rodeo Grounds.
Early Ramona Grape Growing
Frederick Grand, Theophile Verlaque, M.C. Woodson, William Warnock, and Bernard Etcheverry all had vineyards or were instrumental in the formation of this industry. Then came Prohibition and its ultimate repeal in 1933. By 1934, there were 10 struggling wineries. After World War II in 1935, the county had 2,447 acres of wine grapes compared to 1,600 in 1930. By 1964, San Diego County only had 2 wineries- Ferrara and Bernardo Wineries.
Modern Day Ramona Wine Country
Fast forward to the new millennium 2000. Bill and Kathie Schweitzer took a sabbatical from their work in the tech world in the Bay area in 1994. They traveled to Italy, where they fell in love with the Brunello di Montalcino and the wine world. In 2000, they moved to Ramona, an area that reminded them of Italy.
In January 2001, they planted Cabernet and Sangiovese then Sangiovese Grosso. They quickly realized that they needed to sell grapes to wineries- more so than amateur winemakers did. Eventually, Bill spearheaded a movement to give Ramona its own AVA (American Viticultural Area). This came with many hurdles, consultant fees, and delays lasting four years.
“So, there we were, in Spring 2006, with an AVA, a half dozen wannabe serious winemakers, and a new problem,” Schweitzer said. The county of San Diego was requiring an extremely costly Major Use Permit to sell wine. “It turned out that San Diego had winery rules that dated back to the end of Prohibition. Nobody had ever bothered to ask for a change.”
