<P> In California , the first vineyard and winery was established by Spanish Catholic missionaries in 1769 . California has two native grape varieties , but they make very poor quality wine . Therefore , the missionaries used the Mission grape , which is called Criolla or `` colonialized European '' in South America . Although a Vitis vinifera , it is a grape of `` very modest '' quality . The first secular vineyard was established in Los Angeles by an immigrant from Bordeaux , Jean - Louis Vignes . Dissatisfied with the Mission grape , he imported vines from France . By 1851 he had 40,000 vines under cultivation and was producing 1,000 US barrels ( 120,000 L ) of wine per year . </P>
<P> In California , the first vineyard and winery was established by Spanish Catholic missionaries in 1769 . California has two native grape varieties , but they make very poor quality wine . Therefore , the missionaries used the Mission grape , which is called Criolla or `` colonialized European '' in South America . Although a Vitis vinifera , it is a grape of `` very modest '' quality . The first secular vineyard was established in Los Angeles by an immigrant from Bordeaux , Jean - Louis Vignes . Dissatisfied with the Mission grape , he imported vines from France . By 1851 he had 40,000 vines under cultivation and was producing 1,000 US barrels ( 120,000 L ) of wine per year . </P>
who planted the first vitis vinifera in the u.s. colonies
who planted the first vitis vinifera in the u.s. colonies
Jean - Louis Vignes
Jean - Louis Vignes