Jean-Louis Vignes facts for kids

Jean-Louis Vignes (April 9, 1780 - January 17, 1862), also known as Don Luis del Aliso, was a French-born Californian winemaker and rancher. He was one of the first people to make wine for sale in California. He was also among the first to bring and plant European Vitis vinifera grapes in the state. Vignes was a skilled barrel maker and an adventurous businessman. He arrived in the Hawaiian Islands in 1827. After his business closed there, he sailed to California. He landed in Los Angeles in 1831. By 1850, Vignes was the largest wine producer in California.

Early Life in France

Jean-Louis Vignes was born on April 9, 1780. His hometown was Béguey, a village near Bordeaux, France. His family were artisans. They made barrels for the local wine industry. They also grew their own wine.

In 1802, Jean-Louis Vignes married Jeanne Simon. They bought a family home in Béguey. This property included cellars, a workshop, and vineyards. Vignes paid 2,100 Francs for it. He became a well-known person in his town. He often witnessed marriages and contracts. In 1820, he helped with the census in Cadillac. Later, he faced money problems. He also had some difficulties with the new government.

Journey to Hawaii

Jean-Louis Vignes got a passport in Bordeaux. He was described as 45 years old and 5’8" tall. He had brown hair and eyes. On November 17, 1826, he boarded a ship called "Comète." The ship left France on November 20, 1826. It sailed across the Atlantic Ocean.

The "Comète" made stops in Argentina, Chile, Peru, and Mexico. It finally landed in Honolulu, Hawaii, on July 6, 1827. Jean-Louis Vignes settled there. He started a new life on a small property. He began growing sugar cane and grapes. He also raised turkeys and cattle. In 1828, he managed a rum distillery. However, the Queen of Hawaii, Kaahumanu, banned alcohol production. In December 1829, the distillery closed. His sugar cane fields were also destroyed.

Moving to Los Angeles

In 1830, Jean-Louis Vignes left Hawaii. He sailed on a ship called "Louisa." He landed in Monterey, California, on June 26, 1831. On July 15, 1831, Vignes applied for a Mexican permit. He stated his job as a barrel maker and distiller. From then on, he was often called Juan-Luis Vignes in official papers.

When he arrived in Los Angeles in 1831, Vignes bought 104 acres of land. This land was located between the old town and the Los Angeles River. He planted a vineyard there. He named his property El Aliso. This name came from a very old white alder tree near the entrance.

Pioneering Winemaking in California

The grapes available in California at that time were the Mission variety. These grapes were brought by the Franciscan Brothers in the late 1700s. They grew well and made a lot of wine. However, Jean-Louis Vignes wanted better quality. So, he decided to bring better grapevines from Bordeaux, France. He imported Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon blanc vines.

The vines traveled a long way around Cape Horn. To keep them alive, their roots were packed in moss and potato slices. Vignes became the first Californian to grow high-quality grapevines. He was also the first to age his wines. Most people at the time drank wine as soon as it was made. The exact date of his first wine is not known. But in 1857, he advertised that some of his wines were 20 years old. The wood for his wine barrels came from his own land in the San Bernardino Mountains.

Success and Influence

In 1840, Jean-Louis Vignes made the first recorded shipment of California wine. The Los Angeles market was too small for all his wine. So, he sent a shipment to Northern California. By 1842, he regularly sent wine to Santa Barbara, Monterey, and San Francisco.

By 1849, his El Aliso vineyard was the largest in California. Vignes owned over 40,000 grapevines. He produced 150,000 bottles of wine each year. This was about 1,000 barrels.

As an important citizen of Los Angeles, Jean-Louis Vignes met many famous people. These included General William Tecumseh Sherman. His wine was enjoyed all over California. Samples were even sent to President Tyler in Washington, D.C., and to France.

Vignes was also very successful in farming other crops. In 1834, he brought orange trees from Mission San Gabriel. He planted the first orange grove in Los Angeles. By 1851, he wrote that his two orange groves produced 5,000 to 6,000 oranges per season. He also grew 400 peach trees. He had apricots, pears, apples, figs, and walnuts too.

Later Years and Legacy

In 1855, Jean-Louis Vignes sold El Aliso to his nephews, Pierre Sainsevain and Jean-Louis Sainsevain. He sold it for $40,000. This was the largest amount ever paid for land in California at that time.

After he retired, Vignes stayed involved in the community. In 1856, he gave a large gift to the Catholic Sisters of Charity. This helped fund the first hospital, which opened in 1858. He also helped start the first public school in Los Angeles.

Jean-Louis Vignes died in Los Angeles on January 17, 1862. He was 82 years old.

Family of Immigrants

Jean-Louis Vignes was proud of what he had achieved. He wrote to his family in Cadillac, France. He encouraged them to join him in California. Almost twenty family members followed him. This included three of his children and their families. His youngest brother also came. Many friends of the family moved too. Jean-Louis's wife, Jeanne, stayed in France and died there in 1842.

By the 1850s, the area around Vignes' estate became a center for French settlers in Los Angeles. This area was known as "French Town."

Today, Vignes and Aliso Streets in Los Angeles are named after him. They honor Jean-Louis Vignes' important contributions to California's history and wine industry.

Other Names

Jean-Louis Vignes was often called by other names. The most common one was Don Luis del Aliso.