Simi Winery facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Simi Winery |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Location | Healdsburg, California, USA |
| Appellation | Sonoma County AVA |
| Founded | 1876 |
| Parent company | Constellation Brands |
| Cases/yr | 500,000 (2013) |
| Varietals | Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Sauvignon blanc, Merlot |
| Website | www.simiwinery.com |
Simi Winery is a famous winery located in California, United States. It has a long history of making wine and is known for its beautiful vineyards. The winery has been around for over 140 years.
Contents
A Look at Simi Winery's History
Simi Winery was started in San Francisco, California in 1876. Two brothers, Giuseppe and Pietro Simi, founded it. They had moved to the United States from Italy during the exciting time of the California Gold Rush.
Moving to Healdsburg
In 1881, the Simi brothers moved their winery to Healdsburg, California. They bought a new winery on Front Street. They paid $2,250 in gold coins for the property. This new location helped their business grow.
Isabelle Simi Takes Charge
Giuseppe Simi's daughter, Isabelle Simi, took over running the winery in 1904. She was a very strong and smart leader. Isabelle continued to make wine even during a time called Prohibition. This was from 1920 to 1933. During Prohibition, it was against the law to make or sell alcoholic drinks.
Isabelle stored her wine safely in the winery's cool stone cellars. Simi Winery was one of the few wineries in California that survived Prohibition. To keep the business going, they had to sell most of their vineyards. But because they had wine saved, they were ready to sell again when Prohibition ended. In 1934, Simi opened its first place where people could taste their wines. Isabelle Simi sold the winery in 1970 but kept working there.
New Leaders and Modern Changes
In 1973, a woman named Maryann Graf joined Simi. She was the first woman in America to get a university degree in oenology. Oenology is the science of making wine.
Later, in 1979, Zelma Long became the main winemaker. She was one of California's most famous winemakers. Zelma helped to modernize the winery. She made it well-known across the country.
Changes in Ownership
In 1981, Simi Winery was sold to Moët-Hennessy. This company later became part of LVMH Moët Hennessy. Starting in 1982, the winery began to buy back its own vineyards. Zelma Long stayed with the winery and eventually became its President and CEO.
In 1999, LVMH sold Simi Winery for about $50 million. It was bought by Canandaigua Brands, which is part of Constellation Brands. Today, Simi Winery is owned by Icon Estates, which is Constellation's luxury wine group.
How Simi Winery Makes Wine
Simi Winery owns many vineyards where they grow grapes. These grapes are used to make their different wines.
Vineyards and Grape Types
Simi owns about 600 acres (2.4 square kilometers) of vineyards in the Alexander Valley. Here, they grow special grape types often used in Bordeaux wines.
They also have a 120-acre (0.49 square kilometers) vineyard called "Goldfields Vineyard." This vineyard is in the Russian River Valley. It is planted with different types of Chardonnay grapes. These grapes are carefully chosen to make specific kinds of wine.
