San Antonio Winery

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Plaque on the outside of the tourist shop and restaurant at the San Antonio Winery.

The San Antonio Winery is the only remaining winery in the city of Los Angeles, and has operated since 1917. It only produces white wine. However, it does not grow the grapes at its Los Angeles location as its former vineyards have been developed with dense industry. It is located in the Lincoln Heights district just northeast of downtown, on Lamar Street just south of North Main Street.

[edit] History

In 1917, Santo Cambianica, an Italian man from the northern Italy province of Lombardy, immigrated to Los Angeles and started the winery at its current location. Hoping for good luck, he dedicated the winery to Saint Anthony (in Italian: San Antonio) by naming it as such. When Prohibition was enacted in 1920, Cambianica asked for permission from the Catholic Church to continue operating his winery. Granted such permission, he continued the winery's life. Today, the vineyards have been developed with dense, heavy industry, however, it has been declared as historical monument #42 in the city of Los Angeles.