San Antonio Winery

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San Antonio Winery
L.A. Historic-Cultural Monument #42
Plaque on the outside of the tourist shop and restaurant at the San Antonio Winery.
Location:	725-749 Lamar Street, Los Angeles, California
Designated as LAHCM:	14 Sep 1966^[1]

The San Antonio Winery is the only remaining winery in the city of Los Angeles . At one time in the Los Angeles area there were 97 wineries. The San Antonio Winery and has operated since 1917. San Antonio Winery produces an array of award winning wines, 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 737 Lamar Street just south of North Main Street. Today the Vineyards are located in Paso Robles, Napa, Rutherford, and Monterey.

1 Intro
2 Brief
3 History
4 Restaurant
5 External links

[edit] Intro

CITY OF LOS ANGELES CULTURAL HISTORICAL LANDMARK ESTABLISHED 1917

Since 1917, The San Antonio Winery has added flair and flavor to celebrations of friends and families throughout Los Angeles and the West.

Today, it is the last of more than one hundred producing wineries that once lined the Los Angeles River Basin. It is a popular restaurant and legendary banquet location, a comprehensive tasting room, and an international wine shop with hundreds of domestic and imported labels.

The winery is an oasis of good living in the heart of the city.

SAN ANTONIO WINERY and MADDALENA RESTAURANT 737 Lamar Street, Los Angeles, CA 90031 323.223.1401 • 323.221.7261 fax Special Events/Catering 323-223-3728 fax OPEN DAILY EXCEPT MAJOR HOLIDAYS Group of 5 or more requires a reservations

[edit] Brief

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.

[edit] History

The California wine tradition began with the Franciscan Fathers of the early Spanish missions. However, the person considered the founder of the California wine industry was a French winemaker, Jean-Louis Vignes. In 1833, he brought the first European vines from his native Bordeaux to Los Angeles. In current downtown, Vignes planted these vines and built a winery. By the turn of the century, Los Angeles was California's premiere appellation for grape growing and winemaking. In 1917, Santo Cambianica left his home in the Northern Italian province of Lombardy to settle in the midst of a bustling Italian-American community in Los Angeles. Here, on Lamar Street, he founded the San Antonio Winery. In hope of good fortune in this new country, Santo dedicated the winery to Saint Anthony, his patron saint.

In 1920, Prohibition jolted the wine industry. The majority of Los Angeles wineries closed forever, but Santo requested permission from the Catholic Church to make sacramental wines. The church granted his request and San Antonio Winery was able to survive. Over 65 years after the repeal of Prohibition, we continue to produce altar wines for religious services.

Today, the LA River is paved and the vineyards have been replaced with heavy industry. San Antonio Winery remains as the only producing winery in Los Angeles. Still in its original location on Lamar Street, the Winery is the last vestige of the rich winemaking tradition of this region. In recognition, the city of Los Angeles designated San Antonio Winery a Cultural Historical Landmark.

Since the Winery's founding, four generations have carried on Santo's tradition of handcrafting fine wine. In 1938, Santo's nephew Stefano Riboli refined and expanded his uncle's company with a spirit of innovation and dedication to quality that has become a hallmark of this family business. Today, the family's dedication is evident in every aspect of San Antonio Winery. Stefano and Maddalena, sons Santo and Steven, daughter Catherine, and grandson Anthony honor this tradition with their award-winning Riboli Family of Wines.

[edit] Restaurant

Celebrating special occasions and dining among the aging casks at the Winery has been a Los Angeles tradition since 1975. The roots of this tradition are found in the long-standing legacy of European hospitality. Maddalena Riboli first imagined bringing the European charm of family dining to Los Angeles while visiting the Italian countryside. Maddalena was born in the northern Italian province of Asti, known for its simple but flavorful cooking. She is the creative force behind the Maddalena Restaurant.

In her restaurant, you will discover the essence of her homeland: fresh pastas, grilled entrees, rotisserie chicken, tempting gourmet salads, delicious sandwich plates and of course delicious desserts.

Maddalena Restaurant Hours: Monday - Friday, 10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. Saturday - Sunday, 10:00 a.m.- 7:00 p.m. Restaurant stops serving at 6:00pm

Breakfast Hours: 10:00a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Parties and Celebrations at the Winery are a time honored tradition for friends, families, business and organizations. The festive atmosphere, fine food, music and wine, make any occasion all the more memorable. The cask-lined walls have a long, time-honored history of fellowship and high spirits. The Winery's distinct Old World flavor and continental charm add luster to parties of virtually any size. Our Vintage Room, Heritage Cellar, Fermenting Room, Main Dining Room are perfect locations for promotions, retirements, family & Corporate functions. The Vintage Room is a separate meeting room with full audio/video presentation capabilities. Our facilities are ideal for all special events.