Petri Wine

Petri Wine is a family run vineyard in San Francisco, California, United States. It was founded in 1886 by Raphaelo Petri.[1] In 1953, Petri Wine was the largest domestic producer of wine in the United States.[2]

Petri originally produced their wine exclusively in kegs for bulk, local distribution.[2] During prohibition, the Petri family closed down their wineries, sold their 250,000 gallons worth of stock,[3] and used those profits to become involved in other industries, especially making Italian leather goods[2] and cigars.[3] After the repeal of prohibition, the Petri family used their profits from these enterprises to purchase a number of competing wineries.[3] In 1935 Louis Petri decided to begin bottling their wines and distributing the wine nationally, while also maintaining their bulk business by contracting with E & J Gallo Winery.[2][3]

The Petri Wine company was also instrumental in founding the Allied Grape Growers, an organization devoted to stabilizing grape prices.[4] In 1952, Petri also founded the United Vintners.[3]

As of 1955, Petri Wine was based in Escalon, California, and the Petri Wine name was used for wines produced by the Allied Grape Growers.[1] Louis Petri continued to head both the Petri Wine operation and the Allied Grape Growers.[1]

Petri Wine sponsored the popular radio show, The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes from 1939 until 1946, when Basil Rathbone left the show and was replaced by Tom Conway, when Kreml Hair Tonic for Men became the new sponsor. It also sponsored the popular radio show, The Casebook of Gregory Hood (1946 - 1951). Harry Bartell was the company's spokesman on the show for most episodes.

External links

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Escalon-Modesto - Notable Wineries By District And Region". Retrieved 24 June 2011.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 "Corporations: Biggest on the vine". Time. Apr 27, 1953. Retrieved 24 June 2011.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Geraci, Victor W. (Autumn 2004). "Fermenting a Twenty-First Century California Wine Industry". Agricultural History 78 (4): 438–465. doi:10.1525/ah.2004.78.4.438. JSTOR 3744795.
  4. ↑ "Allied Grape Growers: History". Retrieved 24 June 2011.