Since 1869

Pioneers from the Alps

San Francisco's William Tell Hotel in 1939

In 1939 who could have imagined that those Swiss immigrants making sparkling wine in the basement of San Francisco's William Tell Hotel were the nucleus of an American tradition? Below the bustle of Clay Street, Rudolph Weibel and his son, Fred Emile Weibel, were just doing what came naturally - making quality wine as learned from the classic traditions of their family heritage.

Before coming to San Francisco they had spent their first year in America working the 1937 vintage at the Columbia Winery in Vancouver, Washington. Even though it was a short stint for the y moved from the Northwest to California.

The immediate success of the William Tell Hotel wines necessitated a move to a larger facility in San Francisco's "south of the slot" (now called, "South of Market"). Again, they built on their reputation of quality in a city that had a European flair and an inherent interest in wine. But while it is possible to make good wines in the confines of an urban building, it is not possible to grow good grapes there! Up until then, the fruit had been shipped in from the surrounding wine growing regions. So when the defining moment of opportunity came in 1946 to purchase 100 acres of historical vineyards in Mission San Jose, the choice was obvious. Once again the Weibel Family moved to follow their dreams, this time from the cool marine air of San Francisco to the warm, arid climate of the South Bay.

The Mission and The Guv

An Old Wine Press

The Mission San Jose acreage was originally owned in the 1800s by California Governor Leland Stanford. Some say that Stanford's original plan was to build a university there to honor the untimely death of his fifteen-year-old son. But Mrs. Stanford thought that the educational memorial would be better suited on a parcel west, across the bay in Palo Alto - affectionately known then as "The Farm". It is today known as Stanford University. Once the decision was made in 1869 to found the university in Palo Alto, the Stanfords proceeded to build a winery annexed with newly planted vineyards. It also turns out that the afternoon breeze off the bay was just the cool relief needed for the sun-drenched grapes of Mission San Jose.

While the university across the bay thrived into the next century the Leland Stanford Winery did not. The vineyards went fallow because of the potent punch of phylloxera and prohibition. In 1917, the Stanfords finally sold the winery. The next thirty years saw various owners and commercial uses, including a period when it was a horse-racing track!

Family and Vineyard Replanted

Carboys of Wine

When the Weibel Family arrived in 1946 all that was left of the Leland Stanford Winery was a dilapidated brick building leaning against the hills that overlooked the gnarly grapevine stumps. After they purchased the winery, they rejuvenated the production area, replanted the vines and put Oscar Habluetzel in charge of winemaking (a job that lasted 37 years). All three families lived in the front section of the old winery until three homes were built on the property: first for Rudolph, then Oscar and his family, and finally Fred Emile and Hulda who had a new baby: Fred, Jr., the future President and CEO of Weibel Vineyards.

In the following decades Weibel Vineyards also produced sweet and fortified wines, which were very much popular in the 1940's and 1950's. Then, in the early 1960's as the American palate began to shift toward drier table wines, they began planting and making Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Sauvignon Blanc.

Also, in 1959 Weibel Vineyards introduced a zippy little white wine called Green Hungarian. The grape's origin is obscure, but there seems to be a connection to Hungarian-born Agoston Haraszthy - the godfather of California viticulture. Other wineries produced Green Hungarian, but Weibel Vineyards' version caught the fancy of new wine drinkers and, at its peak, they were making 80,000 cases a year of it. "It just clicked," said Fred, Jr., "Some people look down at wines that aren't totally dry. But there's always a need for something slightly sweet and with a zing. Hey, it's refreshing - and great with spicy food."

Along with fellow pioneers Paul Masson, Wente, and Almaden, Weibel Vineyards helped revitalize the American wine industry after years of prohibition, depression, and war. In retrospect, the State Fair blue ribbons that they were awarded in the 1950s' and 1960's were the early flags that signaled California's return to being one of the great wine regions of the world.

After fifty productive years in Mission San Jose Fred, Jr., relocated Weibel Vineyards along with family and longtime employees to another formidable wine-growing region in Woodbridge, California, just outside of Lodi. Here the family tradition continues with Oscar's son, Gary Habluetzel, Vice President in charge of operations. Fred's son, Justin, graduated from the University of California at Davis with a degree in fermentation science and pursues winemaking for other wineries in California and elsewhere.

Into the Present with Panache

Today, the Weibel Family celebrates their eighth decade in the wine business with the legacy of wines such as their Weibel Family selection from their Mendocino County vineyards. Of course, Weibel Family Vineyards & Winery continue to make a broad array of California champagnes and naturally flavored sparkling wines. The famous Green Hungarian lives on in spirit as the popular Weibel Family GH. Weibel Family Vineyards & Winery's dedication to quality and value assures that there will always be "wines for everyone on any day."

Weibel Family Vineyards

Weibel Family Vineyards & Winery
Office: 1 Winemaster Way, Suite D. Lodi, CA 95240 Tel: (800) 932-9463 Fax: (209) 365-9469
Winery: 13300 Buckman Dr., P.O. Box 443, Hopland, CA 95449
Tasting Room: 13275 South U.S. Highway 101, Suite 1, Hopland, CA 95449 Tel: (707) 744-2200 Fax: (707) 744-2204