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Prohibition (1920)

The early 20th century was marked with business expansion and progressive reforms in the United States. Temperance movement, discouraging the use of alcoholic beverages, was one of the reforms that have changed the lives of many American citizens. Temperance societies began to push further for changes through national legislation in the 1910s. In 1919, the 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified, prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, and sale of alcoholic beverages nationwide. The National Prohibition Act, known as the Volstead Act, was passed on October 28, 1919 (and taking effect in 1920) to provide enforcement of the 18th Amendment.

Prohibition was intended to protect individuals, families and society at large from the effects of alcohol abuse. The amendment worked at first and brought down the alcohol consumption rate. However, growing resistence towards the law and law enforcement brought up other social problems such as bootlegging, speakeasies, gangs, corruption, organized crime, and violence. Enforcement of Prohibition became increasingly difficult and costly. Society was divided and by the 1930s, a majority of Americans were tired of the changes brought by Prohibition and started to fight against it. In 1933, the 21st Amendment repealed the 18th Amendment, putting Prohibition to an end.

Survival of California Wine

Thanks to the special provisions in the Volstead Act, some wines were able to continue production which helped some wineries survive.

“Liquor for non beverage purposes and wine for sacramental purposes may be manufactured, purchased, sold, bartered, transported, imported, exported, delivered, furnished and possessed [...]” (Title II, Section 3, The Volstead Act)

“[...] a person may, without a permit, purchase and use liquor for medicinal purposes when prescribed by a physician [...]” (Title II, Section 6, The Volstead Act)

Survival of California Wine in the Prohibition era was made possible by the possibility of producing sacramental wines for religious services and medicinal wines under license. The Christian Brothers of California which had been in operation making sacramental wines since the 1880s was allowed to maintain production during Prohibition. Beaulieu Vineyard (BV) founded by Georges de Latour in the early 1900s was another winery that survived Prohibition. Years before Prohibition began, de Latour had the foresight to obtain a warrant to produce altar wine for the Church and therefore became the first nationwide supplier of altar wine to Catholic churches across America. Beaulieu Vineyard’s business actually managed to thrive and increase fourfold in the 1920s during Prohibition, while other producers had to close their doors. Paradoxically, California wine production overall was heavily impacted by Prohibition with a 94% drop from 1919 to 1925, while planting of vineyards actually increased during Prohibition. The Volstead Act allowed home-made cider and grape juices for personal consumption which offered grape growers opportunities to produce grapes for other purposes instead of wine which helped them survive through those years.