The Cucamonga Valley has a very long wine history… At one point in the 1920’s there were over 80 wineries in the valley. Prohibition wiped out most of them with land development in the late 20th century taking others. Now there are only two family-run wineries that have been continuously making wine with locally grown grapes since the beginning: J. Filippi and Galleano. The history of the area goes back to the Padre Vineyard Company of the 1870’s which received California Bonded Winery License #1. Make sure you celebrate Southern California’s history by having a glass of locally produced wine!
Galleano Winery 4231 Wineville Road Mira Loma CA 91752 (951) 685-5376
Zinfindel is king here and Galleano makes several different vintages and blends of this staple grape of the valley. They also feature many generic Italian style red blends of different grapes including Chianti and Mellow Burgundy. Whites include Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Reisling and white blends called Cucamonga Peak White and Candlelight White. They also pour two different impressions of Rose and offer sparkling wines as well. Where Galleano shines is with their Sherrys, Ports and dessert wines including Angelica, Sweet Vermouth and Marsala. They are open daily and you can find out more information on their website: http://www.galleanowinery.com
J. Filippi Winery 12467 Baseline Road Rancho Cucamonga CA 91739 (909) 899-5755
Reds are sourced from throughout the Cucamonga Valley and feature: Zinfindel, Cabernet Franc, Petite Sirah, Syrah, Grenache Noir, Melot, Sangiovese and Mourvedre. They also have several red blends and Rose. White include a Chardonnay, Muscato and Fleur de Valle based on their Grenache Noir. J. Filippi also has several Ports, Sherries and Dessert Wines as well as Sparkling Wines. More details can be found at: http://www.josephfilippiwinery.com
San Antonio Winery Tasting Room 2802 S. Milliken Avenue Ontario CA 91761 (909) 947-3995 The main winery is in Downtown LA: 737 Lamar Street Los Angeles CA 90031 (323) 223-1401
The winery opened in 1917 and is the last remaining in Los Angeles. Since the 1960’s, San Antonio has been sourcing grapes from family owned estates throughout California and the Cucamonga Valley. Their tasting room in Ontario is often a hive of activity and features wines under many different related San Antonio family labels but also imported wines of popular appeal under the Stella Rose label.