Prohibition saw breweries and vineyards shut down across Downtown Los Angeles; authorities would destroy alcohol production centers. But San Antonio Winery survived and flourished. Thank you LA Downtown News for this amazing piece on our history.
…Prohibition also devastated Los Angeles’ winemaking industry, which was centered around Downtown in what is now Chinatown and Union Station. Already hurt by blight, drought and development, the Volstead Act effectively killed off Downtown’s vineyards. Only a few in California remained, taking advantage of an exemption that allowed for alcohol production for religious purposes—Wallace noted that one Jewish temple in Los Angeles saw its congregation grow from 180 families to more than 1,000 over the course of Prohibition. The San Antonio Winery in Lincoln Heights just on the other side of the Los Angeles River, stayed in operations, making sacramental wine for churches.
For the full article, click HERE.
