The California Historical Society
Cordially invites you to a special experience launching Frances Dinkelspiel’s

Tangled Vines: Greed, Murder, Obsession, and an Arsonist in the Vineyards of California

Sunday, 1 November 2015
5:30 PM

Hosted by the Galleano Family and Winery
4231 Wineville Ave, Mira Loma, CA 91752

Wine tasting and hors d’oeuvres
Frances Dinkelspiel in conversation with Anthea M. Hartig, Executive Director of the California Historical Society
Book buying and signing

On Oct. 12, 2005, an arson fire destroyed 4.5 million bottles of fine wine stored in a warehouse in Vallejo, CA, destroying $250 million worth of wine. Among the bottles ruined were 175 bottles made in 1875 at the famed Cucamonga Vineyard. In Tangled Vines: Greed, Murder, Obsession, and an Arsonist in the Vineyards of California, Frances Dinkelspiel writes about the fire and what was lost when those 175 bottles – made by her great great grandfather Isaias Hellman – burned. She also delves into the dark history of wine, touching on the murder of John Rains, once the owner of the 13,000-acre Rancho Cucamonga, the enslavement of Native Americans to make wine, and the powerful monopoly that eventually controlled the vineyard as well as 80% of the production of wine in the state.

FAQs

Are there ID requirements or an age limit to enter the event?

This is a 21+ event.