Mira Loma, California, was once known for its many wineries and dairy farms. In fact, before it was called Mira Loma it was called Wineville, a nod to the hundreds of acres of grapes planted throughout the area. Today, Mira Loma is a part of Jurupa, California, a budding and bustling residential area. But if you look carefully, you can still find the historical gemstones that point back to it’s time as a small, quiet farming community.
Galleano Winery is the last historical winery still running in Mira Loma. In fact, in 2003, the winery was listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Galleano Winery has it’s place not only in the history of Mira Loma, but also in the history of the winery boom in California. Planting grapes in California can be dated back to the 1600’s and winemaking was known to be done by Spanish missionaries in the late 1700’s; but the first wineries were not known to have been truly established until the mid 1800’s. Winemaking steadily grew in popularity but the prohibition in the 1920’s brought the industry to a screeching halt. Fortunately for winemakers, prohibition ended in 1933 and wineries again began to pop up all over the state. By 1940 there were 474 listed wineries in California. To put that into perspective there were only 1090 listed wineries in the U.S. at the time.
The Galleano Family purchased the land in Mira Loma in 1927, and the winery was established in 1937. The winery has remained under family ownership since it was first established, and they pride themselves in maintaining the old traditions of winemaking. In fact, Donald Galleano, the current owner, has be heard saying that the Galleano Winery is a “working museum.” The facilities are not only a place to see wine being made at it’s best, but to see how wine has been made in California since the end of the prohibition. Visitors who stop at Galleano Winery today will not just get to sample award winning wine, they also get tutored in the history of winemaking. Galleano Winery is keeping the traditions alive, and helping preserve the old ways.
Mira Loma tutors want to help students reach their goals in winemaking, viticulture or whatever career paths they are seeking. Mira Loma Tutors understand that rich history should never be forgotten, and the future is worth investing in. They are standing by to help students of all ages taste a sip of success!