It was such a good idea, I couldn’t believe Smithsonian magazine hadn’t done it years ago.
The chronicler of all-things-American designated its June edition as “The Food Issue.” The explanation offered made perfect sense.
Think about it: When you return from a trip, what’s the first thing your friends want to know?
That’s right: How was the food?
So, the June issue was packed with the magazine’s usual array of meticulously researched and well-told stories…only in this edition, most were devoted to food.
Included in the impressive editorial package was a feature on a most unusual winery: the San Antonio Winery.
No, not San Antonio, as in Texas. San Antonio Winery is located in, of all places, downtown Los Angeles. It was founded in 1917, three years before the enactment of Prohibition. At the time, there were about 90 wineries in Los Angeles. When Prohibition was repealed, it was one of only six still standing.
It survived by making sacramental wine for the Catholic church, and today it is America’s largest supplier of such wines.
It also makes wines that have garnered big numbers from Wine Spectator, a testament to winemaker Steve Riboli’s talent in the cellar.
But the Smithsonian story focuses mainly on the religious aspect of the San Antonio Winery story, and a most interesting tale it is.
Pick up a copy of the June Smithsonian, and satisfy your hunger (and thirst) for some exceptional food (and wine) storytelling.
