Beautifully engraved certificate from the Almaden Vineyard Wines, Ltd. issued in 1941. This historic document was printed by the Parker Printing Company and has an ornate border around it with a vignette of an allegorical woman with a background that contains a large area of farm land. This item is hand signed by the Company's Vice-President ( Louis Benoist ) and Secretary and is over 64 years old. This is the first time we have seen this certificate for sale.
Certificate Vignette Almaden Vineyards, founded in 1852, has grown to be one of the leading wine companies in the United States. The winery produces an abundance of different wines and offers its products in a wide range of packaging choices. Ownership: Today, Almaden Vineyards is owned by Canandaigua Wine. Based in the Finger Lakes region of Upstate New York, the company has grown over the past 50 years to become the world's second largest wine company. Through skillful marketing and selective acquisitions of wineries, stretching from the Empire State to the Golden State and the Pacific Northwest, Canandaigua Wine is committed to satisfying the tastes and preferences of consumers from around the world. Canandaigua Wine, a division of Constellation Brands, Inc., has annual revenues of approximately $809 million. More financial and investment information is available from Constellation Brands, Inc. Timeline of Company History: 1852 Almaden Vineyards is founded by a Frenchman named Etienne Theé, who plants the first vineyards in California with vines from his native France. Early 1940's Following Prohibition, Almaden is the first to introduce a "blush" wine -- White Grenache Rosé -- the first popular pink wine in the United States. 1951 Almaden undergoes merger with Madrone Vineyards, owned by Lucky Lager. 1951 Later that same year, the Lefranc Corporations, Almaden's original owner (son-in-law of Etienne Theé), regains full control of the winery. 1958 Almaden Vineyards developed the world's largest varietal wine vineyard at Paicines, California. 1962 Almaden expands its winemaking team with hire of additional winemaker. 1967 Almaden Vineyards is sold to National Distributors. 1987 Heublein purchases Almaden Vineyards from National and moves the packaging of all Almaden wines to Mission Bell Winery in Madera, California. 1980's Almaden introduces the first-ever bag-in-the-box packaging. 1994 Almaden becomes a part of the Canandaigua Wine Company. 2002 Almaden celebrates its 150th anniversary. History from Company Press Information