Malaguerra Winery

Malaguerra Winery is a historic winery property in Morgan Hill, California, at the eastern edge of the Santa Clara Valley near the foothills of the Diablo Range. Established in 1869 by José María Malaguerra, a Swiss immigrant and Californio ranchero, it represents the early development of commercial viticulture in Santa Clara County. The surviving complex is particularly notable because its original two-story stone winery building remains standing, making it the oldest remaining winery structure in the county. Malaguerra and his wife, Alvina, became involved in local agriculture during the late 1850s, cultivating grapes and other crops in the Madrone area. In 1861, they acquired approximately 200 acres from Liberata Piatti, widow of pioneer William Fisher, as part of the former Rancho Refugio de la Laguna Seca. Their agricultural activities included vineyards, tomato cultivation, and hog raising, with the family eventually raising eleven children. The winery was founded in 1869 as the regional wine industry was expanding; by 1860, the county already had twenty-six winemakers, and large-scale grape cultivation had begun in the area during the preceding decade. The operation illustrates both the opportunities and instability of early California winemaking. A combination of economic difficulties in the 1890s and a period of excessive grape planting commonly known as the Wine War contributed to the business's closure in 1898. The property later experienced a revival and expansion under Augustino A. Guglieri around the turn of the twentieth century, reflecting the growing influence of Italian immigrants in Santa Clara County's wine industry. In 1904, a substantial rubblestone barn was added to the original winery complex. The Guglieri family sold the property to John Traverse in 1920, and Traverse retained control until 1950. The former winery subsequently served a different agricultural purpose. During the 1960s, for nearly fifteen years, the property operated as a chicken farm. Since 1971, the estate has been under the supervision of Santa Clara County and has functioned as part of the landscape connecting Anderson Lake with the Coyote Creek Parkway. The county later leased the property to the Friends of the Winemakers, a group associated with proposals to renovate the building as a wine museum and restore the surrounding grounds with historically appropriate grape varieties, in cooperation with California state historic-preservation authorities. The approximately 15-acre site includes the 1869 winery, the 1904 barn, and later additions. The original winery is a compact, two-story structure built from basalt rubble gathered from nearby Coyote Creek, finished with stucco and painted white. Its basement contains a single room supported by wooden posts, while the upper floor was later adapted into living and sitting spaces. The adjoining barn has basalt foundations and lower walls, timber framing, ship-lapped siding, and a large exposed truss roof that covers much of the winery's original roof. The complex also preserves evidence of domestic and agricultural use, including a northwest section that was once used for air-curing homemade sausage and salami. The property was nominated for the National Register of Historic Places in 1976 and listed on October 23, 1980, under the areas of agriculture and industry. Its significance rests on its association with the formative period of Santa Clara County viticulture, the survival of its nineteenth-century structures, and its illustration of the contributions of Italian immigrant winemakers to the region. Current commercial wine production under the Malaguerra name is not established by the available reference material; the property is principally documented as a historic site.

José María Malaguerra began cultivating vineyards in the Madrone area, near present-day Morgan Hill, during the late 1850s. He was a Swiss immigrant who became a Californio ranchero and farmer in the Santa Clara Valley. In 1861, Malaguerra and his wife, Alvina, acquired a 200-acre parcel associated with Rancho Refugio de la Laguna Seca. Their agricultural enterprise combined grapevines with tomato cultivation and hog raising, and their household eventually included eleven children. Malaguerra founded the winery in 1869, during the early expansion of commercial viticulture in Santa Clara County. The surviving stone structure is regarded as the county's oldest remaining winery building. Its location on the eastern margin of the valley, close to Coyote Creek and the Diablo Range foothills, influenced both its agricultural setting and its construction materials. Basalt rubble from nearby Coyote Creek was used for the winery's walls. The original northwest portion also supported household food production, including the air-curing of sausage and salami. The local wine economy became increasingly difficult during the 1890s. An economic downturn coincided with overplanting after the phylloxera crisis, a period sometimes described as the Wine War. These conditions contributed to the closure of the Malaguerra wine business in 1898. The property was later revived and expanded around the turn of the twentieth century under Augustino A. Guglieri. His role reflects the substantial participation of Italian immigrants in Santa Clara County's wine industry. A rubblestone barn was added in 1904, creating the core of the surviving historic complex. In 1920, the Guglieri family sold the estate to John Traverse, who owned and managed it until 1950. From the 1930s to 1950, a living and sitting-room extension was incorporated into the original winery building. After Traverse's period of ownership, the property no longer operated primarily as a winery. During the 1960s, it was used as a chicken farm for almost fifteen years. Santa Clara County assumed supervision of the estate in 1971. The property became part of the area connecting Anderson Lake and the Coyote Creek Parkway. In the late 1970s, the county leased the entire property to the Friends of the Winemakers. The group pursued plans to rehabilitate the historic building as a wine museum and to restore the grounds with grape varieties considered historically appropriate, with some involvement from the California Department of Parks and Recreation. The approximately 15-acre complex contains four principal sections. The two historically important components are the 1869 winery and the 1904 barn; later additions were identified for removal as part of a proposed restoration. The winery is a nearly square, two-story building measuring approximately 22 by 24 feet. Its basement is a single room with four wooden support posts, while the upper floor was divided into several rooms by later wooden partitions. A west-facing gable includes a star-shaped ventilation opening and a cartouche marked with the initials “C-M” and the date 1869. The initials may refer to the combined names of Alvina Collins and José María Malaguerra, although that interpretation is presented as a possibility rather than a confirmed reading. The barn measures approximately 31 by 88 feet. It rests on basalt foundations, has lower rubble-stone walls, an upper timber-framed section clad in ship-lapped siding, and an exposed roof truss system. Because the site slopes, the winery and barn could be entered at ground level on different sides, reducing the need for an internal stairway between the principal levels. The barn roof extends over much of the original winery roof, helping define the appearance of the current complex. The property was nominated for historic registration on December 2, 1976, and entered into the National Register of Historic Places on October 23, 1980. Its designation recognizes the site as an example of early Santa Clara County viticulture and as evidence of the agricultural and industrial role played by Italian immigrant winemakers. Available material documents Malaguerra Winery primarily as a preserved historic property rather than as an operating commercial wine producer.

• 1980

  National Register listing

  [1]Malaguerra Wineryen.wikipedia.org

  Malaguerra Winery was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 23, 1980.

• 1971

  Santa Clara County assumes supervision

  [1]Malaguerra Wineryen.wikipedia.org

  The county began supervising the estate as part of the area connecting Anderson Lake and the Coyote Creek Parkway.

• 1920

  Property sold to John Traverse

  [1]Malaguerra Wineryen.wikipedia.org

  The Guglieri family sold the estate to John Traverse, who owned and operated it until 1950.

• 1904

  Rubblestone barn added

  [1]Malaguerra Wineryen.wikipedia.org

  A large adjoining barn was constructed, expanding the historic winery complex.

• 1898

  Original wine business closes

  [1]Malaguerra Wineryen.wikipedia.org

  Economic difficulties and regional overplanting contributed to the closure of the Malaguerra wine operation.

• 1869

  Malaguerra Winery founded

  [1]Malaguerra Wineryen.wikipedia.org

  José María Malaguerra established the winery and constructed the surviving two-story basalt-rubble winery building.

• 1861

  Malaguerra family acquires a 200-acre agricultural parcel

  [1]Malaguerra Wineryen.wikipedia.org

  José María and Alvina Malaguerra acquired approximately 200 acres associated with Rancho Refugio de la Laguna Seca and developed a mixed agricultural operation.

• 1850

  Vineyard cultivation begins in the Madrone area

  [1]Malaguerra Wineryen.wikipedia.org

  José María Malaguerra began cultivating vineyards in the area later associated with Morgan Hill during the late 1850s.

A historic Santa Clara County winery property valued for architectural preservation, early California viticultural history, and its connection to the region's agricultural development.

• Wine · 1869

  Wine

  Wine was the central commercial product of the Malaguerra enterprise after its establishment in 1869. The available historical material documents the winery's role in early Santa Clara County viticulture, but it does not identify specific grape varieties, labels, vintages, or surviving commercial product lines.

• Agricultural product

  Grapes

  The Malaguerra family cultivated grapevines on its agricultural property beginning in the late 1850s. Viticulture formed the agricultural foundation for the winery and placed the estate within the early commercial wine economy of Santa Clara County.

• 1978

  Proposed conversion into a wine museumStrategy

  Background

  After Santa Clara County assumed supervision, the property was leased to the Friends of the Winemakers for preservation-oriented planning.

  Action taken

  The group proposed rehabilitating the historic winery as a museum and restoring the grounds with historically accurate grape varieties.

  Aftermath

  The available sources describe the plans but do not establish whether the full museum and landscape restoration program was completed.

  Source

• 1976

  Historic-preservation nomination submittedStrategy

  Background

  The surviving winery complex was documented as an important example of early Santa Clara County agriculture and industry.

  Action taken

  A nomination for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places was submitted on December 2, 1976.

  Aftermath

  The property was subsequently listed on the National Register in 1980.

  Source

1. 1Malaguerra Wineryen.wikipedia.org