KEEPING A PLACE AT THE ALTAR
Wine Spectator Online
By Tim Fish
March 29, 2002

These past several months, Americans have looked for comfort in the familiar, whether that's old friends, family or a simple glass of wine. While many wineries are reporting stagnant sales at best, demand has surged for a particular wine -- sacramental altar wine.

The historic winery, operated for 85 years by the Riboli family, is easy to overlook. Flanked by skyscrapers, train yards and interstate highways, it is the only winery left in downtown Los Angeles, which before Prohibition was a haven for more than 100 wineries. Although they have kept a low profile, the Riboli family is one of California's largest winemakers, producing more than 500,000 cases a year, much of it jug and cooking wine, but they also have eight different fine-wine labels, including Maddalena and San Simeon.

December through Easter is typically the winery's peak season for altar wine -- 60,000 cases are produced a year -- but demand has increased since Sept. 11. By the end of 2001, sales were up 20 percent for the year, according to winemaker Anthony Riboli, 27, part of the family's fourth generation in the business.

"We've always done the altar wine, and we're proud of it. Demand is growing. Why? Some of it may be that more people are going to church in the aftermath of the tragedy," Riboli said.

Although America's taste has tended toward drier wines, Riboli said that churches still ask for something sweet. "No one has ever said 'We want it drier,'" said Riboli. "Certain faiths don't want the vestments to be stained so they want white wine, but for others, it's important that it be red because it represents the blood of Christ."

Blends vary from church to church -- some even prefer the winery's Sherry-style Angelica, for example -- but Riboli largely uses grapes from California's Central Valley and "varieties that are long forgotten, like Muscat of Alexandria." Unlike kosher wine, there are no religious production requirements for altar wine.

Italian immigrant Santo Cambianica opened the winery in 1917 in the heart of the city's once bustling Italian community. The winery was able to survive Prohibition because Cambianica made wine for the local Catholic churches. Just before World War II, Stefano Riboli -- Cambianica's nephew and Anthony's grandfather -- joined the winery.

At one time, the winery sold most of its wine in 10 tasting rooms around Southern California. Today, the focus is on the Los Angeles winery -- where Stefano Riboli, 80, still pours samples in the tasting room -- and its Italian restaurant, Maddalena, which draws a lunch crowd from City Hall and the nearby medical center. Most of the winemaking is done at the family's facility in Paso Robles, although white wines are still barrel-fermented at the Los Angeles winery.

Michael Weis, winemaker at Groth Vineyards in Napa Valley, worked at the winery from 1975 to 1984. "I learned a hell of a lot," he said. "They're wonderful people. I loved my time there."

Although altar wine will continue to be part of the family tradition, the winery is shifting to fine wine. With an eye toward improving quality, the family has replanted vineyards and is focusing on grapes from Napa, Sonoma and the Central Coast. Riboli has also expanded the winery's barrel program, buying more and from better coopers.

Two labels, Riboli Family Vineyard and Santo Stefano, focus solely on Cabernet Sauvignon. Grapes for the Riboli Family label come from their vineyard in Napa Valley's Rutherford district, while the Santo Stefano fruit comes from Alexander Valley in Sonoma County. Both labels debuted with the 1997 vintage.

The San Simeon brand includes Pinot Noir, Merlot, Syrah and Chardonnay from Monterey and the Central Coast, while the Maddalena label, which also focuses on the Central Coast grapes-- including Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Muscat Canelli and Pinot Grigio -- is the largest, accounting for nearly half of the family's 150,000-case fine-wine production. 

"We've always tried to change with the trends," Riboli said, "and that's the reason why we've been in the business so long."