Agoston Haraszthy

Agoston Haraszthy
Agoston Haraszthy
Born	Error: Invalid birth date for calculating age; Pest, Hungary
Died	6 July 1869 (aged 56)
Occupation(s)	Aristocrat, businessman, author, pioneering vintner
Known for	Founder of Buena Vista Winery; "Father of California Wine"

Agoston Haraszthy (; born August 30, 1812 – died July 6, 1869) was a Hungarian-American aristocrat, businessman, author, and pioneering vintner active in Wisconsin and California. Often referred to as the "Father of California Wine" and the "Father of Modern Winemaking in California," he established the Buena Vista Winery in Sonoma and was among the earliest proponents of viticulture in California. Haraszthy played a crucial role in shaping the state's wine sector by introducing more than 300 grape varieties from Europe.

He holds the distinction of being the first Hungarian to become a permanent resident of the United States and penned one of the earliest Hungarian-language books about America. In Wisconsin, he founded the state's oldest incorporated village, while in San Diego he served as the inaugural town marshal as well as county sheriff. His influence on American viticulture and local development marks him as a significant figure in 19th-century commerce and agriculture.

Birth

Agoston Haraszthy was born in 1812 in Pest, Hungary, as the sole offspring of Károly Haraszthy and Anna Mária (née Fischer). Earlier assertions of his birth taking place in Futak were refuted by research conducted in 1995.

Nobility

The Haraszthy family belonged to the Hungarian nobility originating from Ung county, an area now divided among Hungary, Slovakia, and Ukraine. Agoston was part of the Mokcsai lineage connected to estates located in Mokcsa and Haraszth—present-day Slovak villages Krišovská Liesková and Chrasť nad Hornádom. Within Hungary, he was identified as Mokcsai Haraszthy Ágoston. Official Latin documents recorded his name as Agoston Haraszthy de Mokcsa. Upon settling in the United States, he was simply known as Agoston Haraszthy.

As a nobleman, he bore the titles Spectabilis Dominus or Tekintetes Úr, both translating to Honorable Sir. Among German-speaking settlers in 1840s Wisconsin, he was colloquially called "Count" Haraszthy, although this designation was not used by him elsewhere. In California, he was addressed as "Colonel," an honorary title reflecting his military service in Hungary.

Life in Hungary

Ágoston and his father Károly owned properties within southern Hungary’s Bácska region (currently part of Serbia). His father-in-law, Ferenc Dedinszky, managed an extensive estate at Futak along the Danube River, where vineyards and winemaking were prominent enterprises. Both families were engaged actively in the local wine industry.

On January 6, 1833, Ágoston married Eleonóra Dedinszky in Bács-Bodrog County. The Dedinszky family had Polish origins but had been integrated into Hungarian nobility since 1272. The couple had six children: Géza, Attila, Árpád, Ida (who later wed attorney Henry Hancock, owner of Rancho La Brea), Béla, and Otélia.

To America

In March 1840, accompanied by his maternal cousin Károly Fischer, Haraszthy departed from Hungary bound for the United States. Their route took them through Austria, Germany, and England before crossing the Atlantic Ocean to New York. From there, they traveled via the Hudson River, Erie Canal, and across the Great Lakes before settling in Wisconsin. Haraszthy later remarked that his sole purpose for coming to America was "to see this blessed country for myself."

Travels in North America

Haraszthy was proficient in multiple languages, including Hungarian, German—reflecting his maternal German roots—and later English. After returning to Hungary in 1842, he authored a book in Hungarian about the United States, drawing from his extensive travels throughout the country. This work, titled Utazás Éjszakamerikában (Travels in North America), was published in Pest in 1844, with a second edition released in 1850. It commended American society and industry and was the second Hungarian publication focused on the U.S.

Wisconsin

Upon arriving in Wisconsin, Haraszthy and his cousin first attempted to establish a settlement near Lake Koshkonong but soon relocated to the Sauk Prairie region along the Wisconsin River, northwest of Madison. Haraszthy acquired a substantial parcel on the river’s western shore and founded a town initially called Széptáj ("beautiful place"). The settlement was later renamed Haraszthy (also known as Haraszthyville or Haraszthopolis), then Westfield, and eventually Sauk City following his departure for California in 1849. In 1842, he returned to Hungary to bring his family to Wisconsin; they became naturalized U.S. citizens and remained permanently.

Collaborating with Englishman Robert Bryant, Haraszthy engaged in various enterprises: constructing mills, farming corn and other grains, raising livestock, operating a retail store and brickyard—which supplied bricks for many of Sauk City’s earliest residences—and owning a steamboat that transported passengers and cargo along the Wisconsin and Mississippi Rivers. Additionally, he contributed land for the establishment of Sauk City's first Roman Catholic church and school.

On the east bank of the Wisconsin River in what later became Roxbury, Haraszthy cultivated grapevines and built wine cellars dug into hillside slopes—now part of the Lake Wisconsin AVA and site of the Wollersheim Winery, recognized as the second oldest winery in the U.S. after New York’s Brotherhood Winery—helping position Wisconsin as a significant wine-producing area. An avid hunter, he constructed a hunting lodge overlooking the river bluff. Furthermore, he donated 100 acres in Roxbury to support church development and affordable land sales for immigrants.

Haraszthy also established a ferry service linking Roxbury with Sauk City. Although granted permission by the Wisconsin Legislature to erect a bridge across the river, this project was halted when he left for California.

Across the plains

Motivated by the 1848 discovery of gold in California, Haraszthy planned his relocation from Wisconsin by late 1848. In early 1849, he was chosen as captain of a wagon train leading his family westward via the Santa Fe Trail. His goal was to settle and cultivate vineyards near San Diego, rather than pursue mining riches. They arrived in San Diego by December 1849.

San Diego

Once in San Diego, Haraszthy partnered with Juan Bandini to launch several enterprises: fruit orchards, a livery stable, a stagecoach operation, a butcher shop, and a land syndicate developing “Haraszthyville” between Old Town and New San Diego. He imported grapevines from both U.S. sources and Europe, establishing a vineyard close to the San Diego River. On April 1, 1850, he was elected sheriff of San Diego County and also served as city marshal. Additionally, he secured a contract to construct San Diego’s jail, which was completed in 1851.

California State Assembly

Haraszthy was elected to the California State Assembly in September 1851 and served from January through May 1852. During his tenure, he championed flood management for the San Diego River, the establishment of a state hospital in San Diego, tax reductions for Southern California landowners, replacing the city council with trustees, and support for the indigent. He also spearheaded an unsuccessful initiative to divide California into two separate states.

San Francisco and San Mateo

While serving in the legislature, beginning in March 1852, Haraszthy purchased property near Mission Dolores in San Francisco. His attempts to cultivate grapes there and on a sizable vineyard near Crystal Springs (present-day San Mateo County) were hindered by the foggy climate. Despite these setbacks, he persisted in importing European grape varieties for experimental planting.

In San Francisco, Haraszthy formed a partnership with Hungarian metallurgists under the name Haraszthy and Uznay, establishing the Eureka Gold and Silver Refinery. Upon the opening of the San Francisco Mint in April 1854, he was appointed its first U.S. assayer and subsequently served as melter and refiner. In 1857, he faced federal accusations of embezzling $151,550 in gold but was completely cleared following an extensive investigation and civil trial by 1861.

Sonoma

During the ongoing mint investigation, Haraszthy moved to Sonoma, located roughly fifty miles north of San Francisco. In 1856, he acquired a modest vineyard northeast of town and renamed it Buena Vista. He relocated his vines from Crystal Springs and expanded the vineyard operations, employing Charles Krug as winemaker.

By 1857, Haraszthy had begun excavating tunnels into a nearby mountain and constructing stone cellars at their entrances. He developed two substantial stone winery structures outfitted with tunnels and modern winemaking apparatuses, establishing Buena Vista as California’s first stone winery. His landholdings grew to encompass over 200 acres of valley and hillside terrain, promoting hillside planting without irrigation. Haraszthy subdivided his acreage into smaller plots, encouraging notable Californians to establish vineyards in Sonoma. He also supported Chinese immigration to supply vital labor and built a family villa within the Buena Vista vineyards.

“Report on Grapes and Wine of California”

In 1858, Haraszthy authored a 19-page document titled “Report on Grapes and Wine of California,” issued by the California State Agricultural Society. This report provided practical advice on vine cultivation and winemaking techniques while promoting grape growing throughout the state. It later became recognized as California’s inaugural winemaking treatise and was hailed as the “first American explanation of traditional European winemaking methods.”

President of State Agricultural Society

Haraszthy regularly contributed articles to newspapers, delivered speeches at agricultural events, and submitted his wines to the California State Fair, earning top honors. On April 23, 1862, he was elected president of the California State Agricultural Society.

Buena Vista Vinicultural Society

In 1863, Haraszthy established the Buena Vista Vinicultural Society, among California’s earliest large-scale corporations dedicated exclusively to agriculture. Supported by influential investors, he greatly expanded Sonoma’s vineyards and distributed wine as far east as New York. By 1864, Harper's Magazine described Buena Vista as “the largest establishment of its kind worldwide.”

Mission to Europe

In 1861, Governor John G. Downey of California designated Haraszthy as a commissioner tasked with advising on advancements in grape cultivation within the state. During this mission, he visited several European countries including France, Germany, Switzerland, Spain, and Hungary to examine their vine-growing and winemaking practices. Upon his return, he brought back more than 100,000 vine cuttings representing over 350 different varieties. Haraszthy proposed to propagate and sell these vines through his nursery in Sonoma and distribute them throughout California. However, the Legislature declined to support this initiative, forcing him to bear the financial burden of distribution independently—a major economic challenge.

Haraszthy-Vallejo wedding

Haraszthy developed a strong alliance with Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo, a key figure in Sonoma’s founding and a distinguished winemaker. This connection was solidified on June 1, 1863, when the two families celebrated a double wedding: Natalia Vallejo wed Attila Haraszthy, while Jovita Vallejo married Arpad Haraszthy. Among Agoston Haraszthy’s descendants is the actress Natalie Kingston.

Phylloxera

The expansion efforts of the Buena Vista Vinicultural Society under Haraszthy involved substantial borrowing and extensive use of layering techniques to speed up vine propagation. Although layering promoted quicker growth, it also increased vulnerability to soil-borne diseases. By the mid-1860s, critics blamed layering for the vineyard’s decline; however, the true cause was California’s initial encounter with phylloxera. This destructive pest rapidly spread through vineyards statewide and later caused severe damage in France. As production dropped, profits fell short of covering debts, resulting in shareholders removing Haraszthy from his position in 1867 and uprooting his layered vines. Subsequently, he managed another vineyard owned by his wife in Sonoma but eventually declared bankruptcy.

In Nicaragua

In 1868, Haraszthy departed from California and entered into a partnership with Theodore Wassmer, a German-born physician, to establish a large sugar plantation near the port city of Corinto, Nicaragua. His objective was to produce rum targeted at American markets. On July 6, 1869, Haraszthy vanished while near a river on his estate; whether this was due to an accident or an alligator attack remains undetermined as his body was never recovered.

Zinfandel controversy

The assertion that Haraszthy was responsible for introducing the first Zinfandel vines into California has been contested. In the 1870s and 1880s, his son Arpad Haraszthy, who gained recognition as a sparkling wine producer and served as President of the California State Board of Viticultural Commissioners, claimed that his father brought Zinfandel to California during the early 1850s. This narrative was widely accepted until wine historian Charles L. Sullivan disputed it toward the end of the twentieth century.

Sullivan’s research in 2003 revealed that Zinfandel had been introduced to the U.S. East Coast by the 1820s and arrived in California by the 1850s through other sources. While acknowledging Haraszthy’s important contributions to California viticulture, Sullivan found no substantial proof supporting Arpad’s version of events and described it as a "myth." On the other hand, historian Brian McGinty presents evidence implying that Haraszthy may have obtained Zinfandel vines as early as 1852 with assistance from Lázár Mészáros, a Hungarian horticulturist based in New Jersey. This lends some credence to Arpad’s account but remains inconclusive within academic circles.

Vintners Hall of Fame

In March 2007, the Culinary Institute of America inducted Haraszthy into the Vintners Hall of Fame. This recognition came from seventy wine journalists who acknowledged his pioneering role in establishing California's wine industry. The honor was received on his behalf by his great-great-grandson, Vallejo Haraszthy.

Works consulted

Balzer, Robert Lawrence. Wines of California. New York: Harry N. Abrams, 1978.
Beard, James A. “Shopping for California Wines,” House and Garden, August 1956.
Carosso, Vincent P. The California Wine Industry. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1951.
Darlington, David. Angel’s Visits: An Inquiry into the Mystery of Zinfandel. New York: Henry Holt, 1991.
Feleky, Charles. “Agoston Haraszthy de Mokcsa,” in Allen Johnson and Dumas Malone (eds.) Dictionary of American Biography, Vol. 4. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1931.
Haraszthy, Agoston. Grape Culture, Wines, and Wine-Making. New York: Harper & Brothers, 1862.
Haraszthy, Agoston. “Report on Grapes and Wine of California.” In Transactions of the California State Agricultural Society During the Year 1858. Sacramento: John O’Meara, State Printer, 1859.
“The Haraszthy Family,” manuscript, Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley.
Hutchinson, John N. “The Astonishing Hungarian.” Wine and Food [London], No. 137 (Spring 1968).
Johnson, Hugh. Vintage: The Story of Wine. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1989.
Jones, Idwal. Vines in the Sun. New York: William Morrow, 1949.
McGinty, Brian. Haraszthy at the Mint. Los Angeles: Dawson’s Book Shop, 1975.
McGinty, Brian. Strong Wine: The Life and Legend of Agoston Haraszthy. Stanford University Press, 1998.
Mokcsai Haraszthy Ágoston, Utazas Éjszakamerikában. Pest [Hungary]: Heckenast Gusztáv, 1844. 2 vols.
Parish of Futtak. Marriage Register, January 6, 1833.
Penhinou, Ernest P., and Sidney S. Greenleaf. A Dictionary of Wine Growers and Wine Makers in 1860. Berkeley: Tamalapais Press, 1967.
Pinney, Thomas. A History of Wine in America. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1989.
Sullivan, Charles L. “A Man Named Agoston Haraszthy.” Parts 1–3. Vintage Magazine, February–April 1980.
Sullivan, Charles L. A Companion to California Wine. Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1998.
Sullivan, Charles L. Zinfandel: A History of a Grape and Its Wine. Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press, 2003.
St. Francis Solano Church, Sonoma, California. Register of Marriages.
Wait, Frona Eunice. Wines and Vines of California. San Francisco: Bancroft Company, 1889.
”Wine-Making in California,” Harper’s New Monthly Magazine 29 (1864).

References

Lévai, Csaba. "Ágoston Haraszthy: 'Father of California Viticulture'? Reflections on Recent Revisionist Scholarship". Hungarian Studies Review, vol. 40, no. 1 (Spring 2013): 7–24.
McGinty, Brian. Haraszthy at the Mint. Los Angeles: Dawson’s Book Shop, 1975.
McGinty, Brian. Strong Wine: The Life and Legend of Agoston Haraszthy. Stanford University Press, 1998. .
McGinty, Brian. A Toast to Eclipse: Arpad Haraszthy and the Sparkling Wine of Old San Francisco. University of Oklahoma Press, 2012. .

External links

Agoston Haraszthy, 1812–1869: Aristocrat, Entrepreneur, Official, Winemaker from the Encyclopedia of San Francisco
Agoston Haraszthy: San Diego County's First Sheriff, 1850–51 provided by the San Diego County Sheriff's Department
A REMARKABLE CAREER.; Narrative of a Hungarian Emigrant’s Experiences in America, obituary published in the New York Times
Count Agoston Haraszthy featured by The Maritime Heritage Project
"Documents: Haraszthy's Wisconsin Experience" from the Wisconsin Magazine Of History, 23:2 (Dec 1939)
Haraszthy (De Moksca), Agoston 1812–1869 entry in the Dictionary of Wisconsin History