Arpad Haraszthy

Arpad Haraszthy
Arpad Haraszthy
Born	Error: Invalid birth date for calculating age; Futtak, Hungary
Died	November 15, 1900 (aged 60); San Francisco, California, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Winemaker, author
Known for	Developing Eclipse champagne, first president of California State Board of Viticultural Commissioners, founding officer of Bohemian Club

Arpad Haraszthy (Hungarian: Haraszthy Árpád; born June 28, 1840, in Futtak, Hungary – died November 15, 1900, San Francisco, California) was a trailblazing winemaker in California, renowned for developing Eclipse champagne, recognized as the state's first sparkling wine to achieve commercial success. He held the distinction of being the inaugural president of the California State Board of Viticultural Commissioners and played a key role as a founding officer in San Francisco's esteemed Bohemian Club. In addition to his winemaking achievements, Haraszthy was a respected author on topics related to wine and viticulture. However, some contemporary historians dispute his assertions that his father, Agoston Haraszthy, often called "The Father of California Viticulture," was responsible for introducing the initial Zinfandel vines to California during the early 1850s—a grape variety that eventually became central to California’s red table wine production. These claims remain a subject of debate and lack definitive proof.

Birth

Arpad Haraszthy entered the world in 1840 in Futtak, Hungary (present-day Futog, Serbia), as the third son of pioneering Hungarian-American vintner Agoston Haraszthy and Eleonóra Dedinszky Haraszthy. He was part of the Mokcsai lineage within the noble Haraszthy family, which traces its roots to Ung County in northeastern Hungary (territory now divided among Hungary, Slovakia, and Ukraine). The family surname is pronounced [ˈhɒrɒsti ˈaːɡoʃton] in Hungarian and /ˈhærəsti/ in American English. His maternal grandfather, Ferencz Dedinszky, oversaw the expansive 34,000-acre Futtak estate near Újvidék (now Novi Sad, Serbia).

To Wisconsin

In 1842, Arpad’s family relocated to Wisconsin, where his father established a settlement along the Wisconsin River, approximately twenty-five miles northwest of Madison. The community was first named Széptáj (meaning "beautiful place" in Hungarian), later referred to as Haraszthy or by variants such as Haraszthyville and Haraszthopolis, before ultimately becoming known as Sauk City.

To California

The family stayed in Wisconsin until 1849 when Agoston led them westward with other emigrants toward California. They journeyed along the Santa Fe Trail and reached San Diego, California in December of that year. Agoston established their residence at San Diego Plaza and quickly gained influence within local civic and commercial circles.

To New York and New Jersey

Following Agoston’s election to the California State Legislature in 1851, Arpad traveled with his mother and siblings to New York, arriving in 1852. While his mother settled in Plainfield, New Jersey, Arpad pursued his education there. The family developed a friendship with Lázár Mészáros, an exiled Hungarian patriot and horticulturist who maintained a nursery near their residence. Through Mészáros’s nursery, Haraszthy became acquainted with grapevine cultivation—cuttings from which were sent to Agoston in California—and later acknowledged Mészáros’s contribution to obtaining Zinfandel cuttings for his father.

Return to California

Upon completing his education in New York, Haraszthy traveled throughout the United States before making his way back to California by steamship. He visited his father's vineyards located at Crystal Springs and Sonoma during Agoston’s efforts to transfer vines to his new Buena Vista estate (now known as the Buena Vista Winery). After spending two months there, Haraszthy returned eastward and subsequently set sail for France.

French Champagne Education

Haraszthy arrived in Paris toward the end of 1857 and enrolled at the renowned École Polytechnique. Two years afterward, he pursued studies on Champagne production at De Venoge in Épernay, located in the Champagne region. In late 1861, he joined his family on a vine-collecting expedition across Europe, visiting France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, and Spain to gather grape cuttings that were shipped back to San Francisco. By the time Agoston returned at the close of 1861, more than 100,000 vine cuttings encompassing upwards of 300 European grape varieties had been imported. Haraszthy documented his European journey in the book Grape Culture, Vines, and Wine-Making, published by Harper & Brothers. After completing his studies in Champagne, he came back to California in the autumn of 1862.

Activities in Sonoma

In 1862, Haraszthy commenced winemaking at his father’s Buena Vista estate in Sonoma, California, crafting both still and sparkling wines. While his early attempts at sparkling wine were not successful, subsequent productions achieved better results. On June 1, 1863, he wed Jovita Vallejo, the daughter of Sonoma’s founder Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo; simultaneously, his brother Attila married Jovita’s sister Natalia. This dual ceremony united two prominent winemaking families. That same year, Haraszthy established the Buena Vista Vinicultural Society by incorporating Buena Vista. By late 1864, he stepped down from this venture and formed a partnership with Pietro Giovanari—Vallejo’s vineyard manager—producing wines under the Haraszthy and Giovanari label for themselves and other vineyard proprietors.

San Francisco Endeavors

In 1866, Haraszthy relocated to San Francisco and collaborated with trustee Isidor Landsberger to create I. Landsberger, later known as I. Landsberger & Co., which produced both still and sparkling wines from cellars based in San Francisco. Utilizing French champagne techniques acquired in Épernay, he crafted bottle-fermented sparkling wines marketed from 1867 under the name Sparkling California. In 1875, the company introduced Eclipse Extra Dry—a refined semi-dry sparkling wine made using traditional French methods. Eclipse earned international recognition following its debut at the 1876 Centennial Exhibition and secured awards across California, New York, England, and France. Esteemed individuals such as Andrew Carnegie, Henry Clay Frick, and Robert Louis Stevenson were among its purchasers.

When Landsberger departed in 1880, Henry Epstein assumed his role and the business operated as Arpad Haraszthy & Co. until 1894 when portions were absorbed by the California Wine Association. Although Haraszthy initially consented to join this association but later declined, he continued producing sparkling wines under his own brand until approximately 1899.

Bohemian Club Involvement

Haraszthy was a founding member of San Francisco’s distinguished Bohemian Club in 1872. He served as its inaugural treasurer and subsequently as vice president, maintaining membership until his passing.

Orleans Vineyard Details

Upon Henry Epstein’s entry into Arpad Haraszthy & Co., he brought with him the Orleans Vineyard (formerly known as Orleans Hill Vineyard), which covered over 800 acres situated on the eastern boundary of Yolo County within the Sacramento Valley. This vineyard was planted with grape varieties including Johannisberg Riesling, Zinfandel, Feher Szagos, Early Madeleine, Folle Blanche, Burger, West's White Prolific (French Colombard), and Black Burgundy. Until 1885, harvested grapes were transported to Arpad Haraszthy & Co.’s San Francisco cellars for processing; after that year crushing and fermentation took place directly on site. The vineyard produced both still and sparkling wines. In 1895, Epstein transferred ownership to the California Wine Association; however, phylloxera infestation severely damaged the vineyard leading to its total destruction by 1902.

Board of State Viticultural Commissioners

Formed by the California Legislature in 1880, the Board of State Viticultural Commissioners was the pioneering state entity focused on promoting California's grape-growing sector. The Board consisted of nine commissioners appointed by the governor, with Arpad Haraszthy elected as its president. During his tenure, the Board established an office in San Francisco and developed a wine library that was subsequently transferred to the University of California. They also introduced measures to combat phylloxera infestations, coordinated viticulture conventions across the state, advocated for legislation such as laws ensuring wine purity, and partnered with Eugene W. Hilgard, who was the University of California’s inaugural professor of agriculture, to encourage optimal viticultural methods. Haraszthy remained president until 1888.

Zinfandel

Arpad Haraszthy extensively cultivated Zinfandel grapevines and incorporated them into both still and sparkling wine production. He asserted that his father, Agoston Haraszthy, brought Zinfandel vines to California in the early 1850s—potentially as early as 1852—with help from Hungarian associate Lázár Mészáros. While this claim has been questioned by historians including Charles L. Sullivan, it is supported by documentation found in publications such as Strong Wine: The Life and Legend of Agoston Haraszthy and A Toast to Eclipse: Arpad Haraszthy and the Sparkling Wine of Old San Francisco. The precise origin story of Zinfandel in California remains a subject of historical debate.

As wine writer

Haraszthy was a prolific author on topics related to wine, winemaking techniques, and vineyard management. His earliest writings were letters from France published in San Francisco's California Farmer during 1861–1862. He continued contributing articles to the California Wine, Wool, and Stock Journal throughout 1863–1864. In 1864, his essay "Wine-Making in California" appeared in New York's Harper's New Monthly Magazine. Between 1871 and 1872, the San Francisco Overland Monthly featured four articles under the same title. In 1888, he contributed "Early Viticulture in Sonoma" to Sonoma County and Russian River Valley Illustrated, which was later reprinted in the San Francisco Merchant. As president of the State Board of Viticultural Commissioners, Haraszthy authored reports for the governor and delivered speeches that were included in official publications. His essay "How to Drink Wine" was published by the State Board in 1888 and reissued in 1889. The Book Club of California republished his Overland Monthly essays as Wine-Making in California in 1978. According to McGinty's bibliography, Haraszthy authored approximately 40 works.

Last years

Haraszthy continued producing sparkling wines in San Francisco until around 1899. In early 1900, he traveled to Nome, Alaska to join his brother Bela in gold prospecting. He returned to San Francisco later that November in poor health and passed away shortly after collapsing on a city street at age 60.

Eclipse Champagne Building

Isidore Landsberger originally operated a wine depot on Jackson Street. After Haraszthy became affiliated with I. Landsberger and Co., the business moved to Jones Alley (now known as Hotaling Alley) and Washington Street. When Landsberger sold his share, Haraszthy relocated the storefront to a corner location on Washington Street. The existing Eclipse Champagne Building dates from the 1940s and is not the original cellar associated with Haraszthy.

Family

Agoston Haraszthy remained married to Jovita Vallejo until her passing in 1878 and did not enter into another marriage afterward. Together, they had two offspring: Agostine (1864–1913) and Carlos (1867–1903), both of whom left no descendants.