Chateau Julien Wine Estate assists with the Carmel Basicila Grape Plantings

The Carmel mission in California, formally called San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo Mission, was founded in 1771 by Junipero Serra. Recently they have begun planting a Heritage Garden, with plants that were grown at the time. Certain varieties of beans and corn, such as "broom" corn (used for making brooms) and of course grapes. The variety that was commonly planted by the Franciscan friars is called the Mission variety in California. This grape can trace it's roots back to Spain. It was most likely taken from the Canary Islands or perhaps the Azores as this was usually the last vestige of the Old World before the ships embarked across the Atlantic. In Spain the variety was known as Palomino nero, related to Palomino fino used in Sherry production in the south of Spain. In Chile the variety is known as Pais and is still widely grown in the south, mostly for distillation purposes. In Argentina it is known as Criolla. The fruit is not too darkly colored and the flavor not distinctive as is that of many of the varieties grown in the United States today. Chateau Julien is helping the mission grow and train these vines to support the Heritage Garden.
They don't have too many vines so it is doubtful if they will be making Sacramental wine!!