Ficklin Vineyards

Timeline

1911 Walter C. Ficklin Sr. brings his family to the San Joaquin Valley from Illinois.
1918 Walter C. Ficklin Sr., and wife Mame, buy land in Madera California.
1930's U.C. Davis conducts field trials of Portuguese grape varieties in San Joaquin Valley.
1945 The Ficklin family grafts first Portuguese grape varietals onto their vineyard rootstocks.
1945 Walter C. Ficklin Jr. becomes vineyard manager.
September, 1946 Ficklin Vineyards is incorporated.
1946 David Ficklin constructs original winery building from hand-made adobe bricks.
1948 David Ficklin becomes winemaker at Ficklin Vineyards.
August, 1948 First crush at Ficklin Vineyards, 18 tons of grapes.
August, 1949 Second crush at Ficklin Vinyards, 45 tons of grapes.
October, 1952 Release of first Ficklin Tinta Port, with 10 retail outlets in California.
1959 Release of Special Bottling #1, 1951 Touriga, bottled in 1954.
1963 Release of Special Bottling #2, Lot #5, Non-vintage Tinta Port, bottled in February, 1957.
1965 Release of Special Bottling #3, 1953 Tinta Madeira, bottled in February, 1957.
November, 1968 Release of Special Bottling #4, 1957 Tinta Madeira, bottled February 26 & 27, 1960.
1975 Walter C. Ficklin, Jr. retires and son, Steven Ficklin, assumes full vineyard management duties.
March, 1978 Peter Ficklin completes enology studies at U.C. Davis and joins David Ficklin as assistant winemaker.
July, 1983 David B. Ficklin retires and Peter Ficklin assumes full winemaking duties. Jean Ficklin becomes president of Ficklin Vineyards.
November, 1987 Release of Special Bottling #5, 1980 Vintage Port, bottled in April, 1983.
February, 1991 Peter Ficklin appointed president of Ficklin Vineyards. He retains his position as winemaker as well.
September, 1991 Release of Special Bottling #6, 1983 Vintage Port, bottled in May, 1987.
August, 1993 Release of Special Bottling #7, 1986 Vintage Port, bottled in 1989.
August, 1995 Winemaker Peter Ficklin releases Lot #1 of the new Aged 10 Year Tawny Port.
March, 1998 Winery founder and original winemaker, David B. Ficklin, passes away.
August, 2001 The winery tasting room opens on weekends from 11 to 5, and the PORTfolio Society is founded.
June, 2002 Madera Vintners Association hosts its first wine trail.
August, 2002 Ficklin releases the 1991 Vintage Port and its first Chardonnay.
August, 2002 Jean Ficklin passes away.
June, 2003 Walter Ficklin, original viticulturalist, passes away.
September, 2003 Our flagship port, the Tinta Port, has a label change for the first time in more than 50 years. It is now the Old Vine Tinta Port.
October, 2003 Ficklin releases its first Cabernet Sauvignon-available only from the winery.
November, 2003 The Aged 10 Years Tawny port also gets a new label. White on black, instead of black on white.
October, 2004 Ficklin releases its table wine Vinha Velha, a blend of Portuguese Varietals.
February, 2005 Ficklin releases its first Rosé.
April, 2005 The Adagio Light Port Blanc Lot #3 was released.
September, 2006 The Chocolate and Raspberry Passport was released.
April, 2009 The Hazelnut and Black Cherry Passport was released.
April, 20010 Ficklin releases the 1996 Vintage Port.


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