The Birthplace of California Wine

Mission San Juan Capistrano was the home to California’s very first vineyard–one of the other way Spanish missionaries left their mark on North America besides Smallpox. The mission itself dates back to the 1700s. Time, power shifts, and an earthquake have colored its walls, creating a backdrop for artists to showcase through film, literature, and the visual arts. Today, the site is a museum with a functioning chapel.