John Concannon

Born in the Aran Islands off the Coast of Ireland on St. Patrick’s Day, James left his homeland at age 18. In 1865, James traveled from Ireland to fulfill his destiny of creating world-class Bordeaux and Rhône-style wines in American. In 1874, James, his wife Ellen, and the first of their ten children, traveled from Maine across the plains to Oregon, and then to San Francisco. James was eager to pursue new ventures in California, where he discovered the Livermore Valley. Always a quick study, James consulted the wine experts of the time at the University of California, Berkeley to learn everything he could about viticulture and enology. After just a few years of self-guided, intensive scholarship, James Concannon became the first Irish immigrant to establish a successful winery in America.

Links to additional material:

• http://youtu.be/9494UMj7QZY
• http://www.concannonvineyard.com/legacy/legacy-concannon-family?pag...