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Simi Winery is a California producer located in Sonoma County and is one of the longest continuously running wineries in California. It was established in 1876 by brothers Giuseppe and Pietro Simi and is known for its varietal Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay wines. Its lengthy history has meant Simi has been influential in shaping the landscape of both the California and Sonoma County wine industries. In 1904, Giuseppe’s daughter Isabelle took over running the winery. She was able to maintain the winery during Prohibition – legislation that sparked the collapse of much of the (legal) United States wine industry. Simi stayed operational by selling wine for sacramental and medicinal purposes, as well as selling off some property. Isabelle held on to roughly 500,000 cases of Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel made during Prohibition and released it when the so-called Volstead Act (which had legislated prohibition) was repealed – a move that gave Simi an enormous advantage in California in the mid-1930s, and helped secure its future. In 1946, Isabelle founded the Sonoma Grape Growers Association. She sold Simi in 1970, but continued her association with it. In 1973, Mary Ann Graf became Simi’s head winemaker. She had been the first woman to graduate from the University of California at Davis with a degree in viticulture and enology. She was followed in 1979 by renowned winemaker Zelma Long, the second woman to graduate from UC Davis in the same field. In 1981, Simi was bought by Moët Hennessy and began buying back land sold during Prohibition. Today, Simi is owned by beverage conglomerate Constellation Brands, which also owns prominent wineries such as Robert Mondavi Winery in California and New Zealand’s Kim Crawford. Simi Winery has a broad range of wines from fruit grown in estate vineyards and sourced through relationships with growers in several Sonoma County appellations including Sonoma Coast, Carneros, Dry Creek Valley, and Alexander Valley. Its most well-regarded wines come from 160 hectares (395 acres) of Cabernet Sauvignon in Alexander Valley and 40 hectares (100 acres) of Chardonnay in the Russian River Valley. Simi also makes wines from a range of other prominent varieties, including Merlot, Zinfandel, Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc.