RANCH HISTORY

1898

The Winery is located on Old Creek Road, which was part of a 17,716 acre Mexican land grant (Rancho Ojai) granted to Don Fernando Tico on April 6, 1837. The Ranch passed through various hands and eventually sold to Antonio Riva in 1906 for a total of $18,000. Mr. Riva was an Italian immigrant and chef who, at the time, owned a wood and coal yard in Los Angeles and used the property to supply wood for the venture and raise fruit trees and cattle, same as today, eventually planting 14 acres of vineyards which he nurtured in a private nursery on the property, including Mission and Zinfandel.

1906

In May 1906, Antonio Riva of northern Italy (a chef in Paris, London, and later in San Francisco) purchased the Ranch and built a Winery on the property.  Riva wines were made without electricity and utilized gravity as a means to move the wine in the processing area.  This conveyance method has been rediscovered today as the “latest and best method” for fruit conveyance as it is less stressful than the currently utilized pumping methods.  Riva produced wine until about 1942, including the prohibition years when customers would leave a written order and one dollar on a clothesline and would return later to pickup a jug of red wine left at the base of an oak tree. In 1933 Mr. Riva was warned the FBI was coming to raid the Winery. All wine beyond what was legal for one family to produce was dumped prior to the FBI’s arrival.

Mr. Riva’s Italian heritage, coupled with his experience as a chef combined to make him a man who enjoyed wine. He would often say “water would make you rusty.” So, to keep from becoming rusty, the Riva family operated a small family business, the Riva Ranch Winery (ref.).  At their home, the Riva family table always had a pitcher of wine in the midday on it and guests were invited to share a glass before they left. Large barbecues were common place on the property and some early film stars reportedly enjoyed the facilities.

1947

Above is Antonio’s old Winery he completed in 1921 which remained on the property until 2021 when it was torn down for safety reasons. The foundation remains at the Ranch today. Antonio Riva made wine on his ranch until 1939/1940. He spent his remaining days living with this first born son, Alfred and his family, who owned a large vineyard in Monterey, California.

Mr. Riva died in 1947 at the age of 92.  The property was sold to retired Shell Oil Company oilman, William Bagby and after owning it for a year, sold to neighbors Muktar and Edith Willett.  The Willetts continued to operate the winery during their 20 years of ownership.

1976

The Ranch was purchased by John and Carmela Maitland in 1976 as a place for Mrs. Maitland to ride her horses.  During the Maitland’s ownership, the old ranch house was refurbished and a large orchard, berry patch and seven varieties of seedless grapes were planted.

1979 - 1981

The Ranch was purchased by John and Carmela (Whitman) Maitland in 1976 as a place for Mrs. Maitland to ride her horses. In 1979, Carmela Whitman planted a few acres of vineyards, unfortunately a brush fire soon took those vineyards out.

But, the resilient Maitland’s soon planted more vineyards and partnered with two former school teachers to start a winery on the property (see photos above.) A total of 2,200 vines on 4-½ acres were planted and a new wine tasting room/office was built and a small winery of 20’ x 30’ was constructed. The winery grew physically and its wine volume increased consistently with the 1981 crush consisting of 350 cases, the volume increased to 600 cases in 1982, then 1,500 cases in 1983 and growing to an estimated 2,500 cases by 1985-86.

Mid-1990's

Sadly, in the late 1980’s the vineyard fell prey to the bacterium that causes Pierce’s Disease and by the late-1990’s, the winery began to outsource grapes from Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties.

2015

June 30, 2015, the Holguin Family purchased the winery and immediately began a series of upgrades to the ranch, including it’s infrastructure plus new vineyards (10 acres), guest seating areas, and a proposed new tasting room and gift store (unfortunately the Family is still waiting for approval to open the new facilities.)

2019

After nearly 30 years, Old Creek Ranch finally has vines growing on the property.  In late 2018 and into spring 2019, eight acres with Pinot Gris and Sauvignon Blanc were planted.  In 2021, several acres of Grenache were planted with the first harvest in 2024.

2025

In June 2025, our 2024 Estate Sauvignon Blanc was released, the first estate vintage since the mid-1990’s!